E G Y P T. 



401 



Statistics, made further progress in knowledge, tKan the Egyp- 

 s- - "v^ ^ tians themselves had done, yet still the origin of their 

 acquirements may be traced to Egypt. And though 

 the current of science must have been enlarged by tri- 

 butary streams, yet the spring is to be found in the 

 banks of the Nile. The Egyptians had made some im- 

 provements in the art of metallurgy ; and the golden 

 calf, made by Aaron in the wilderness, is a monument 

 of his skilL No nation can have advanced far in civi- 

 lization and the arts of life, without having also culti- 

 vated the art of music. Certain tones and inflections 

 of the voice, being agreeable to the ear, are cherished 

 anil diversified according to the skill and ingenuity of 

 those who are lovers of harmony. It has always been 

 customary to mingle music with festivals and rejoicings ; 

 and though the scanty remains of Egyptian history fur- 

 nish us with few materials for ascertaining their musi- 

 cal attainments, yet upon the architectural ruins of the 

 most ancient edifices of that country, instruments of 

 music are represented in various states of progress, from 

 the most simple to a highly improved form of the harp ; 

 and where music is cultivated, poetry has always been 

 considerably improved. 



Surgery and The arts of surgery and medicine were simple and 

 medicine, deficient in such ancient times, as those of which we 

 are writing ; and in Egypt the inflexible adherence to 

 ancient practices was "unfavourable to the progre.-s of 

 the healing art. In the ancient state of Egypt, no re- 

 medy was to be applied, nor any application recom- 

 mended, but such as were approved of in their sacred 

 books. But such restrictions were gradually removed ; 

 and in the schools of Alexandria considerable progress 

 was made in medical studies. Yet, even in early times, 

 there were some arrangements, which tended strongly 

 to the perfection of those arts. The medical practice 

 was divided into various departments, and some stu- 

 died the diseases of the eyes, others the teeth, the ears, 

 and either distinct parts of the human frame. The 

 practice of divination was common in all the ancient 

 countries of the East, and it was even applied to the 

 healing of diseases. 



Writing. The Coptic, or ancient language of Egypt, is almost 



extinct, but perhaps might be found in its purity in 

 the manuscript remains, which are said to be deposited 

 in the monasteries of that country ; and the Arabic is 

 now in considerable use in Egypt, though different lan- 

 guages are spoken by the people of different nations 

 who sojourn there. We have no means of ascertaining 

 to what degree of improvement the Coptic was carried 

 by men of genius in the ancient school? ; but to Thuth 

 or Mercury are ascribed the most important improve- 

 ments of early literature and science in Egypt. Whe- 

 ther by Thoth we are to understand an eminent scho- 

 lar, who contributed largely to the advancement of 

 knowledge, and by w hose name every literary improve- 

 ment was dignified ; or whether by Tlioth be intended 

 the general means of knowledge in Egypt, is an in- 

 quiry which cannot be satisfied. It is enough to know, 

 that by Thoth, or some adequate persons or rneans, va- 

 rious advances were made in literary pursuits ; and 

 amongst these we may enumerate the art of writing 

 and recording events. Dates and inscriptions were ori- 

 ginally cut upon the rocks, and in a more portable 

 manner, though not very commodious, upon stoi.isaml 

 bricks. Shepherds and rural nymphs cut the names 

 and praises of their lovers upon the bark of tree s ; 

 leaves, too, were inscribed with verses ; and the Papy- 

 rus of Egypt was formed and compacted into 



VOL. VIII. FART II. 



and obtained great celebrity, as valuable materials for Statistics. 

 forming books. To this succeeded parchment, or skins S ~"V"'' 

 of animals, variously prepared ; silks also were employ- 

 ed for the purpose of inscriptions ; but the most valu- 

 able article hitherto invented, is paper, made of cotton 

 or linen rags. 



We cannot enter into the history of alphabetical wri- 

 ting. Like every other simple art, it was the produce 

 of much generalizing, and many experiments. To ex- 

 press sounds by certain symbols, and to combine these 

 into words capable of communicating the whole thoughts 

 and intentions of the heart, could not be a work of 

 rude times, and implies considerable skill and experi- 

 ence. The most natural way of communicating an 

 idea in a state of unlettered simplicity, would be to 

 give signs instead of words, and to draw a picture or 

 representation of the things signified. Hence hiero- Hierogly- 

 glyphics, or picture writing, appears to have been the phics. 

 earliest method of entering ideas upon record, or com- 

 municating sentiments, without words or bodily signs; 

 for, perhaps, knotted cords, which appear to have been 

 of ancient use, and mark the constellations in the Chi- 

 nese zodiac, may be considered as an additional step of 

 improvement. Picture writing appears to have been 

 common in ancient times. When the Spanish ships 

 first appeared off' thy coast of Mexico, an alarm was 

 raised by figures and representations, transmitted to 

 the seat of government ; and in the islands of the Pa- 

 cific Ocean, hieroglyphical writing is universally known. 



But in Egypt that species of writing has been more 

 celebrated, because it was carried to a higher pitch of 

 perfection. Before the use of alphabets was known, it 

 w.is pnu-ti-ed in the ancient schools of Thebes and Ax- 

 um ; and when cultivated as a science, and practised 

 on an extensive scale, it was necessary not only to ex- 

 press simple ideas by a picture representation, but also 

 to communicate abstract notions and various qualities. 

 The simple representation of the eye only expresses 

 that bodily organ, but when .shewn in a cloud and seen 

 from above, it denoted the inspection of the Divinity. 

 A serjwnt wrapped up in circular foldings, and the end 

 not easily seen, denoted the perpetual duration of God. 

 The repn-.entation of a figure, with several heads and 

 eyes looking to every quarter, represented his univer- 

 sal observation ; and the head of a hawk, with its keen 

 eye, pointed out the penetrating knowledge of 'God. 

 This leads us to understand why the statues of the an- 

 cient gods in India have many heads and many hands; 

 and what is to be understood by the figures of mon- 

 strous animals, like the sphynx, which nature never 

 formed. They are all connected with hieroglyphical 

 sentiments, and intended to communicate various qua- 

 lities and dispositions of the mind. 



In the same manner, a sceptre was employed to de- 

 note power, a lion to give an idea of strength, and a 

 dog of fidelity. These hints are sufficient to shew the 

 nature of hieroglyphical writing ; but it must be obvi- 

 ous, that, in the course of its application, it became 

 exceedingly complicated ; and the allusions being often 

 arbitrary, they must, in some cases, have been difficult 

 to be understood. In the course of time it fell into 

 . and, excepting the general notion which has 

 been discovered of its nature and tendency, the parti- 

 cular knowledge of the art is lost ; and the hieroglyphi- 

 cal writings, though seen distinctly by die eye, are the 

 same to us as a sealed book. Another circumstance 

 which has tended to conceal the meaning of hierogly- 

 phical inscriptions, is the progress which was gradual- 

 3E 



