[ 1 ° ] 
hand on his Lips, to enforce Silence as the greateft 
Mark of Prudence, and a reverential Awe for the 
Divinity. 
Ofiris , who was one of the firft Kings of Egypt, 
and Ifts, his Wife, by their fuperior Talents, as 
well by Example as Precept, civilized Egypt , and 
all the neighbouring Nations. Their Fame was 
fpread far and near, infomuch that when they died. 
Gratitude, joined to the Ignorance of the Times, 
prompted their Subjeds to pay them Divine Ho¬ 
nours, and worfhip them as Deities, and their fu- 
preme Benefadors ; imagining that they, who in 
Knowledge and Goodnefs fo much furpaffed the reft 
of Mankind, could not poflibly be of the fame Na¬ 
ture with them. 
Many have been the Suggeftions with refped: to 
the Symbols they bear, but they are all arbitrary, 
and may be varioufly interpreted. 
Ofiris, Jfis, and Orus, or Harpocrates, held the 
firft Rank among the Gods of the Egyptians , but 
Ifis was in the greateft Efteem ; for the Worfhip 
they paid her was much more frequent, and her 
Feafts more folemn than thole of the others. The 
Greeks and Romans , it is imagined, facrificed to the 
fame Gods, under different Names. 
The Egyptians had the greateft Veneration ima¬ 
ginable for Cats, infomuch that they inflided moft 
fevere Punifhments on thofe who were unfortunate 
enough to kill one of them, whether on Purpofe, 
or by Accident. They often reprefented Ailurus, 
one of their Gods, under the Figure of a Cat. 
There are alfo in this Room fome natural Pro- 
dudions *, as feveral large Corals, a Subftance pro¬ 
duced in the Sea, but in what Manner is not yet 
determined by the Naturalifts. It was long thought 
to 
