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they thought it afFedled by the Injuries 

 the inanimate Corpfe might receive, or by 

 its Corruption ; it was therefore with the 

 greateft Care they endeavoured to preferve 

 the material Man from Decay, that the 

 immaterial Soul, which had fo long been 

 its Companion, might thereby be infpired 

 with a kind of pleafing Idea of its former 

 Union. 



To accomplifli this End, they had a 

 Set of Men in their Nation, whofe peculiar 

 Bufinefs it was to embalm the Dead ; 

 which was performed three feveralWays : 

 The firfh was for the common People, and 

 confifted only of faking the vifcerated 

 Body after a particular Manner, having 

 firft cleanfed it from all Impurities, dryipg 

 it either by a natural or artificial Heat, 

 and finally placing it in a plain Sycamore 

 Coffin. It is to be noted, that the Coffins 

 they ufed on thefe Occafions were never 

 made of any other Wood, that being 

 efteemed moft durable and leaft fubjedt 

 to Decay J but it was a Species of Syca- 

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