THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 57 



instrument once giving forth the most exquisite melody, now 

 broken and stringless. From a wonderfully brilliant sunlight, 

 which once lighted her forums, palaces, specimens of art and 

 culture, she has fallen under the pall of age, and her glory now 

 abides under the sands ; her Memphis and her Thebes are inurned 

 by pelting storms ; the Sphyux and the Pyramids, broken and 

 crusted by time, are now only curious monuments of a past age 

 that will return no more. The blood of Hypatia, the noblest 

 woman that ever championed a cause, rose round the temples 

 which her murderers desecrated, and the demons of vengeance 

 made brooding night settle upon its ruins. 



In Egypt, as in all Africa, there has ever been an impassable 

 barrier between the rich and poor. In the olden time, when 

 Egypt was in her glory, the laws were atrociously oppressive ; 

 if a member of the industrial classes changed his usual employ- 

 ment, or was known to pay any attention to political matters, 

 he was severely punished, and under no circumstances was the 

 possession of land allowed to an agricultural laborer, to a 

 mechanic, or, indeed, to any one except the King, the Clergy, 

 and the Army. The people at large were little better than beasts 

 of burden ; and all that was expected of them was unremitting 

 and unrequited labor. If they neglected their work they were 

 flogged ; and the same punishment was frequently inflicted upon 

 domestic servants, and even upon women. Hence it was that 

 the industry of the whole nation, being at the absolute command 

 of a small part of it, there arose the possibility of rearing those 

 vast edifices, which inconsiderate observers admire as a proof of 

 civilization, but which in reality are evidences of a state of things 

 altogether depraved and unhealthy. 



That in such a society as this much regard should be paid to 

 human suffering, it would be idle to suppose. Still, we are 

 startled by the reckless prodigality with which, in Egypt, the 

 upper classes squandered away the labor and lives of the people. 

 In this respect, as the monuments yet remaining abundantly 

 prove, they stood alone, without a rival. We may form some 

 idea of the almost incredible waste, when we hear that two 



