Chap. XIII. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 255 



in the ivrititig art as in every other. — Atjirjl^ the ideas ivere di- 

 rectly reprefented^ by Jigures natural or fymboUcal. — Ihefc lajl 

 •were ivhat is called Hieroglyphics. — Of the ajjijlance given to our 

 intellefl by our fenfes^ and hoiv wonderfully the t-wo concur to carry 

 on man in the purfuit of knoivledge. — 'The advantages of the ivrit- 

 ing art. — This art inventea in Egypt by a Dcemon., called Theuth. 

 — But he invented only the notatiofi of the elemental founds by ivrit- 

 ten characters. — The analyfs of language., into elemental founds^ was 

 before his time., under the Dcemon Kings. 



IN the preceeding chapter I have given a pretty full account ot 

 the country of Egypt and the people, and particularly of their 

 government, oi which 1 have faid a great deal, I hope the reader 

 v^dll not think too much, as it is a thing fo eflential in the hiftorj' 

 of man, that without it there could have been no civil fociety, nor 

 confequently any progrefs made by man in this life towards a better 

 in the world to come. I go on now W'ith what is the proper fub- 

 jeft of this book, — the origin of arts and fciences. Of one of thefe, 

 and that without which other arts and fciences never could have 

 been invented, and of which, therefore, I have treated at fo great 

 length, I mean the laft mentioned art of government, I think it is 

 evident, that Eg)"pt muft have been the parent country ; for, as it 

 was the oldeft civilized country, they could not have borrowed 

 the art from any other, and therefore they muft have invented it 

 themfelves ; and, 1 chink, I have fhown, that they not only invent- 

 ed it, but brought it to the greateft perfeAion. In the preceeding 

 chapters I have treated of other arts, which they invented, particu- 

 larly the art of agriculture ; and, I think, I have fhown that we 

 owe to them the bread we eat, and the wine and the ale we drink. I 

 think 1 have alfo fhown, that we owe to them the clothes we wear, 



and 



