304 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book III. 



Kings, near to Thebes, where 40 of them were interred, with obe- 

 lifks near tlieir fepulchres, and infcriptions on thefe obelifks, which 

 mentioned their power, their wealth, their armies amounting to 

 a million of men, and their empire extending over Scythia, Badtri- 

 ana, and India*. This Egyptian monument, he appears to have 

 himfelf feen. Now, though we fliould give no faith to the facred books 

 of the Egyptians, nor to the traditions preferved among the learned 

 in India, agreeing with thofe books, if we will not be convinced by the 

 infcriptions upon thofe monuments, more antient, it is likely, than 

 even the books of the Priefls, I think we muft give no faith to old 

 monuments of any kind. 



Having thus proved by the teflimonies of antient authors, which 

 I think unqueftionable, that the Egyptians were in India In very 

 antient times, it does not appear to me neceflary to add any autho- 

 rities fiom modern authors. I will, however, quote one modern 

 author, M. la Croze, who has written, in French, a very good book 

 upon India, which he entitles the Hijiory of the Chnjliajtifm of the 

 Indies. In the fecond volume of this workf, he aflerts the fadt, as 

 a thing that could not be doubted : And he fays, that the Jefuit 

 Father Catrou, in his Hiflcry of the Mogul Empire, and M. Huet, 

 Bifhop of Avranches, in his Hi/lory of the Cojnmerce and Navigation 

 of the Antients, are of the fame opinion. And, the firft he mentions. 

 Father Catrou, he fiys, maintains upon the authority of the Bramins, 

 that the Indians were originally a colony from Egypt. But this, 

 I think, is carrying the matter too far, much farther than is warrant- 

 ed by any antient Hiflorian. It is enough to fuppofe, what, as I have 

 faid, is proved by the teftimony of the Indian Hiflorian Miittelu ul 

 Anwar, quoted by Feriflita, that the Egyptians, when they overran 

 the country, firft under Ofiris, and then under Sefoftris, left behind 



them 



* Ibid, page 1 171. 

 " Page Z2I. 



