THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 263 



the choice of the king is always according to the will of the 

 minhter, which panes for that of the people; and, his incli- 

 nation and intereft being to govern, he never fails to choofe 

 an infant whom thereafter he directs, ruling the kingdom 

 abfolutely during the minority, which generally exhaufts, 

 or is equal to the term of his life. 



From this flow all the misfortunes of this unhappy coun- 

 try. This very defeel: arifes from a defire to inftitute a more 

 than ordinary perfect form of government ; for the Abyf- 

 finians firft pofition was, " Woe be to the kingdom whofe 

 king is a child ;" and this they know muft often happen 

 when fucceffion is left to the courfe of nature. But when, 

 there was a choice to be made out of two hundred perfons 

 all of the fame family, all capable of reigning, it was their 

 own fault, they thought, if they had not always a prince of 

 proper age and qualification to rule the kingdom, according 

 to the neceffities of the times, and to preferve the fucceffion 

 of the family in the houfe of Solomon, agreeable to the 

 laws of the land. And indeed it has been this manner of 

 reafoning, good at firft view, though found afterwards but 

 too fallacious, which has ruined their kingdom in part, and 

 often brought the whole into the utmoft hazard and jeo- 

 pardy. 



The king is anointed with plain oil of olives, which, be- 

 ing poured upon the crown of his head, he rubs into his 

 long hair indecently enough with both his hands, pretty 

 much as his foldiers do with theirs when they get accefs to 

 plenty of butter. 



The- 



