INTRODUCTION. 
3 
These records are all written in hierogly¬ 
phics, and ornamented with paintings, and are 
in the most beautiful style of caligraphy. Se¬ 
veral of these papyri are more than three thou¬ 
sand years old. 
The hieratic writings of the Egyptians re¬ 
lated to sacred or ecclesiastical affairs, and are 
principally found in the funeral rituals of the 
Mummeys. 
The invention of emblematical writing’ evi- 
dently took its rise from nature and necessity, 
more than from choice or artifice, as is 
proved by its being practised not only by the 
Egyptians of the south, the Scythians of the 
north, the Chinese of the east, the Indians, 
Phoenicians and Ethiopians, of the interme¬ 
diate countries, but also by the Mexicans of 
the west. For when Mexico was discovered, 
the inhabitants were found to have made no 
farther progress in the art of writing their 
laws and history, than what could be de- 
b 2 
