278 The Origin of Brahmanism. [No. 12, new SERIES. 



the word Misr a name of Egypt, and the surname Misr or Misra 

 appertaining to the Brahmins in the west of India, manifest how 

 religiously his memory was cherished both in Egypt and India ; 

 at the same time the name of his nephew Rama is found in Egypt 

 as Rameses, another name of that country ;* and in India in llama, 

 an incarnation of Vishnu, the second person of the Hindu Triad, 

 facts evincing how greatly he too was venerated in those coun- 

 tries. The names of Misr, Cush, Rama, and Seba remain un- 

 changed in Sanscrit, and are highly revered by the Hindoos. 



An objection may be advanced against the possibility of Misraim 

 collecting a force adequate for the invasion of the remote India; 

 but it is untenable, with the facts before us that in Misraim's life 

 time Nimrod erected vast cities capable of containing tens of 

 thousands of inhabitants, and that he could assemble large bodies 

 of men to carry incursions into neighbouring territories. Trogus 

 Pompeius (in Justin) writes that ; l< Egypt was a most nourishing 

 and magnificent country before Ninus was born." Berosus testi- 

 fies that within 140 years after the flood, Spain, Italy and France 

 were peopled. I do not maintain that India was, in the first 

 instance, peopled by a colony from Egypt ; my intention being to 

 demonstrate, if possible, when and whence Brahmanism was intro- 

 duced in India, and who the principal Gods belonging to it really 

 were ; nor do I desire to conceal the fact that my view of the 

 connection between Egypt and India is at variance with most 

 authors and critics who have treated the subject : civilization and 

 religion is considered by them to have been brought from India to 

 Meroe" south of Egypt, and thence to have descended with the 

 stream of the Nile into Lower Egypt. I cannot concur in this 

 opinion, when I reflect how utterly contrary such a migration 

 would have been to the will of the Brahmins who forbid their fol- 

 lowers to quit India. Sir W. Jones confirms these views. " M. 

 Sonnerat" he says, refers to a dissertation by Mr. Schmit which 

 gained a prize at the Academy of Inscriptions, " On an Egyp- 

 tian colony established in India." " It would be worth while to 

 examine his authorities, and either to overthrow, or verify them 

 by such higher authorities as are accessible in these provinces. I 



* Ra is the name of one of the Egyptian Gods. 



