190 REV. J. N. FRADENBURGH^ PH.D., D.D., LL.D., 



We cannot attempt to touch upon all the topics which 

 suggest themselves in connection with our subject. The 

 field is too large. The portrait-sculptures of the Egyptians, 

 their decorative art, the general plan of their temples, the 

 priesthood, and the sacrifices — such topics as these are 

 worthy of careful treatment. 



The nineteenth was perhaps, taking it all in all, the most 

 brilliant of the Egyptian dynasties. It might be called the 

 Elizabethan period of Egyptian literature. The princes were 

 educated and maintained at the royal court. Their tutor was 

 called their nurse. Under the Old Empire special revenues 

 were put aside for their support, and they received various 

 government appointments — ''treasurer of the god, high priest, 

 chief judge, scribe of the divine book, governor of theijalace." 

 Under the New Empire they preferred to take service in the 

 army and Avere invested with military titles. They were 

 called " divine offspring," and could be recognised by their 

 distinctive dress. A prince would enjoy the very best oppor- 

 tunities which the kingdom could afford for acquiring an 

 education. " All the learning of Egypt " was open to him, 

 and abundant resources were at his command. 



The exodus of the Israelites was not accomplished in the 

 dark ages of Egyptian history. The art of writing had been 

 practised in Babylonia for probably twenty-five hundred 

 years and libraries had been founded and supported in her 

 principal cities. During the preceding century a brisk 

 commercial and diplomatic correspondence had been con- 

 ducted in the Babylonian language throughout Western Asia. 

 The governmental and official archives of Khuenaten at Tel- 

 el-Amarna contained portions of this correspondence, and 

 one tablet of the same has been discovered in the mound 

 of Lachish. Tablets in the Babylonian language have also 

 been found in Asia Minor, and these latter may be dated 

 from 500 to 1,000 years before the birth of Moses. At the 

 time he fled into Midian, princes of the old Minean kingdom 

 were practising alphabetic writing in Arabia. A few years 

 preceding this event, the Hittites ratified a treaty with 

 Rameses II. This was written on a silver tablet originally, 

 probably in their own hieroglyphics and language. Greeks 

 in Egypt were becoming acquainted with letters, and may 

 have already formed their own alphabet. Egypt, his own 

 native country, had practised the art of writing for 2,500 

 years, and had produced a number of works of literary 

 merit. She had already passed tlirough two historic periods 



