264 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



trary to the taste of the Egyptians, this region 

 most likely lay neglected. Hence we see why 

 the Israelite* found such easy access into the 

 country, so as not only to be allowed to dwell in 

 it, but to have the land of Goshen given them 

 for a possession, even the best of the land of 

 Egypt." 



" I wonder," said Wentworth, " why the 

 Israelites were sent by Providence into Egypt, 

 as they were, after a time, to be placed in 

 Canaan, the land of promise, and would, there- 

 fore, be again unsettled and obliged to remove." 



" It has been suggested," said my uncle, 

 f ' that the promise made to Abraham, to give to 

 his posterity the land of Canaan, was not to be 

 fulfilled, till this great family of Israel was strong 

 enough to take that land by force from the in- 

 habitants, and to keep possession of it. Besides, 

 the Canaanites had not then completed the mea- 

 sure of their wickedness, which was to be pu- 

 nished by the loss of their country. 



" In the meantime, though the Israelites were 

 obliged to reside amongst idolaters, and were 

 enjoined to preserve themselves unmixed ; yet 

 Egypt was the only place where they could for 

 so long a time remain safe from being confounded 

 with the natives. For the ancient Egyptians 

 were, by numerous institutions, forbidden all fel- 

 lowship with strangers ; and having a particular 

 aversion to the employment of the Israelites, 



