79 



Augustus was five feet seven inches high : Queen Eli- 

 zabeth was taller by two inches, being five feet nine. 



But what, a paradox is it, that all nun are taller 

 in the morning than in the evening ? I \ a young 

 ma i the difference is near an inch, try the xoeriment 

 as often as you please. Does not the diff rence pro. 

 ceed from hence. that as long as the trunk of the body 

 is in" an erect posture, there is a constant pressure on 

 the large cartilages connecting the vertebras of the 

 spine ? So long they gradually contract, and conse- 

 quently a man grows shorter. But they again gra- 

 dually expand themselves, while we are in a reclining 

 posture. 



As to the art of embalming, it appears from a mum- 

 my not long since dug up in France, that this was 

 more completely understood in the western world 

 some Hges since, than ever it was in 'Egypt. This, 

 -mummy which was d<ig up at Auvtrgne, was an 

 amazing instance of their skill. As some peasants 

 were digging in a field noar Rion, within ab i\i-. twen- 

 ty-six paces of the highway, between that ami the 

 river Artier, they discovered a tomb, that was about a 

 foot and a half beneath the surface. Ii was composed 

 only of two stones ; one of which formed the b<dy of 

 a sepulchre, and the other the cover. 



Tni> tomb was of free-stone ; seven feet and a half 

 Jong, three feet and a halt broad, and about three 

 feet high. It was of rude workmanship; the cover 

 had been polished, but was without figure or inscrip- 

 tion : within this tomb was placed a leaden. cotiin, four 

 feet seven inches long, fourteen inches broad, and fif- 

 teen nigh, it was oblong, like a box, equally broad 

 at both ends, and covered with a lid that fitted on 

 like a snuft'-b^x, without a hinge. Witiiin this cof- 

 fin was a mummy in the most perfect preservation. 

 The internal sides of the coifiii were filled with an 

 .aromatic substance, mingled with clay. Round the 

 mummy was wrapped a coarse cloth ; under this 

 .were two shirts, or shrouds, of the most exquisite tex- 

 4 



