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Sen Mut—An Egyptian Crichton. 
By WILLIAM HOWARTH. 
Reap Berore THE Society, JANUARY 23RD, 1908. 
James Crichton, born in 1561, of fairly wealthy parents, who 
stimulated his natural intelligence by the best education the times 
could give, soon became a prodigy of learning. At an early age he 
was master of twelve languages, in any one of which he could with 
equal facility compose an ode, write a drama, give a learned dis- 
quisition, carry on an argument, or harangue a mob. Savant, 
author, actor, athlete, swordsman, rider, musician, &c., doing all 
things equally well, he has been called “The Admirable,” and his 
name has become the synonym for brilliant versatility ; but of his 
work there only survives some Latin verses, which have been 
described as very poor fustian. 
In Sen Mut we find an early example more richly deserving the 
prefix ‘“‘Admirable.” His parents were poor serfs, yet without 
influence, early education, or wealthy friends, he forged his way from 
the lowest rung of the ladder to the highest position behind the 
throne, directing the policy of the Pharoahs during portions of the 
16th and 15th centuries B.o. 
