140 ALEXANUEU GORDOSf, fHE ANTIQUARY,- 



after his favourite hobby. In 1737 lie pitblislied "An Essay 

 towards Explaining the Hierogl3^phical Figures on the Coffin of the 

 Ancient Mummy belonging to Captain William Lethieullier ;" and 

 also another " Essay towards Explaining the Antient Hierogiyphical 

 Fio-ures on the Egyptian Mummy in the Museum of Doctor Mead. 

 Physician in Ordinary to his Majesty." Those, therefore, are doubt- 

 less the " Dissertations on the Mummies," about the disposal of which 

 their author had got into hot controversy with Mr. Hourse, and gave 

 him his mind in such blunt fashion, 



Alexander Gordon had now, from his secretaryships and other 

 labours, some sure, though moderate, income; and, with a less 

 troubled mind, he turned his old enthusiasm in the direction of his 

 later studies, and undertook the elucidation of the hieroglyphic mys- 

 tery, and the illustration of '' all the Egyptian Mummies in England." 

 To his essay towards an explanation of the hieroglyphics on Dr, 

 Mead's Mummy, he adds this information for the benefit of the readers 

 " The Two preceding Essays being design'd to explain Three of the 

 Twenty-five Copper-plates already deliver'd to Subscribers, an Expla- 

 nation of the remaining Prints will come forth with all convenient 

 speed ; first, what belongs to. the other ancient Mummies exhibited 

 in the said Plates ; next, what regards the rest of the Monuments on 

 Stone, Wood, Metal, &c. ISr.B.— When this is finish'd according to 

 the Terms of the Subscription, the Author intends to ofier the Public 

 another Work, viz., The History of the Egyptians, from the earliest 

 Accounts given of them, to the Time of Darius, cotemporary with 

 Alexander the Great ; which Work is not intended to be publish'd 

 by Subscription, and is now very near ready to put to Press." 



Here, as Gordon conceived, was to be his magnum opus, which 

 was to bring him wealth and renown; nor did he lose faith even in 

 its pecuniary value to the close of his strangely-chequered career. 

 Perchance it was on the faith of such uncoined wealth t'hat he mar- 

 ried, and so made the discovery that the growing responsibilities of a 

 household tended to intrude matter-of-fact cares of the present on a 

 mind preoccupied with buried Pharaohs and the inurned Romans of 

 ancient Caledonia. In the latter researches he had had special reason 

 for referring to his " curious and honoured friend, James Glen, Esq., 

 Provost of Linlithgow :" the same James Glen, of Longcroft, Esq.^ 

 as I surmise, who figures among the select subscribers for royal copies 

 of the "Itinerarium Septentrionale;" and whose name reappears among. 



