Chap. X. A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. 215 



ment, and to inftru£b them in arts and fciences, which, it appears 

 to have been the will of heaven, fliould be propagated all over the 

 world from Egypt, So that we are not to wonder, that Providence 

 interpofed in behalf of Egypt by fending Daemons among thpm, 

 not Angels, to govern them. 



And thus, I think, I have fhown, that, as far as nature could go, 

 the Egyptian polity was the moft perfedl of any that ever exifted. 

 But as education is necelfary both to make good governors and good 

 fubjeds, I will next inquire concerning the education in Egypt : 

 And I think I fhall be able to fliow, that, in this refpedl alfo, the 

 Egyptian government was the bed that ever exlfted. That the do- 

 meftic education under a father is the beft of all educations, if the 

 father be a man who is able to inftruct his child, cannot 1 think be 

 doubted ; for both the teacher will be more anxious to inflrudt his 

 child, than we can fuppofe any other teacher will be, and the child 

 will more readily receive inftrudlions from the parent than from any 

 other, and will get it too more conftanily and frequently than he 

 could do from any other teacher. Now, in this way, all the chil- 

 dren of Egypt were educated; and all the feveral clafles were in- 

 (Irudcd in their different arts and profeffiona. In this way their 

 wife men and philofophers were taught the feveral arts and fciences, 

 which therefore may be faid to have been hereditary among them, 

 as our lands and money are among us. And, if fo, I think it 

 was neceffary, that they fliould go on increafing from generation to 

 generation. Now, let us compare this way of teaching arts and 

 fciences with our fchool or college education, or even with the edu- 

 cation among the Greeks and Romans, which, I think, in fome re- 

 fpeds was worfe than even our education ; for among them they 

 had no public fchools, except for grammar, mufic, and athletic exer- 

 cifes. But, as to fciences, and particularly as to philofophy, which 

 contains the principles of all arts and fciences, there was no fchool 



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