PREFACE. IX 



be a " swarm of Flies." Again, as Bryant has attempted 

 to shew, the plague of Lice was at once so humiliating, and 

 in opposition to the enjoined habits of the people, that the 

 priests and magicians perceived immediately from what 

 hand it came. He remarks, " The Egyptians affected 

 great external purity, and were very nice both in their 

 persons and clothing, bathing and making ablutions conti- 

 nually, uncommon care was taken not to harbour any ver- 

 min. They were particularly solicitous on this head 

 thinking it would be a great profanation of the temple 

 which they entered, if any animalculae of this sort were 

 concealed in their garments. The priests, says Herodotus, 

 are shaved, both as to their heads and bodies, every third 

 day, to prevent any louse or other detestable creature being 

 found upon them when they are performing their duty to 

 the Gods.* The same is mentioned by Plutarch, who 

 adds, that all woollen was considered as foul, and from a 

 perishable animal, but flax is the product of the immortal 

 earth, it affords a delicate and pure covering, and is not at 

 all liable to produce lice.-J- We may hence see what an 

 abhorrence the Egyptians showed towards this sort of ver- 

 min, and what care was taken by the priests to guard against 

 them. The judgments, therefore, inflicted by the hands of 

 Moses, were adapted to their prejudices. It was conse- 

 quently not only most noisome to the people in general, 

 but was no small odium to the most sacred order in Egypt, 

 that they were overrun with these filthy and detestable 

 vermin."^: So far then, as the value of antiquity is con- 

 cerned, I am safe, and the Parasitism of the Pediculi on 

 our race, is recorded at a very early period of the history 

 of the World. I must now, therefore, turn to the more 

 immediate object of this treatise. 



* Herod, lib. II. c. 37. p. 121. t Plot, (de Isis et Osir. vol. II. p. 352. D.) 



J Bryant on the Plagues of Egypt, p 44-48. 



b 



