130 
an intercourse between Ancient Egypt and the probably 
equally Ancient India. This is authenticated by the 
presence of Indian plants in the former : thus, the Cotton, 
which is truly such, though absent in the earliest, was no 
doubt known in later times, as some of the seeds have been 
found by Rosselini in one of the tombs at Thebes. So also, 
Nelumbium speciosum, the far-famed Lotus; though it has 
now disappeared from, was formerly as highly esteemed in 
Egypt, as it has ever been in its native country, India: 
where still prevails the practice of sowing its seeds by 
rolling them up in a ball of clay, as is described to have 
been the usage in Egypt. Its roots, stalks, and seeds, as 
well as those of species of Nymphcea, afford articles of diet 
to the Hindoos of the present day, as they did to the 
Egyptians of old. Other plants might be similarly adduced, 
as well as the absence of those, of which the products appear 
to have been in use in Egypt. " On reconna.it meme, a ce 
que nous assure Denon, des bois de Y Inde dans les 
sieges et autres meubles." Heeren vi. p. 158. Fr. ed. So 
Rosselini informs us, that there is an Egyptian harp at 
Florence, of which the wood is what is commonly called 
East-Indian mahogany. (Athenaeum, 22d July, 1837). 
This may be Cedrela Toona, or some of the woods men- 
tioned at p. 128, as imported even in our own day from 
India into Arabia. 
It may, in addition, be useful, to note some other points 
in which there is a similarity between the two nations. 
Thus the arts practised by both, are very similar, not only 
in nature, but also in many of the processes which they 
adopt. Agriculture, with the modes of irrigation, is one 
of these ; but being dependent in a great measure upon 
climate, may appear less striking. Weaving, Embroi- 
dering, Dyeing, Glass-making, and Working in Metals, 
seem to have been commonly practised in both. Flax, or 
