414 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XVI. 



women still continuing their lamentations, united 

 with prayers and praises of the deceased. It 

 frequently happened that the deceased, with his 

 wife, if dead at the time of his funeral, was re- 

 presented seated under a canopy*, in lieu of the 

 coffin. Before him stood an altar laden with of- 

 ferings ; and a priest, opening a long roll of papy- 

 rus, read aloud the funeral ritual, and an account 

 of his good deeds, " in order to show to Osiris and 

 the Assessors the extent of his piety and justice 

 during his life." When the boats reached the 

 other side of the lake, the yards were lowered to 

 the top of the cabin ; and all those engaged in the 

 ceremony left them and proceeded to the tomb ; 

 from which they appear to have returned by land, 

 without recrossing the lake. 



Such was the funeral procession of a hasilico- 

 grammaty or royal scribe, a member of the priestly 

 order. He lived during the four successive reigns 

 of Thothmes III., Amunoph II., Thothmes IV., 

 and Amunoph III., and held the office of tutor 

 to one of the young princesses, as the sculptures 

 inform us, which represent him nursing her on his 

 knee, while entertaining a party of friends. t This, 

 since it shows that the education of the daugh- 

 ters of kings was entrusted to members of the 

 priestly order distinguished for their talents, is 

 another trait of resemblance in the customs of 



* This canopy was very similar to that mentioned by Herodotus, of 

 wood, gilt, in which the statue of a God was placed in processions. 

 Vkle supifi, p. .'ilO. 



f Vtde Plate 12. Vol. II. p. 222. 



