ANTIQUITIES, 
rosns, supposed to have been written by 
Manetho, containing details of what hap- 
pened from the time of fEgyptus, king of 
Egypt, to the origin of the Roman state. 
Unfortunately for the credit of the industri- 
ous monk, Manetho lived before Berosus, 
by which the fraud was detected. 
The first traces of every histoiy were 
rude and imperfect, which renders the of 
fice of the antiquarian of the utmost im- 
portance to the faithful and diligent histo- 
rian. Better methods of preserving facts 
succeeded. The unchisseled stone, or the 
rudest hieroglyphic, accompanied the songs 
of the bards to perpetuate the achievements 
of a whole nation, or a few individuals ; 
till the use of letters, and the complicated 
transactions, claims, and interests of men 
taughtthem to multiply memorials, and draw 
them up with more skill and accuracy. 
The history contained in the Old Testa- 
ment is unquestionably the most ancient, 
well-authenticated collection of facts, that 
has come down to the present times. These 
records go much beyond the flood, the 
boundary to the annals of every other na- 
tion that lays a just claim to credit. The 
Jews, who are closely connected with this 
part of history, trace back their ancestry to 
the common parents of the human race. 
The antiquities of this wonderful nation 
have been treated of by numerous writers, 
whose works are monuments of great learn- 
ing and indefatigable industry; and it will 
be admitted, that the fate of a people scat- 
tered over the globe, who have been subject 
to persecutions, more or less severe, for so 
: nany centuries ; who have never amalgamat- 
ed, if we may so speak, with any other nation 
under heaven, but have remained distinct, 
for wise and important ends, cannot but in- 
terest the curious inquirer. The history of 
their origin, ordinances, and vicissitudes, 
previously to the Christian ana, is to be 
had in the Old Testament : their subsequent 
ruin and dispersion are predicted by Christ 
in the New Testament, and treated of at 
large by Josephus, who flourished at Rome 
under Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian, 
and who published his great work on the 
Jewish Antiquities during the life and reign 
of tire latter. On the same subject we 
have a multitude of more modern writers 
from Ugolinus’ Thesaurus, consisting of 
more than thirty volumes folio, and com- 
prising all the best works written previously 
to the middle of the last century, to the 
ocfavos Dr. Jennings evidently intended as 
a mere introduction to the subject. The 
antiquities of the Jews are supposed to be 
connected with those of Egypt, since Mo- 
ses, tlieir great lawgiver, was educated in 
the schools of Egyptian learning, and was 
deeply conversant in all tlieir sciences. 
Many of the metaphors and other allusions 
found in the first five books of the Bible 
are supposed to have some reference to the 
symbols of the Egyptian priests. If we 
were, therefore, able to come at a faithful 
account of the antiquities of Egypt we might 
hope to attain an illustration of many things 
which are still obscure and dark belonging 
to the Jewish economy, both civil and sa- 
cred. Of Egypt, alas ! once renowned 
for its laws, the commerce of her cities, 
the grandeur of her buildings, and the fer- 
tility of territory, little is left to gratify the 
laudable curiosity of moderns. Those who 
have spent much time and labour in appre- 
ciating the worth and merits of the an- 
cients, admit that the earliest nations of 
the world were fed with the produce of 
Egyptian soil, and enriched with the wealth 
and wisdom obtained in that portion of 
Africa. Upper Egypt furnished the mate- 
rials of marble and porphyry, with which 
the most stupendous works of art were 
reared : and to Hermes Trismegistus, or, 
as he is sometimes called, Thoth, are 
ascribed, among the Egyptians, the inven- 
tions of chief use in human life. Tlieir 
priests maintained that from the hierogly- 
phic characters upon the pillars which” he 
erected, and the sacred books, all the phi- 
losophy and learning of the world has been 
derived. 
Egypt seems itself to have been in- 
debted for its original population to the 
northern parts of Arabia and Syria, the 
Egyptians and Abyssinians having been 
always wholly distinct from the native na- 
tions of Africa, 1 he Copts, or original 
inhabitants, it has been observed by tra- 
vellers, have no resemblance whatever 
of the negro features or form ; but a strong 
likeness may be traced between the make 
of the visage in the modern Copts, and 
that presented in the ancient mummies 
paintings, and statues. Their complexion’ 
like that of the Arabs, is of a dusky 
brown. It is represented of the same co- 
lour in the paintings which may be seen in 
the tombs of Thebes. The chief antiqui- 
ties are the pyramids, and the tombs near 
Thebes, recently disclosed, with many 
ruins of temples, and other remains of an- 
cient cities. Dr. While, in the “ Egyptiaca,” 
a work which contains much valuable in- 
