87 



fl»itted to wear shoes, and yet coviW not aj>pcaf in public 

 ^¥ithout thera. . , ! r 



Though the lives of the suIjjqcIs. were well guarded against 

 each other, 3'et they ■were not against superstition, for if 

 any of them happened to kill a cat, or any other of their sa- 

 cred, an imaJs» though inadA'crtently and by chance,, he was 

 irremissably put to death.* 



Men were prohibited from following any other profession 

 but that of their fathers. Tliose who followed any me- 

 chanical trade or profession were held in contempt.-j- 



Thieving was not only authorized by law, but even encou- 

 raged by rewards.:]; 



It is said, nevertheless, that the population of Egypt was 

 very considerable, and thence it is inferred that the state of 

 the inhabitants was happy. Yet I think this an infufficient 

 proof of general happiness, for wherever food can easily be 

 procured, the population will be considerable, though in 

 many respects miserable. Goguet shews the population of 

 Egypt wa« excessively exaggerated .|1> 



Several sciences, it is "true, might, comparatively with- 

 other nations, be s^id to have flourished in Egypt, but they 



were 



• Diodor. Db. 1. p. 94. f- Herod. Lib. 2. cap. 167^ 



J Diodor, Lib. i. p. 190.. || Vol, 2. p. 11. 



id taoi' 



