396 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XVI. 



The tomb was always prepared for the reception 

 of a husband and his wife ; and whoever died first 

 was buried at once there, or was kept embalmed in 

 the house until the decease of the other, as I have 

 already had occasion to observe. The manner 

 in which husband and wife are always portrayed, 

 with their arms round each other's waist or neck, is 

 a pleasing illustration of the affectionate feelings 

 of the Egyptians ; and the attachment of a family is 

 shown by the presence of the different relations, who 

 are introduced in the performance of some tender 

 ofl[ice to the deceased. Each is said to "love," 

 or to " be loved by him ;" and when children died 

 they were buried in the same tomb with their 

 parents. 



Any person desirous of purchasing a tomb for 

 himself, or for a deceased friend, applied to those 

 who were known to have them for sale, and the 

 parties proceeded to view them and make a se- 

 lection. The bargain, no doubt, took the usual 

 time occupied on such occasions in the East ; but 

 notwithstanding all the efforts of the purchaser, the 

 advantage was greatly on the side of the seller, 

 who profited by the wants of the former, as well as 

 by immense profit on a small outlay; and no com- 

 petition could be expected among the priests, who 

 enjoyed this privileged monopoly. When tiie 

 bargain had been agreed to, a deed was carefully 

 drawn up to secure to the purchaser the property 

 he had bought ; and some idea may be formed of 

 tlie precautions taken by the Egyptians to prevent 

 any future question upon the subject, by the number 



