VI 



PREFACE. 



4/0, There is another reafon more general than any I have hitherto 

 mentioned, which perfuades me that Egypt is the native country of 

 Sciences and Philofophy : And it is this, that it has pleafed the great 

 Author of Nature not only to make a diftindion of races and fami- 

 lies in the fame nation, as I think I have clearly fhow^n in the loth 

 Chapter of the fecond Book of this Volume ; but he has been pleafed 

 alfo to make a diflindion of Nations, and to have bellowed different 

 talents upon different Nations. Now it appears to me that he has 

 beflcwed, in an eminent degree, the gift of Science and Philofopliy 

 upon the Egyptian Nation, by which I would be vnidcrftood to mean, 

 not that mixed multitude and colluvion of People, which at prefent 

 inhabit that country, but the antient Egyptian race. The Greeks 

 were blefled with a Genius for the liberal Arts, and an exquilite Tafte 

 for what is beautiful, graceful, and becoming : Nor do I believe that 

 ever a Nation exiiled fo much favoured by the Mufes and Graces. But 

 as to the Sciences and Philofophy, if they had not imported them from 

 Egypt, I am perfuaded they never would have invented them ; at 

 leaft never would have made any confiderable progrefs in them ; for 

 even in Geometry, one of the Cn'ii Sciences among men, which they 

 undoubtedly got from Egypt, we fee how little progrefs they had 

 made as late down as the days of Plato, w^ho fays that they were even 

 then fhamefully and brutifhly, or fwinifhly, as he expreffes it, igno- 

 rant of the very principles of it *. Arithmetic is a Science that 

 fhoukl precede Geometry, being the foundation of all Arts and 

 Sciences ; yet even that I am perfuaded they got from Egypt, 

 where, as Plato informs us t, it was very much cultivated, and 

 tauglu to children in the proper way in which they fliould learn 

 every thing, that is, in playing. Now, without thefe two 



Sciences 



* Ibid. p. 630, where I have quoted the words of Plato, 

 t De Lt'glbus^ Lib. viii. p. 8ig, Editio Serrani. 



