IV 



PREFACE. 



men, was in(i difiifed in Egypt, where men lived in cities, and 

 fubfifted by agriculture, thoufands of years before there was 

 any fuch aflbciation of men in Europe, and while the inhabitants 

 there lived as the Scythians and other northern nations did in 

 later times, and were ftill more favage, being little better, as I 

 imagine, in very ancient times, than mere Ourang-Outangs, This 

 high antiquity of Egypt is not only attefted by moft credible 

 Authors, fuch as Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus, and who had the 

 beft opportunities of being informed ; but the nature of the country 

 is to me a clear proof that men mufl: have fubfifled longer by agri- 

 culture, and in fuch great numbers (Egypt having been the moft 

 populous country that either is or ever was *) than they could have 

 done in any other country where the foil is not annually renewed, 

 as it is in Egypt ; for there is nothing more certain, than that by 

 conftant culture for many thoufands of years, the fame foil, how- 

 ever rich, and whatever addition may be made to it by human art, 

 will at laft be worn out. Now, whoever has ftudied the Hiftory 

 of Man, muft know, that Arts and Sciences can never arife among 

 a vagrant people, but only among a people living by agriculture in 

 cities J that is, in the clofeft fociety and moft frequent intercourfe f. 



2^/o, In Egypt, there was a race of men, and of the beft men 

 in the country (for it was the moft honourable of all the Clafles, 

 or Cafts, into which the Egyptian people were divided) who were 

 fet apart for the duties of religion, and the cultivation of Sciences. 

 Thefe lived in different Colleges, fuch as thofe of Thebes, Memphis, 

 Heliopolis, &c. and enjoying perfed leifure, being fupportcd at 

 the public expence, and fucceeding one another from father to 



fon 



* See what I have faid upon the fubjecl of the Populoufnefs of Egypt, Vol. I. of 

 the Origin of Language, p. 647, and following, of the fecond Edition, 

 t Ibid. p. 661. and following. 



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