CHAP. XIII. GOOD AND EVIL. 423 



styles the one Intelligence, the other Infinity ; and 

 Aristotle describes them by the names of Form and 

 Privation. Plato, in his books of laws, observes that 

 *this world is not moved by one soul only, but per- 

 haps by many, — certainly not fewer than two ; one 

 of whom is of a benevolent disposition, and the 

 author of every thing tliat is good ; whilst the other 

 is of a contrary turn of mind, and the author of 

 every thing that is evil.' In the Egyptian theory, 

 we are to understand by Osiris, the faculties of the 

 universal soul, such as intelligence and reason; and 

 in the general system of matter, whatever is regular, 

 permanent, and salutary, such as orderly seasons, a 

 due temperament of the air, and the stated revolu- 

 tions of the heavenly bodies. But those powers of 

 the universal soul which are subject to the influence 

 of passions ; and in the material system, whatever 

 is noxious, as irregular seasons, bad air, eclipses of 

 the Sun and Moon ; are ascribed to Typho." *' Upon 

 the whole, however, Osiris, or the good principle, 

 has the superiority ; which seems likewise to have 

 been the opinion both of Plato and Aristotle." * 



Looking, therefore, upon the bad as a necessary 

 part of the universal system, and inherent iu all 

 things equally with the good, the Egyptians treated 

 the Evil Being with divine honours, and propitiated 

 him w^ith sacrifices and prayers. It is not, how- 

 ever, impossible that they may have looked u})on 

 this Deity with different feelings in later times, and 

 have ceased to ])ay him the respect he formerly 

 enjoyed. During the 18th and 19th Dynasties, and 



* Pint, dc Is. s. o9. 



E E 4 



