Oiap. V. A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. 145 



ed in Egypt^ and by the Egyptians carried to India. — From the 

 Egyptians it came to Greece, and from Greece to us. 



IN this chapter I will continue the account, I began in the laft, of 

 ■^ thofe arcs of life invented in Egypt, which are neceffary for maa 

 in the civilifed ftate. Of Agriculture, the great art of that kind, 

 I have treated in the laft chapter ; of the produce of which, 

 Corn, I have fliown that the Egyptians taught both to make 

 food and drink. I am now to fpeak of fome other arts, invented 

 in Egypt, vhich are likewife neceflary in the civililed life. And I 

 will begin with Cloatbs, which are not neceffary in the natural ftate, 

 as it is now well known, that men go naked in the coldeft climates, 

 fuch as that of an ifland a degree further fouth than the Straits of 

 Magellan, where Sir Francis Drake faw men without cloaths. The firft 

 x;loathing ufcdby men was undoubtedly the {kins of beads; and in that 

 way Adam and Eve were firft cloathed. But the Egyptians con- 

 trived to make cloathing of a vegetable, I mean, Flax, of which 

 they made what is fo much celebrated in fcripture, under the name 

 of the fine linen of Egypt \ the ufe of which is now fo prevalent in 

 Europe, that the meaneft of the people not only wear it through 

 the day, but fleep in it at night. But to the Greeks and Romans it 

 was not at all known, and Auguftus Csefar had not a linen fhirt upon 

 his back ; nor in antient times does it appear, that this difcovery 

 went to any other nation except the Jews. In Egypt it was ab- 

 folutely neceflary that they fliould have fuch a cloathing, as the 

 country, maintaining fo many men, could not at the fame time 

 fupport fo many beafts as were neceflary for cloathing the tenth 

 part of the people. The Egyptians at the fame time knew alfo 

 the ufe of wool for cloathing, and ufed woollen cloth as well as 

 linen : But for making both it was neceflary that they (hould in- 

 Tent the art of fpinning and weaving. To them therefore we owe 

 our Cloathing, as well as our Bread, our Wine and Beer. 



Vol. IV. T As 



