as Icnawn to the Egyptians* 105 



admitting, that however whimsical some of the figures may be 

 in sacred subjects, they often shewed considerable taste where 

 the regulations of the priesthood and religious scruples ceased 

 to interfere. 



In their temples they were obliged to conform to rules esta- 

 blished in the early infancy of art, which custom and prejudice 

 had rendered sacred : the ancient style was always looked upon 

 with the highest veneration, and it is probable that from the 

 same feeling of respect, the formulas and diction of their books 

 of law or religion continued the same as in early times ; a cus- 

 tom prevalent among many people, whatever improvement lan- 

 guage undergoes ; for neither would the Turkish Moslem dare 

 to translate the Arabic Qoran, nor the Cairene to alter it to 

 his own dialect; and we might ourselves object to a Bible 

 written in the style of Robertson or Hume. 



Plato and Synesius both mention the stern regulations which 

 forbade their artists to introduce innovations in religious sub- 

 jects ; and the more effectually to prevent this, ** the profession 

 of artist was not allowed to be exercised by common or illite- 

 rate persons, lest they should attempt any thing contrary to the 

 laws established, regarding the figures of the deities." 



In their household furniture, and the ornamental objects 

 used in their dwelling-houses, they were not restricted by any 

 established rules ; here, as I have observed, much taste was 

 displayed, and their vases frequently bear so strong a resem- 

 blance to those of Greece, that we might feel disposed to con- 

 sider them borrowed from Greek models, did not their known 

 antiquity forbid such a conclusion ; and many have mistaken 

 the ornamental devices attached to them and to other fancy 

 works of Egyptian art, for the productions of Greek sculptors. 

 Now, that we are acquainted with the dates of the Egyptian 

 monuments, the square border and scrolls, so common on 

 Athenian, Sicilian, Etruscan, and Graeco- Italian vases, are 

 shewn to be, from the most remote time, among the ordinary 

 devices on cups and the ceilings of tombs at Thebes and other 

 places, and the graceful curve of the Egyptian cornice, which, 

 not confined to architecture, is repeated on vases and numerous 

 articles of furniture, was evidently adopted for the same orna- 

 mental purpose by the Greeks. 



