E G Y P T. 



^ History.^ ofleni'er, and that lie should carry off the head to pre- 

 ""V^ vent a discovery, is rather fabulous than probable. Far 

 less can we conceive, that a father, though wicked, would 

 induce his daughter to enter into criminal intrigues to 

 obtain from her admirers the secret of the theft. He is 

 said to have enlarged and adorned the temple of Vulcan. 

 Here, again, there is a gap in the history of Egypt ; 

 and the first king, who claims our notice, is Cheops, who 

 was also distinguished by a variety of other appellations, 

 and is said to have erected the largest of the Egyptian 

 pyramids. He began his reign with shutting up the 

 temples of the gods; and forbidding every species of re- 

 ligious worship. He was as tyrannical as he was im- 

 pious; and he oppressed the people for the space of fifty 

 years. 



Ctphren. His succesor Cephren, or Chabryis, trode in the steps 



of the former king. He, too, built a pyramid with ex- 

 cessive labour and expence to the people, whom he had 

 enslaved ; and so much was he detested during the course 

 of a long reign, that the place of his burial was kept se- 

 cret, lest the populace had treated his remains with dis- 

 honour and indignation. 



Mi-crrinus. Mycerinus, or Cherinus, the son of Cheops, detesting 

 the injustice and impiety of his father, pursued a diffe- 

 rent and an amiable course. He honoured the sods, 



"* 



threw open the temples, and encouraged sacrifices to be 

 offered. He delivered the people from every species of 

 tyranny, and restored to them a life of tranquillity and 

 freedom. He tempered the severities of the law, and 

 was in truth a benevolent father to his people. But 

 while he was diffusing happiness around him, and all 

 classes of society were enjoying the fruits of his benefi- 

 cence, a heavy and domestic calamity befel himself. The 

 death of a favourite daughter threw a gloom over every 

 object of nature, and appears to have affected the strength 

 and steadiness of his mind. Her sepulchre seems to 

 have been adorned with much splendour, and her me- 

 mory to have been preserved, by the frequently occur- 

 ring observance of solemn and impressive rites. 



The honours, which were ordained in remembrance of 

 his daughter, appear to have been connected witli some 

 sacrifices or offerings of respect to the god Apis ; and 

 upon these circumstances, a fabulous story seems to lyive 

 been invented, about the manner of the princess's dentli, 

 mid th oLUi.onu which mcic |in.->t.-iucU Dtlore her tomb. 

 The king himself appears to have been affected in the 

 exercise of his intellectual powers ; for he abandoned his 

 former quiet and virtuous mode of life, and gave himself 

 up to every species of riot and intemperance. It is said 

 also, that he too built a pyramid, and inscribed his name 

 upon its northern front 



6q>hctu<. The first king who is mentioned in the Egyptian his- 

 tory, after the preceding sovereign, is Gncphactus, who 

 is of no celebrity in the annals of his country. His man- 

 ners were simple, and his abstinence proverbial. The 

 luxury of his time appears to have been excessive ; and 

 its tendency was the more alarming to his mind, when 

 he brought it in contrast with his own moderation. The 

 beginning of those luxuries, of which, we presume, he 

 justly complained, was ascribed to the reign of Meaes, 

 who introduced many valuable improvements of civil 

 life ; and who, along with these, gave a currency per- 

 haps to many indulgences which had risen to excess. 

 It is said, that with the approbation of the priests and 

 courtiers, a curse was pronounced upon the memory of 

 Menes, and the curse inscribed upon a pillar. 



What effect tlie proceedings of Gnephactirs had upon ^lljMory. 

 the dissolute manners and habits of the Egyptians, ;vc 

 are not informed ; but his son and successor, Bocchoris, Bocchoric. 

 was a prudent prince, and appears to have adopted such 

 measures, as were best calculated to correct the excesses 

 of which his father complained. He introduced the best 

 regulations into every branch of police; and administer- 

 ed the public revenues with judgment and moderation. 

 He was accounted One of those princes, who properly de- 

 served the name of legislators in Egypt ; for he impro- 

 ved its domestic economy, and enlarged its foreign rela- 

 tions. Like the Chinese, the ancient Egyptians resisted 

 an intercourse with other nations ; but this hurtful pre- 

 judice had gradually given way under the administration 

 of different kings ; and Bocchoris gave his aid towards 

 the removal of so pernicious a restraint. He encouraged 

 commerce, and promoted the general happiness of his 

 kingdom. But in the midst of these valuable improve- 

 ments, he was attacked by Sabacco, a prince of Ethiopia, 

 by whom he was overthrown in battle, and having been 

 made a prisoner, was inhumanly put to death. 



Though Sabacco ascended the throne of Egypt by a Sabacee. 

 striking act of cruelty ; yet when he had attained the 

 sovereign power, lie was remarkable for clemency and 

 conciliating manners But lie never appears to have 

 reigned in the affections, or with the consent of the na- 

 tion. In particular, the priests were hostile to liis go- 

 vernment ; and we are told in the legends of those times, 

 that he was warned in a dVeam to destroy the priesthood, 

 if he wished to remain king of Egypt. But we are ra- 

 ther to believe that he found the nation unfriendly to his 

 authority ; and as the priests were then the nobles and 

 most powerful persons of the kingdom, and inimical to 

 his reign, he had probably conceived a plan of putting 

 those enemies to death, by a sudden and unexpected at- 

 tadk and thereby overawing the people to submission ; 

 her from principle or fear, abandoning so despe- 

 rate an undertaking, he abdicated the throne, arid retired 

 into Ethiopia. He is supposed to have been the So oi' 

 the scriptures, who entered into a league with Hoshca 

 the king of Samaria, to oppose and keep in restraint 

 Shalmantstr the king of Assyria. 



Sethon is the next king of Egypt, who lays claim to Setlum.. 

 oiu i-cmaidci-aiiim. He was a person of the sacerdotal 

 order, and belonged to the temple of Vulcan. He had 

 no warlike dispositions, nor was he at all habituated to 

 the use of arms. Till now the soldiery had been che- 

 rished, and were a conspicuous body of men in Egypt; 

 and therefore being neglected by Sethon, tliey were dis- 

 persed, and hostile to his interests. The kings of Assyria 

 being at this time bold and successful warriors, and find- 

 ing Egypt in a feeble and unprotected state, they en- 

 tered that country in a hostile manner, and filled the 

 nation with alarm. The soldiers being scattered and 

 disgusted, Sethon's army consisted only of raw and un*. 

 disciplined troops, who were unable to meet a host of 

 victorious invaders. Sennacherib king of Assyria, with a 

 numerous army, entered Egypt, and committed great de- 

 vastations. 



In this threatening and dangerous situation, when ruin 

 was apparently ready to burst upon the head of thu 

 Egyptian king, a host of rats in one night gnawed the 

 bow-strings and shield-straps of the Assyrian army ; and 

 being thus deprived of their weapons of warfare, they 

 fled before the Egyptians with great slaughter. A story 

 somewhat alike to this Egyptian representation, its hand* 



