S7S E G Y P T. 
beyond the rc'nch of conjecture. The circular figure 
above, in the fame engraving, is a fpecies of patera, which 
Denon found among the tombs of the kings of Thebes ; 
the ornaments are or exquifite tafte, and the execution 
perfect: the two portraits are thofe of Ofiris and Ifis. 
That of Ofiris is generally given under the figure of a 
hawk, to which the face is here converted ; but it has 
the beak much worn. The ornament beneath is intended 
for the plant and bud of the lotus, which is ufed amongfl 
their hieroglyphics as the emblem of death. It is very 
handfomely bordered with a branch from the vine. The 
group above was alfo found among the fame tombs. The 
figure playing upon the harp of twenty-one firings, and 
which appears evidently the origin of our Welfli harp, is 
reprefented in a drefs equally uncouth and aifagreeable, 
but the attitude is that of truth and entluifiafm. The 
fecond figure is naked to the waifl, from whence it is 
cloathed with a kind of pantaloons. The third figure is 
attired in a clofe tunic with large fleeves. The fiefn 
colour of thefe muficians is dull red ; the middle figure 
has a head-drefs compofed of the lotus plant; the pan¬ 
taloons are white ; but they fit fo clofe, that the colour 
becomes of a rofy hue by the tint of the ikin which ap¬ 
pears through. Thefe figures are finely fculptured and 
painted ; and it is remarkable that they are all women. 
The birds in the centre of this engraving are fuppofed 
to be done for the vulture, eagle, or hawk, arid are abun¬ 
dantly ufed as devices in the Egyptian architecture, and 
frequent fymbols in their hieroglyphics. 
Pompey’s Pillar, now Diocletian’s, is given in the fame 
engraving, as meafured very accurately in all its parts, 
by citizen Norrv, which will furnifh the reader with an 
idea of its prodigious dimenlions. Cleopatra’s Needle, 
with its hieroglyphics, is alfo given from a correct ad- 
meafurement taken after the bafe had been dug round, 
and the rubbifh cleared. 
COSTUME, CLIMATE, CULTIVATION, and 
PRESENT STATE. 
Egypt, exclufive of its fubjugation by various Euro¬ 
pean powers, being fituated in the vaft peninfula,of Afri¬ 
ca, and acceffible only on the fide next Afia, is the reafon 
why it has in almoft every period of its hiftory, been more 
or lefs affected by the revolutions and migrations of the 
Afiatic dates; whence arofe its prefent heterogf>neous 
mixture of inhabitants. The only remnant of what is 
called ancient Egyptians, is faid to be the Copts ; yet nei¬ 
ther their written characters, nor their dialed, corre- 
fpond with any of thofe which are called Egyptian. 
There can be little doubt but that thefe people took 
their name from the city of Coptos, which flourifhed be¬ 
fore, and after, the commencement of the Chridian era ; 
and having early embraced the gofpcl difpenfation, they 
became celebrious from the dand they made againd the 
perfecutions of Diocletian ; from which time the name 
of Copts in Egypt, has been fynonymous with that of 
Chrijtian. The Copts profefs the Monophyfite creed; 
and the Coptic patriarch of Egypt is the head of the 
church of Abyffinia, whither he fends a bidtop, as his 
deputy, to govern the clergy of that country. They alfo 
form the bulk of the inhabitants in Upper Egypt, where 
they fubfid chiefly by huib.mdry ; but are continually 
plundered by the kiachefs and beys. Numbers of them 
alfo inhabit Alexandria, Cairo, and fke other principal 
towns; where, on account of their fuperior knowledge 
above any of the other dalles in Egypt, they are em¬ 
ployed as agents by the principal people of the country. 
Denon fancied he could didinguilh in the Copts evident 
traces of the ancient Egyptian dock, “ a kindmf fwarthy 
Nubians, Inch as are reprefented on old Icnlptures, with 
flat foreheads, eyes half doled, and railed up at the an¬ 
gles, high cheek bones, flioit flattifli nofe, large mouth, 
xhick, lips, little beard, and without much vivacity or 
expredion in the general contour.” However this may 
be, it is very certain that the original Egyptians were 
much darker than the Copts, or any other feparate or 
mixed race of people which now inhabit Egypt; though 
they were not negroes. 
If there be yet any remain of the mydical ceremonies 
of the ancient Egytian idolatry, it exifts with the feet 
called Pjylli, which boads a very high origin, and pre¬ 
tends to a fupernatural power over the indind and poi- 
fon of ferpents. According to Strabo and Eufebius, they 
were worfliippers of the god Cnuphis, who had a temple 
at Elephantina in Upper Egypt, where he was adored 
under the figure of a ferpent. “ When the Pfylli were 
introduced to us, (fays Denon,) we put many quedions 
to them relative to the mydery of their fe£t, and their 
fuppofed command over ferpents; which they openly 
profefs. They anfwering with more aflurance than in¬ 
telligence, we put them to the proof. “ Can you tell 
us whether there are any ferpents in this place; and if 
there are, can you oblige them to come forth from their 
retreats ?” They anfwered both quedions in the-affirma¬ 
tive ; on which they fearched all the rooms, and they 
prefently declared that there was a fmike in the houfe ; 
they then renewed their fearch to difeover where he was 
hid, made forne didortions in pading before ajar placed 
in a corner of one of the rooms, and declared that the 
animal was there; where, indeed, we actually found one. 
This we conlidered as a true Comus’s trick; we looked 
at each other, and acknowledged that they were very 
adroit.” 
Thefe people have an annual fedival and religious ce¬ 
remony, which they call Sidi Ibrahim , where prieds and 
profelytes to their doctrine and faith are admitted and 
made. “ Being always curious to obferve the means by 
which.men command the opinions of others, (fays De. 
non,) I addrelfed myfelf to the chief of the fe'dt, whom 
I flattered, and he promifed to make me a fpeiStator of 
the exaltation of one of the Pfylli, as foon as he Ihould 
have blown into his fpirlt, as he exprefled it. From my 
anxious curiofity he thought I bid fair to be a profelyte, 
and he propofed to initiate me, which I accepted; but 
when I learned that in the ceremony of initiation the 
pried fpits 'in the mouth of the neophyte, this circum- 
Itance cooled my ardour, and I found that 1 could not 
prevail on myfelf to go through this trial; fo I gave my 
money to the high pried, and he promifed to let me be 
prefent at the ceremony. They had brought with them 
their ferpents, which they let loofe from a large leather 
fack in which they were kept, and made them ereCt their 
bodies and hifs, by irritating them. I thought it was 
the light which principally caufed their anger; for, as 
foon as they were returned into the lack, their paffion 
ceafed, and they no longer endeavoured to bite. It was, 
curious to obferve, that, when angry, the neck, for 
fix inches below the head, was dilated to the fize of 
one’s hand. (See colubur naja, under the head Colu¬ 
ber, vol. iv. p. 803.) I foon conceived that even I 
could manage the ferpents, without fear of their fangs; 
for, having well remarked that the Pfylli, while they 
were threatening the animal with one hand, feized it on 
the back of the head with the other, I did the fame 
with one of the ferpents with equal fuccefs, though ap¬ 
parently to the indignation of the performers themfelves. 
After this, they proceeded to the grand myfiery : one of 
the performers took a fnake, which he had previoufly 
di fa bled by breaking the under jaw, and by rubbing 
away the gums till the whole of the palate was deltroy- 
ed ; he then grafped it with the appearance of paflion, 
and approached the chief-prielt, who with great gravity 
gave him the' fpirit, that is to fay, after uttering fome 
mylterious words, blew into his mouth; and, at the in- 
llant, the other was feized with a facred convulfion, his 
arms and legs diltorted, his eyes feeming to Hart from 
his head, and he began to tear the animal with his teeth; 
whilft the attendants, appearing to commiferate his fuf- 
ferings, reltrained his Itruggles with difficulty, and 
laatched from his hand the ferpent, which he was un- 
2 willing 
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