thirty monarchs, extending from Menes to Moris, and that none of them, except Nitocris, an Ethiopian woman, has done any thing worthy of being recorded. 7. The Egyptians continued a distinct nation, and were governed by their own kings, till subjected to the Persians by Cambyses. But they were soon delivered from Persian tyranny, by Alexander, and annexed to his own extensive empire. From the time of their being subdued by Cambyses, to the death of Alexander, their history is much blended with that of the Persians and Greeks. After the death of Alexander, Egypt was governed by a succession of kings, for nearly two hundred years; and was then reduced to the condition of a Roman province. 8. Few nations have been more subject to the caprice and oppression of their neighbours, than the Egyptians. Although fallen from the political eminence that she once held, Egypt derived but little security, against molestation and oppression, from her adversity. About seven hundred years after being made a Roman province, it was conquered by the Saracens. Since that period, it has experienced various changes; and is. nominally, at present, under the controul of the Turks. QUESTIONS. 1. What is the antiquity of the Egyptians?-2. What was the condition of the Egyptians, 436 years after the flood, according to the Scripture account of them?-3. What may be inferred from their being a well regulated kingdom at that period?4. What presumptive evidence does the nature of the country furnish, that Egypt was settled at an early period?-5. What is the state of the Egyptian history?-6. In what were the Egyp‐ tians superior to the contemporary nations?7. How has the learning of the Egyptians been transmitted to us?-8. Of what sciences were the Egyptians considered the discoverers, or if not the discoverers, the first who cultivated them to any considerable degree?-9. In what arts did they make proficiency?-10. What was the government of Egypt?-11. What singular custom had they, relative to the interment of the dead?-12. And what in regard to the borrowing of money?-13. How was the employment or occupations of the Egyptians regulated?-14. What was their religion?-15. What were the names of their two principal deities? 16. Who was the first king of Egypt, and by what name is he known in Scripture?-17. Is much known of the Egyptian kings generally?-18. What does Herodotus say of them?- 19. By whom were the Egyptians successively conquered?-20. What is the state of their history from the time of their reduction by Cambyses, to the death of Alexander?-21. Under whose controul is Egypt at the present time? THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS. 1. THE Pyramids of Egypt are well entitled to a place among the most interesting, curiosities in the world. The principal ones stand opposite Cairo, on the west side of the river Nile. They are built of stones, which overleap each other, and thus form steps from the bottom to the top The perpendicular height of the largest is about 500 feet, and the area of its basis contains nearly 500,000 square feet, or something more than eleven English acres of ground. Some idea may be formed of the cost and labour in the structure of this pyramid, from the fact that thirty years were spent in building it, and that 100,000 men were constantly employed on the work. 2. Such were the famous Egyptian pyramids, which, by their figure as well as size, have triumphed over the injuries of time and the Barbarians. But whatever efforts men make, their own nothingness will always appear. These pyramids were tombs; and there is still to be seen, in the middle of the largest, an empty sepulchre, cut out of entire stone, about three feet deep and broad, and a little above six feet long. Thus all this bustle, all this expense, and all the labours of so many thousand men, ended in procuring a prince, in this vast and almost boundless pile of buildings, a little vault six feet in length. Besides, the kings, who built these pyramids, had it not in their power to be buried in them, and so did not enjoy the sepulture they had built. The public hatred which they incurred, by reason of their unheard-of cruelties to their subjects, in laying such heavy tasks upon them, occasioned their being interred in some obscure place, to prevent their 4 bodies from being exposed to the fury and vengeance of the populace. 3. This last circumstance, of which historians have taken particular notice, teaches us what judgment we ought to pass on these edifices, so much boasted of by the ancients. It is but just to remark and esteem the noble genius which the Egyptians had for architecture ; a genius that prompted them, from the earliest times, and before they could have any models to imitate, to aim in all things at the grand and magnificent; and to be intent on real beauties, without deviating in the least from a noble simplicity, in which the highest perfection of the art consists. But what idea ought we to form of those princes, who considered as something grand the raising, by a multitude of hands, and by the help of money, immense structures, with the sole view of rendering their names immortal; and who did not scruple to destroy thousands of their subjects to satisfy their vain glory! They differed very much from the Romans, who sought to immortalize themselves, by works of a magnificent kind, but, at the same time, of public utility. 4. Pliny gives us, in a few words, a just idea of these pyramids, when he calls them a foolish and useless ostentation of the wealth of Egyptian kings; and adds, that, by a just punishment, their memory is buried in oblivion, historians not agreeing among themselves about the names of those who first raised those vain monuments. In a word, according to the judicious remark of Diodorus, the industry of the architects of those pyramids is no less valuable and praiseworthy, than the design of the Egyptian kings contemptible and ridiculous. 5. But what we should most admire in these ancient monuments, is the true and standing evidence they give of the skill of the Egyptians in astronomy; that is a science which seems incapable of being brought to perfection, but by a long series of years, and a great number of observations. It has been found, that the four sides of the great pyramid named, were turned exactly to the four quarters of the world; and conses quently showed the true meridian of that place. Now, as so exact a situation was in all probability purposely pitched upon by those who piled up this huge mass of stones, above three thousand years ago, it follows, that during so long a space of time, there has been no alteration in the heavens in that respect, or, which amounts to the same thing, in the poles of the earth or the meridians. QUESTIONS. 1. Where do the principal pyramids stand?-2. Of what and how are they constructed?-3. What is the height of the largest?-4. What is the extent of its basis?-5. How long time was spent in building it?-6. How many men were employed about the work?-7. For what were these pyramids designed? 8. Were they used for the purposes for which they were built? -9. Why were they not?-10. Is it known for a certainty who were the first projectors of the pyramids?-11. How did the Romans differ from the Egyptians in works of magnificence and aggrandizement?-12. What is most to be admired in the pyramids?-13. What astronomical fact do they furnish? THE FALLING TOWER. MARK ye the tower, whose lonely halls There, oft, when eve, in silent trance, Hears the lorn red-breast's plaintive moan; There, though in time's departed day, Yet never midst the gorgeous scene, Oh! thus, when life's gay scenes shall fade, Then may religion's hallow'd flame THE RIVER NILE. 1. THE Overflowing of the Nile procures every advantage, and supplies the want of rain, which never falls in Egypt. This river has its source in the mountains of Abyssinia, from whence it does not arrive in Egypt till it has been precipitated over seven cataracts, with a noise that is heard several leagues. It begins to swell in the month of May, and by a gradual increase, which is almost imperceptible at first, it arrives at a suf ficient height to overflow the country, and remains in that state from the month of June till October, 2. The ancients, who were ignorant of the causes of ⚫ the inundation, have assigned some fabulous reasons, which will always be the case, when people substitute conjectures instead of facts. At present, we know, that it rains in Ethiopia five months in the year, from April to September, which is the secret of the overflowing of the Nile. And the precious mud which it brings along with it produces the amazing fertility of Egypt. Thus lands, which are naturally dry and sandy, become the best soil in the world. i 3. The husbandman in this country, never tires himself with holding the plough, or breaking the clods of the earth. As soon as the Nile retires, he has nothing to do but to turn up the earth, and temper it with a little sand, in order to lessen its rankness; after which he sows it with great ease, and with little or no expense. Two months after, it is covered with all sorts of corn |