x^i ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. BookIL 



C H A P. in. 



The Egyptian nation undoubtedly a 'uery antient c'lvlUfed nation. — > 

 None can pretend to be fo antient ^ except the Indian. — A regular 

 Government among the Egyptians In the niojl antient times. — This 

 attejled by Mofes. — No other regular Government then knoivn. 

 —Of the ixonderfui number of Kings there according to HerO' 

 dotus and Dlodorus Slculus, from Menes the frfl human King, 

 doivn to Amafts. — Of the number of years thefe Kings reigned. — ■ 

 The antient hlflory of Egypt a matter of curlofity^ as ivell as the 

 ajitlcnt hlflory of Greece. — Both to be confidered as part of the hlflo" 

 ry o/'Mati. — T^e^fecond thing required, of a country where language 

 luas to be Invented, Is that It fhould be abundant of the natural 

 fruits of the earth. This the cafe of Egypt. — The third thing re- 

 quired, is a regular government fitted for the Invention and culti- 

 vation of arts. — This alfo In Egypt. — The lafl thing required, in 

 a country fit for the invention tf language, is that the people floould 

 have good natural parts. — This alfo the cafe of the Egyptians ^ as 

 is prjQved by the authority of facred and frofane -writers. 



THAT the Egyptian was a very antient civilifed nation, is a fad 

 indifputable. The moft antient civilifed nation at prefent exifl- 

 ing (for the antient Egyptian nation is now no more) is the Indian, 

 by fome thought to be more antient than the Egyptian: But I hope I 

 (lull be able to prove to the readers facisfadlion, that the Indians got 

 their civility and arts from the Egyptians ; and if fo, there can be 

 no doubt, that the Egyptian is the moft antient civilifed nation of 

 which there is any record or tradition. For their antiquity, as a ci- 

 vilifed nation, we have the authority of Mofes, the moft antient 

 ^iftorian extant, who tells us, that when Jofeph vi-as in Egypt, the 



Egyptians 



