402 Regeneration of Medicine in Egypt. [May, 



give a trial of the progress they had made, in the presence of the first 

 authorities, as well in their medical, as in their philological studies. 



The result of those examinations proved, what will not surprise 

 any wise judge of such events, viz. that the progress of those classes, 

 notwithstanding the immense effort of the promoters, was not by any 

 means remarkable. In truth, with the exception of a few lads, who 

 succeeded in a middling degree, the mass of the scholars drank very 

 shallow of those new and unusual sources of science. It would be long 

 to enumerate all the causes of such disgusting deficiency individually, 

 but we will note the chief ones : 1. The advanced age of the majority of 

 the students. 2. The privation of those elementary and primary 

 principles, that are a step to higher branches. 3. The fatal intricacy 

 of intermediate explanations. 4. Arabian indolence and listlessness, 

 which every now and then transpire in the character and habits of 

 that race. 5. The secret and powerful influence of prejudices, which 

 although sometimes apparently obviated, never cease by degrees to 

 shoot forth. 6. In fine, the bad selection of some of the teachers ; a 

 notorious fact, which we in vain would attempt to conceal. 



Dr. Clot added lately to this College a collection of objects con- 

 nected with Entomology and Ornithology, aided by the rare abilities 

 of the Turinese naturalist, Signor Lovis Regeo, who has acquired an 

 honorable reputation both in Egypt and elsewhere, which we are 

 happy to proclaim, for such and other similar collections forwarded 

 abroad. 



The nature and brevity of this memoir will not permit us, as we 

 would wish, to give a minute account of the glorious labours of the 

 illustrious young man just alluded to, in congregating the materials of 

 such exquisite collections, as well of the extraordinary perfection for 

 which his works are distinguished, considered even in the light only 

 of mechanical preparation : we will not however for j ustice sake, and 

 to satisfy a praiseworthy love of country, omit to state, that not only 

 Clot Bey, but also all the other professional foreigners that have 

 visited Egypt, or examined the works of Sig. Regeo, unanimously 

 avowed, that they had never witnessed things of a similar description 

 more accurately and skilfully conducted j and they readily bestowed 

 on him, even through the medium of the public journals, praise 

 so much the more flattering, as it was less suspicious, being spontaneous 

 and remote. Hence although Sig. Regeo be, like all other men of 

 merit, extremely modest, an enemy of every species of intrigue, and 

 incapable of wishing to advance but through his own fatigue and 

 knowledge, the Egyptian Government nevertheless always held him 

 in due esteem, and after retaining him in divers ways employed 



