II 



EGYPTIAN SCIENCE 



IN the previous chapter we have purposely re- 

 frained from referring to any particular tribe or 

 race of historical man. Now, however, we are at the 

 beginnings of national existence, and we have to con- 

 sider the accomplishments of an individual race; or 

 rather, perhaps, of two or more races that occupied 

 successively the same geographical territory. But 

 even now our studies must for a time remain very gen- 

 eral; we shall see little or nothing of the deeds of in- 

 dividual scientists in the course of our study of Egyp- 

 tian culture. We are still, it must be understood, at 

 the beginnings of history; indeed, we must first bridge 

 over the gap from the prehistoric before we may find 

 ourselves fairly on the line of march of historical science. 

 At the very outset we may well ask what constitutes 

 the distinction between prehistoric and historic epochs 

 a distinction which has been constantly implied in 

 much that we have said. The reply savors somewhat 

 of vagueness. It is a distinction having to do, not so 

 much with facts of human progress as with our inter- 

 pretation of these facts. When we speak of the dawn 

 of history we must not be understood to imply that, 

 at the period in question, there was any sudden change 

 in the intellectual status of the human race or in the 

 status of any individual tribe or nation of men. What 



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