Chap. XVIT. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 235 



very many diflcrent countries ; for which purpofe tlicir country was 

 very well fituated, adjoining to two feas, the Red Sea and the Me- 

 diterranean, which gave them a communication with every country 

 of the earth *. All thefe advantages that I have mentioned 

 were fuch as no other country enjoyed : And therefore it is not 

 to be wondered that Egypt was deftined by God and Nature to 

 be the native country of all arts and fciences, even of that art, 

 which is the parent of all other arts and fciences, I mean language ; 

 and alfo of that art by which arts and fciences have come down to 

 us from the remoteft antiquity, and have been fpread fo much over 

 the earth, I mean the writing art. 



But I will fay no more here upon this fubje£l, though I think it 

 a moft important part of the hiftory of man, having fpokcn fo much 

 of it in other parts of my writings. 



When to this knowledge, that we acquire by the ftudy of our- 

 felves, we add, what I have faid is to be learned from antient books, 

 I think we may be able, if not to prevent, at Icaft to corred and 

 amend all the evils of this life, proceeding from the tv/o fources I 

 have mentioned §. 



There is one evil not hitherto mentioned, which the ftudy I 

 recommend will certainly cure. The evil I mean, is that fore 

 difeafe which the French call Ennui. Of this I have fpoken a 

 good deal in other paffiiges of my works, particularly in Vol. V. 

 of this work f , and in Vol. III. of the Origin and Progrcfs of Lan- 

 guage X'- But, I think, it is a thing of fo much confequence, that I 

 will fay here a good deal more upon the fubjed ; for I hold it to be 

 the fource of a great part of the vices and follies of men, and, con- 



G g 2 fequently, 



• See what I have faid on the fubjeft of the tranfmiflion of arts and fciences 

 from Egypt to other countries, in Vol. IV. Book III. Chap. I. &c. 



f Pages 92. and loi. % Page 450. § Pages 223. and 224. of this Vol. 



