Chap. XI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 221 



in Greece and Rome. — No indigence in Egypt ^ fuch as is in modern 

 Nations, and ivas in antient times. — No money there,— Commerce 

 carried on by exchange. — No great ejlates. — That prevented by the 

 Agraran laiv, dividing the land among three orders of the State. 

 — No foreign luxury in Egypt, as they had no trade ivith other 

 countries. — A ftngular thing in the Hijiory of Egypt, that they 

 made no Provinces of the Countries they conquered, — nor impofed 

 any tribute upon them. — The Egyptians, not only happy them/elves, 

 but a public blejjing to mankind-, by importing arts and civility a- 

 mong them. — The three great articles of the political fyjlenu are the 

 health, the morals, and the mtmbers of the people. — As to Health, 

 the Egyptians the healthiejl of all civilifed nations ; — ufed Phyjic, 

 not only to cure di/eafes, but to prevent them. — As to Morals — the/e 

 better in Egypt than in other countries, becaufe they "were the mojl 

 religious of men, — and had not thofe temptations to vice, ivhicb 

 other nations have by ivealth and by indigence, — Land, their only 

 property ; -which could not be accumulated in the hands of indivi- 

 duals. — As to Numbers, the/e vuere "wonderful in Egypt. — A parti- 

 cular account of the number of Cities under At7iafts and Ptolemy 

 Lagus. — This number of Cities more to be depended on than the 

 numbering of Men, — Reafons given for the -wonderful increafe of 

 Men in Egypt. — All marrying, and having children.— ■ All 

 children brought up at the fmallefl expense. — And children not 

 dying under age, as fo many die among us. — One extraordi- 

 nary reafon for the increafe of people, -was the addition to the 

 country of the Delta. — This mufl have added very much to the 

 numbers of the people, as -well as to the increafe of learning. — The 

 Egyptian Government thus proved to be the befl that ever exijcd; 



and the mofl fitted for the cultivation of arts and fciences. 



The duration of the Government of Egypt, a proof of its excellency, 



— No changes made in it during a prodigious number of years. 



No difputes about the fncceffion to the Crotvn, till the Greeks came 



among 



