Champollion, an acute Frenchman, had studied it almost from boyhood, and was thus enabled to bring another ray of light to the investigation of hieroglyphics. He discovered that the alphabet consisted of images of external objects, and represented the first letter of that object's name in the common Egyptian language; as if in English we should make a dog for D, a cat for C, and a serpent for S. Many and great difficulties remained. One of the most troublesome was the custom of omitting vowels in hieroglyphics, and writing only the consonants. Without

attempting to give a detailed account of the numerous obstacles, it is sufficient to say that by great learning, labour, and patience, several inscriptions on the ancient monuments have been satisfactorily deciphered.

On a stone tablet discovered at Karnak are engraved the names of a successive series of sixty-one kings. We suppose that Moses lived about three thousand four hundred and forty-nine years ago; and the latest of these kings was prior to the date we assign to Moses.

Several ancient authors agree in testifying that Menei, commonly called Menes, was the first king; and their statement has been confirmed by engravings on monuments, and writings on papyrus. Menei is an abbreviation of Amun-ei, signifying "he who walks with Amun;" by which his cotemporaries understood "he who walks with God." According to Manetho's list of kings, he reigned seven thousand seven hundred and sixteen years ago. The statements of that old historian concerning many of the later kings, though long doubted, have of late years been remarkably corroborated by the monuments; but his testimony with regard to Menes is rejected. Josephus says this ancient king lived more than one thousand three hundred years before Solomon, who was born one thousand thirty-three years before Christ. Some modern scholars carry the date of Menes as far back as two thousand eight hundred and ninety years before our era; others bring it as near to it as two thousand two hundred years. The learned on this subject suppose two thousand seven hun

dred and fifty years before Christ to be a near approximation to the truth.

The Italian Marquis Spineto, who carefully investigated this subject, says: "The first period of Egyptian history begins with the establishment of their government, and comprehends the time from Misraim to Menes, during which all religious and political authority was in the hands of the priesthood, who laid the first foundation of the future power of Egypt, founding and embellishing the great city of Thebes, building magnificent temples, and instituting the Mysteries of Isis."

The ancient religion of Egypt, like that of Hindostan, was founded on astronomy, and eminently metaphysical in its character. In common with other oriental nations, they supposed the origin of the world was from a dark chaos. Soul existed from eternity, and by its action upon Matter, chaos was brought into form, and out of darkness beamed forth light. The fiery particles ascended and formed the firmament of luminaries; the heavier portions descended, and formed earth and sea, whence animals and plants proceeded. From the Eternal Soul were evolved successive emanations of Spiritual Intelligences, more or less elevated in character and office, according to their nearness or remoteness from the Central Source.

The Source of Being was never represented by any painting or sculpture. Those who understood the religion. of Egypt, considered the deities mere emblematical representations of his various attributes. The first emanation from him was Amun, whom Greeks called Jupiter Ammon. He was supposed to dwell in a radiant upper sphere, far above the subordinate deities. He is described as "The Male Origin of all things;" "The Spirit of the Supreme, moving on the face of the waters;" "The Spirit who animates and perpetuates the world, by mixing himself with all its parts;" "He who brings to light hidden things;" "Lord of the Three Regions;" "The King of Gods." His image was always painted dark blue, and represented with a Ram's head and horns; probably with VOL. I-13*

some reference to the constellation, which bears that name; therefore a ram's head became a sacred amulet, worn by the devout as a protection against evil. As Creative Wisdom, he was named Amun-Cneph. As the Intellectual, or Spiritual Sun, he was called Amun-Ra. His worship was universal, but he was peculiarly the presiding deity of Thebes, which was founded by a colony from Meroë.

Tradition declared that the Ethiopians were his first worshippers; and it is supposed that Homer's legend concerning Jupiter's visit to "the blameless men,” had reference to an annual procession of the priests of Jupiter Ammon at Thebes, up the Nile to some place consecrated by the worship their ancestors had offered. The image of the god was probably carried on a great car, according to Hindoo custom.

Phtha, belonging to the higher class of gods, was called the son of Amun Cneph, and said to have proceeded from an egg formed by him. To Phtha was attributed the invention of science, by which the laws of nature were arranged. He was considered the founder of the dynasties of Egypt: therefore kings often took the title "Beloved of Phtha." In the royal city of Memphis, which was consecrated to him, he had a magnificent temple, splendidly adorned, where the grand ceremony of the inauguration of Egyptian kings was performed with great pomp.

Of all Egyptian deities, Osiris is the name most familiar to modern ears. He was formerly supposed to be a mere representation of the visible sun; but increasing knowledge on the subject proves that he embodied a more comprehensive idea. It has been already shown how the Hindoo mind deified the active and passive powers of generation. The same tendency was manifested in Egypt. Osiris did not represent this power in any one department of nature. He appears to have been, like Siva in his genial capacity, The Fructifying Power of the Universe. The emblems of the sun were sacred to him, and astronomical ceremonies of worship typified him as the sun, to whose rays the earth owes her fruitfulness. His worship

was mingled with that of the god of their holy river, named Nilus; and the sculptures often represent him as sprinkling manure on the earth, because to his pervading warmth the river, at its annual overflow, owes its fertilizing power. Because plants cannot germinate without water, vases full of it were carried at the head of processions in honour of Osiris, and his votaries refrained from destroying or polluting any spring. This reverence for the production of Life introduced into his worship the sexual emblem so common in Hindostan. A colossal image of this kind was presented to his temple in Alexandria, by king Ptolemy Philadelphus. Crowned with gold, and surmounted by a golden star, it was carried in a splendid chariot in the midst of religious processions. A Serpent, the emblem of Immortality, always accompanies the image of Osiris. The Hawk was considered a bird of the Sun, and was therefore sacred to him; and his body was often represented with the head of a hawk. The embler which signified his name was the orb of the sun on the head of a hawk. This formed the winged globe, so conspicuous in Egyptian architecture.

Osiris was called "the oldest son of Time, and cousin of the Day." Being a general representative of the Generating Principle, whether existing in sunshine, water, or the production of animal life, there was a mingling of ceremonies and emblems in his worship, which has greatly puzzled those who seek to understand the mythology of Egypt. To increase the difficulty, he is often represented as a beneficent ruler on earth, at whose birth it was said a loud voice proclaimed, "The Lord of the World is born!" He taught men how to prepare corn and cultivate grapes, and went forth to carry arts and agriculture to other nations, leaving his wife Isis to govern in his absence. On his return, his brother Typho, by a successful stratagem, shut him up in a chest and threw him into the sea. Isis wandered about in mourning garments, seeking for the body, which she at last found; but Typho discovered it, and tore it into fourteen pieces. Isis gathered the fragments

and gave them burial. Osiris, having thus performed his benevolent mission on earth, descended into Amenti, the Region of the Dead, and having passed through its stages, ascended to a higher life, where he remained to dispense blessings to the world, in answer to their prayers in his name, and finally to overcome the Evil Principle, that had destroyed him. Henceforth, one of his principal offices was to judge the dead, and rule over that heavenly region where souls of good men were admitted to eternal felicity. It is not easy to determine whether this account is an allegory, containing some hidden meaning, or whether it indicates a belief in the incarnation of Osiris.

He was universally worshipped, but peculiarly at Philo, where he was supposed to be buried. At stated seasons, the priests went in solemn procession and crowned his tomb with flowers. So sacred was the island, that no one was permitted to approach it without express permission from the priests. Here were celebrated the Great Mysteries of Osiris, carefully guarded from all eyes and ears, save of those who had been initiated by severe probation. In a ruined temple at Philoe is a chamber, on the walls of which the mysterious life of Osiris is represented in a succession of sculptures. Twenty-eight Lotus plants indicate the number of years he was supposed to have lived on earth. His passage from this life is shown by the attendance of deities and genii, that presided over funerals. He is then represented with a crook in one hand, and a flagellum, or whip, in the other, as Judge of the Dead: the office which he held ever after his ascension to a higher life. Champollion says the double destiny of the soul was symbolized by the march of the sun through the upper and lower hemisphere. This might be an additional reason why Osiris, as Judge of Souls and Lord of the Heavenly Region, where they received reward, should have the emblems and worship of the sun. On the walls of ruins in various places occur representations of the dead at their last ordeal. Osiris, seated on his throne, accompanied by Isis, receives a tablet on which the god Thoth has recorded