416 ETHNOLOGY. 



words underwent no change from their original foiTn. They may be recognized 

 at a glance, and do not in anywise alter the face of the Coptic language. This 

 is a simple and positive evidence that the language and literature of the Copts 

 are essentially Christian. Such manuscripts as have been published, or up to 

 this time examined by savants, prove that the language was cultivated only by 

 the monks, who during the early ages of Christianity dwelt in the deserts of 

 Egypt. These holy anchorites concerned themselves only with the exercises of 

 devotion. Abandoned to themselves, and separated from any intercourse with 

 the world, they divided their time between prayers, manual labor;, reading the 

 Bible and the lives of other monks. The study of literature, science, history, 

 especially if it were pagan, had no interest for them. Their writing, then, could 

 treat only of religion and monkish institutions. I believe it would be difficult 

 to find among Coptic manuscripts any proper scientific compositions. The 

 Coptic language should not, however, lose its interest with savants. If the 

 anchorites of the Thel)aid did not treat ex professo of historical events, their 

 writings could, notwithstanding, furnish many historical data of precious value, 

 and illustrate many points which now eml)arrass the critic. For it is well known 

 that, since the tinu^ of Constantine, the history of Christianity and the church 

 is intimately connected with that of the people and the em])ire. The bishops 

 often shaped the decrees of the Caesars, and the latter charged themselves with 

 executing the ordinances of the Pontiffs. The Coptic monks, then, when treat- 

 ing of the history of the church, can supj)ly us with interesting documents 

 relating to the history of their age. They also occupied themselves frequently 

 in translating the works of the more celebrated Greek fathers, and we might 

 find interesting treatises preserved in Co]itic, of wliich the original Greek no 

 longer exists. I have myself seen such fragments in the library of the Vatican 

 at Home, and executed a translation of them into Latin for the venerable Car- 

 dinal Mai, curator of that library. These are, however, not the only motives 

 to interest us in the Coptic; it has for us and all the learned world a very spe- 

 cial and supreme importance. The immortal ChampoUion the younger, when 

 seriously ap}ilying himself to study the famous inscription on the stone found at 

 Eosetta, during the French expedition in Egypt, succeeded, in 1822, in deci- 

 phering the hieroglyphic symbols. The interest excited in Europe by that dis- 

 covery is known to all, and the learned of all nations since have occupied them- 

 selves in perfecting this growing science. Now all the learned, as well as 

 ChampoUion the elder, have acknowledged that the Coptic language is no other 

 than that of the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs ; that it is the key and the dic- 

 tionary of hierogl^'phics ; tliat without an available knowledge of it it would 

 be very difficult or well-nigh impossible to interpret them. 



There would be a truly valuable service rendered to science if those who are 

 in position to do so would suggest to his highness the Viceroy Mahomet-Said to 

 assemble at the museum or at the Egyptian Institute, both of which do him so 

 much honor, a collection of Coptic manuscripts, which should be accessible to 

 students and the learned. In the Coptic convents there lie, enveloped in dust, 

 innumerable Coptic volumes ; no one there understands them, and the worms 

 only have the privilege of visiting, gnawing, and destroying them. To this 

 class of MSS. should be added a collection of Arabic authors, particularly of 

 the middle ages, which was the golden period for Arabic literature. * * * 



If I have one ^\■ish which I should like to see reciprocated in the breasts of 

 this assembly, it is that my colleagues should unite their efforts with mine to aid 

 in restoring the Coptic language to life here in its own native place. Our society 

 will fail in its mission if it shall neglect this duty. The Institute will no longer 

 be Egyptian if it fail to occupy itself with the language of Egypt. Besides, 

 all the learned societies of Em-ope are impatient to see the results of our labors 

 upon ancient Egypt. Behold, tlien, how much is expected of this Institute ! 



