id ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book L 



a proof of the contrary; and if we want a proof nearer home, we 

 have that of the Arabian porters of Baflbra, who can carry a much 

 greater burthen than any porter in Europe, and yet they eat no- 

 thing but dates, (and fifh when they can get them), and drink no 

 flrong Uquors*. 



The Egyptians, of all antient nations, appear to have been the 

 moft moderate fle(h-eaters ; for they did not kill to eat, as we do 

 and as other antient nations did, but they ate only of what was fa- 

 criliced; and, I fuppofe, of that the Priefts had the chief fhare. 

 They were moderate, too, in the ufe of wine, of which Egypt pro- 

 duced none ; for they got their wine from the mountainous part of 

 Arabia, divided from the reft of Arabia by the Arabian Gulph, or 

 Red Sea as we call it. Of this part of Arabia they were in pofleflion, 

 fo that they had wine growing in their own territory; for they made 

 it a rule to import nothing from any other country, nor to export 

 to any other, fo that they had no trade at all ; and the ftrong liquor 

 they chiefly ufed was ale, which, the Greek authors fay, was a very 

 pleafant drink, not much inferior to wine in tafte and flavour. But 

 their philofophy appears to have taught them, that the civilifed life, 

 however well managed, was not favourable to health ; and, there- 

 fore, they ftudied phyfic more, I believe, than any other people 

 ever did, having a Doctor for every difeafe, and taking phyfic in 

 great quantities every month, for three days fucceflively, to prevent 

 difeafes; and, from my own experience, I find, that phyfic taken 

 for that purpofe is very beneficial, though I do not take it in fo vio- 

 lent a way as the Egyptians did, but much oftener. 



The Indians, who, as I have fliownf, have taken fo much of the 

 E^^yptian manners, have imitated them as to eating flcfli ; for they 



eat 



* See vol. 3. of this work, p. 173. 



I Vol. 4. of this work, book 3. chap. 2. and 3. 



