from the Ancient Books of the Hindus. 337 



been concealed in the mud of the Nila near Gupia-ft'han, or Copies, but at 

 length fprang from it and appeared at Cardama-Jl" hall both wholly befineared 

 with mud, whence they had alfo the titles of Cardame'swar a and Card a- 

 me'swari\ We may obferve, that Gupta figniiies both guarded and concealed, 

 and in either fenfe may be the origin of the word Aiguptos : as to Cardama, 

 the canine letter is fo often omitted in the vulgar pronunciation of Sanfcrk 

 words, that Car dam, or Cadam, feems to be the Cadmus of the Greeks*, 

 and we ihall hereafter illuftrate this etymology with circumftances, which 

 will fully confirm it. . . 



Misra-st'ha'n is called alfo Mifr a and Mifrena in the facred books of 

 the Hindus ; where it is faid, that the country was peopled by a mixed race, 

 confirming of various tribes, who, though living for their convenience in the 

 fame region, kept themfelves diflincl, and were perpetually difputing either 

 on their boundaries, or, which is moft probable, on religious opinions : they 

 feem to be the mingled people mentioned in Scripture. To appeafe their feuds, 

 Brahma' himfelf defcended in the character of Is war a; whence Mifrt- 

 fwara became one of his titles. The word Mifr, which the Arabs apply to 

 Egypt and to its metropolis, feems clearly derived from the Sanfcrit ; but, not 

 knowing its origin, they ufe it for any large city? and give the appellation of 

 Almifran in the dual to Cufa and Bafra : the fame word is alfo found in 

 the fenfe of a boundary or line offeparation. Of Mifr the dual and plural forms 

 in Hebrew are Mifr dim and Mifrim, and the fecond of them is often applied 

 in fcripture to the people of Egypt, As to Mazar, or, more properly, Ma- 

 iiir, there is a difference of opinion among the tranflators of Isaiah : (a) in 

 the old Englifi verfion we find the paflage, in which the word occurs, 

 thus rendered, " the brooks of defence ihall be emptied and dried up;" but 



(a) Chap. 19 v. 6, See II. Kings, 18, 24. 



Tt 



