83 



S'° That laws exist or civstoms prevail, obviously iiicompa. 

 tible with general happiness. 



By the epithet barbarian, the Greeks originally distin- 

 guished only the Cariaus by reason of their vicious pronun- 

 ciation of the Greek language. Afterwards they bestowed 

 the same appellation oa all who did not use the Greek lan- 

 guage, and in process of time, on all who were not of Greek 

 origin.* In modern times it is given to all who do not pro- 

 fess the Christian religion, but principally to the African 

 etates bordering on the Mediterranean. 



The two most ancient governments of this sort, of which 

 we have any credible testimonies, are the Egyptian, and the 

 Assyrian; they are said to have been nearly contemporary, 

 but as the former was by far the most renowned for the wis- 

 dom of its institutions, and is even commonly supposed to 

 have been civilized, I shall here shew that strictly speaking 

 it rather merits, the appellation of barbarian, 



•iijfii ii ijuj; Qj- ffig Egyptian Government. 



r I J » ■ 



As to the physical wants of the Egyptians, it is certain 

 they were in general amply suppUed ; agriculture flourished, 



pasturage 



• Strabp, p.>77. 



