Epitome of tlie Progress of JVatiiral Science. 55 



human bodies after death, opportunities of observing the internal 

 structure of animals and men, were constantly afforded. A foun- 

 dation was thus laid for comparative anatomy, the which, al- 

 though it never arose to a science in Egypt, must still, as an art, 

 have been highly advanced; since the Greeks resorted to that coun- 

 try to study anatomy, and Galen himself went thither, for the ex- 

 press purpose of examining a human skeleton, imitated in bronze.*^ 



Herodotus, when he travelled in Egypt, was told by the 

 Egyptian priests, that the Delta, of which lower Egypt is formed, 

 was the gift of the Nile. That river on its annual retreat, de- 

 posits a layer of mud ; and it results from a geological calculation 

 made upon these principles, that 2000 years before our era, 

 lower Egypt was not in existence. The pyramids themselves, 

 by Manetho's account, were constructed after Sesostris had de- 

 livered the country from the dominion of the Shepherd kings ; 

 neither did they exist at the time of the Exodus, as we have a 

 right to suppose, since they are not mentioned in the scriptures. 

 As the pyramids were anterior to the columnar architecture of 

 the Egyptians, we have thus evidence, coinciding with the geo- 

 logical proofs, of the low origin of the Delta of Egypt, as well as 

 of the comparative antiquity of the Egyptian nation. 



During the dominion of the Shepherd kings, which lasted about 

 two hundred years, the progress of science was necessarily re- 

 tarded, as the priesthood was overthrown. Subsequent to the 

 re-establishment of the public liberties, by Sesostris, there was a 

 second invasion of the country by the Medes and Persians, under 

 Cambyses, about six hundred years before Christ ; but in despite 

 of adverse circumstances, the prosperity of the Egyptians con- 

 tinued to increase, together with their progress in the arts. The 

 annual inundations of the Nile, introduced not only surveying, to 

 distinguish private property, but the digging of canals, which 

 eventually led to a knowledge of hydraulics. The erection of 

 their obelisks on the alluvial formations, shows that their ac- 

 quaintance with mechanics was very extensive ; and the relievos 

 and intaglios upon these monuments, and the precious stones 

 worked by them, evince a perfection in the art of stone cutting, 

 which has never been surpassed. Hence we infer a knowledge 

 of the art of tempering metals. Specimens of bronze and gold 

 have been found in their tombs, sometimes representing with 



* 445 years B. C. 



