nues. See Gen. xlvii. 22, 26. The prince usually honoured them with a large share of his confidence, because they were better educated than any other caste, and were most strongly attached to the person of the king, and the good of the public. In the priesthood, not only must the son of a priest be a priest, but he must be a priest to the particular deity to whom his father had ministered. The priests were dispersed in parties in the several districts, where they constituted the governing body: but the large cities which had at different times been the capitals of Egypt, and where their great temples were found, formed their principal seats. Every priest was attached to some temple or other, and every temple had its chief priest whose office was hereditary. In the principal cities, the high priests were, to a certain extent, hereditary princes, who ranked next the kings, and enjoyed nearly equal advantages. Such a person was Potipherah," priest of On." Heeren concludes, that the organization of the inferior priesthood was different in different cities, according to the extent and wants of the locality. On the position they held in the state, this author says, that they did not constitute the ruling race merely because from them were chosen the servants of the state, but much rather because they monopolized every branch of scientific knowledge, which was entirely formed by the locality, and had immediate reference to the wants of the people. Their sole, or even their most usual employment, was not the service of the gods; they were judges, physicians, soothsayers, architects; in short, every thing in which any species of scientific knowledge was concerned. Annexed to each temple and settlement of priests were extensive estates, which were farmed out at moderate rents. The produce of these lands supplied a common fund, which furnished provisions for the priests and their families, thereby rendering it unnecessary, as Herodotus observes, for them to contribute any thing from their own private resources towards their support from which we discover, that they had private property and

estates exclusive of their common lands.

The priests had possession of the sacred books, which contained the principles of government, as well as the mysteries of divine worship, and which, like their temples, were not open to the vulgar. These were both commonly involved in symbols and enigmas, which made truth more venerable, and excited more strongly the curiosity of the multitude. The figure of Harpocrates, in the Egyptian sanctuaries, with his finger upon his mouth, seemed to intimate that mysteries were

there enclosed. As much may be said of the sphinxes placed at the entrance of every temple; and it is well known, that the pyramids, obelisks, pillars, statues, etc., were usually adorned with hieroglyphics, or symbolical writings, under which was couched a hidden and parabolical meaning. It is stated by Porphyry and Clemens Alexandrinus, that the writing of the Egyptian priests was of four kinds. The first, HIEROGLYPHIC and this twofold; the more rude called curiologic, and the more artificial called tropical: the second SYMBOLIC, and this likewise was twofold; the simple and the mysterious, that tropical, this allegorical. These two kinds of writing were not composed of the letters of an alphabet, but of characters which stood for things not words. Thus, to signify the sun, they sometimes painted a hawk; this was tropical: sometimes a scarabæus with a round ball in its claws; this was enigmatical. The third form of writing was called EPISTOLIC, from its being first applied to civil matters; and the fourth, HIEROGRAMMATIC, from its being used only in religious matters. These last two kinds of writing expressed words, and were formed by the letters of an alphabet: thus, Y. K., in the Egyptian tongue, signifying a serpent; and a serpent, in their hieroglyphics, denoting a king; Y. K., as stated by Manetho, signified the same in the sacred dialect.

One of the principles in the religious policy of Egypt, was, that the government of the world had, by the Supreme Ruler of the universe, been committed to subordinate local, tutelary deities, amongst whom the several regions of the earth were divided; that these were the proper objects of all public and popular religion; and that the knowledge of the ONE TRUE GOD, the CREATOR of all things, was highly dangerous to be communicated to the people, but was to be secreted, and shut up in their MYSTERIES, and in them to be revealed only occasionally, and to a few; and those few the wise, the learned, and the mighty among mankind.

Another fundamental maxim in the religious policy of Egypt was, to propagate, by every means, the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments, as the necessary support of all religion and government. Thus their tenets

were dictated by worldly wisdom, for the support only of the state. How unlike such are the pure doctrines of the gospel! While they form a broad security for good order in a state, they teach mankind the knowledge of the one true God, and the way of salvation through a crucified Redeemer.

Diodorus observes, on the education of the Egyptians :

· The children of the priests are taught two different kinds ›f writing, what is called the sacred, and the more general; nd they pay great attention to geometry and arithmetic for he river, changing the appearance of the country very maerially every year, is the cause of many and various discussions among neighbouring proprietors about the extent of heir property; and it would be difficult for any person to decide upon their claims without geometrical reasoning, founded on actual observation.*

"Of arithmetic they have also frequent need, both in their domestic economy, and in the application of geometrical theorems, besides its utility in the cultivation of astronomical studies; for the orders and motions of the stars are observed at least as industriously by the Egyptians as any people whatever, and they keep records of the motions of each for an incredible number of years, the study of this science having been, from the remotest times, an object of national ambition with them. They have also most punctually observed the motions, periods, and stations of the planets, as well as the powers which they possess with respect to the nativities of animals, and what good or evil influences they exert ; and they frequently forctell what is to happen to a man throughout his life, and not uncommonly predict the failure of crops, or an abundance, and the occurrences of epidemic diseases among men and beasts; foreseeing also earthquakes and floods, the appearance of comets, and a variety of other things, which appear impossible to the multitude.† It is said that the Chaldeans in Babylon are derived from an Egyptian

* According to some authors, Sesostris was the first who divided Egypt by a measure amongst his subjects, and thus gave a beginning to the science of geometry. Sir Isaac Newton ascribes the origin of this science to Moeris, the fifth from Sesostris, confounding Sesostris with Osiris. But it is evident from Scripture, that an exact division of private landed property existed in Egypt before the days of Joseph, whose wise administration commenced ages anterior to the period assigned by Newton. See Gen. xlvii. 20-26.

+ The false science of astrology was created by the priests of Egypt, for the sake of establishing and preserving their power. Induced by the illusion of his senses to regard himself as the centre of the universe, man was easily persuaded that his destiny was influenced by the heavenly bodies, and that it was possible to foretell it by observing their aspect at his birth. This illusive notion kept its ground till the end of the seventeenth century, when knowledge generally diffused the true system of the world over Europe, and destroyed the imposing fabric of astrology, dispersing its reveries and follies, as the beams of the sun disperse the morning mists.

colony, and have acquired their reputation for astrology by means of the information obtained from the priests in Egypt.

"But the generality of the common people learn only from their parents or relations that which is required for the exercise of their peculiar professions, as we have already shown; a few only being taught any thing of literature, and those principally the better classes of artificers."

In their minute observations respecting events of consequence, Herodotus observes, that the Egyptians excelled all other people; and when any thing occurs, they put it down in writing, and pay particular attention to the circumstances which follow it; and if, in process of time, any similar occurrence takes place, they conclude it will be attended with the same results.

But, if the priests were anxious to establish a character for learning and piety, they were equally solicitous to excel in propriety of conduct, and to exhibit a proper example of humility and self-denial. In their mode of living, they were remarkable for simplicity and abstinence; committing no excesses either in eating or drinking. Their food was plain, and they ate a stated quantity; their wine, also, was used with the strictest regard to moderation. So fearful were they, indeed, lest the body should not "sit light upon the soul, and excess should increase "the corporeal man," that they paid a scrupulous attention to the most trifling particulars of diet. Similar precautions were extended to the deified animals; Plutarch says that Apis was not allowed to drink the water of the Nile, on account of its fattening properties.

Their scruples were not confined to the quantity, but they extended to the quality of their food; certain viands were alone allowed to be set before them. Above all meats, that of swine was most obnoxious; and fish, both of the sea and the river Nile, was denied to them, though so generally eaten by the Egyptians. On the 9th of the month Thoth, when a religious ceremony obliged the inhabitants at large to eat a fried fish before the door of their houses, the priests were exempted from the custom, and allowed to substitute the ceremony of burning theirs at the same time. In general they abstained from most sorts of pulse, and from mutton. In their more solemn purifications, salt was excluded from their meals. Some vegetables, however, were considered lawful food, and were preferred by them for their wholesome nature. The leguminous productions and fruits of Egypt

are, indeed, frequently introduced into their sculptures; and Pliny and other authors speak of such as being abundant, and possessing the most excellent qualities.

The priests of Egypt were equally severe in their ablutions as in their diet, maintaining the strictest observance of numerous religious customs connected with the act. They bathed twice a day, and twice during the night. Some who pretended to a more rigid observance of religious duties, washed themselves with water which had been tasted by the ibis, supposing that this was an evidence of its purity. They also shaved the head and the whole body every third day, sparing no pains to promote cleanliness, without indulging in the luxuries of a bath. A grand ceremony of purification took place preparatory to their fasts, many of which lasted from seven to forty-two days, and sometimes even a longer period. During this period, they practised rigid abstinence as to food, and were careful to avoid the indulgence of the passions.

The self-denial of the priests extended even to their dress, that being commonly of the most simple kind. Their robes of ceremony, however, were grand and imposing, and each grade was distinguished by its peculiar costume.

It is stated by Herodotus, that women were not eligible to the priesthood, either of a male or female deity, and that men alone were admitted to this post. This remark, however, evidently applies to the office of pontiff, or at least to some of the higher sacerdotal orders, from his referring in another place to women devoted to the service of Amun, as well as from the testimony of other authorities. There appear, indeed, to have been priestesses of the gods, and of the kings and queens, each of whom bore a title indicating her peculiar office. Of the former, the Pellices, or Pallacides, of Amun, are the most remarkable, as the importance of their post abundantly proves. They are the same whom Herodotus mentions as consecrated to the Theban Jove, whose sepulchres are still seen at Thebes, in a valley 3,000 feet behind the ruins of Medeenet Haboo. There was another class of priestesses of the same rank, apparently a subdivision of the same, who fulfilled certain duties entrusted only to the wives and daughters of priests, and not unusually to members of the same family as the Pallacides. These had also the privilege of holding the sacred sistra in religious ceremonies, before the altar, and were attached to the service of the same deity.