PREFACE

In the Preface, we naturally expect the author to tell us something about his work and himself. I will avail myself of this time-honored privilege merely to say a few words about the work. As the title indicates, it is a self-verifying chronological history of ancient Egypt, from the foundation of the kingdom to the beginning of the Persian Dynasty. It covers a vast period of 3,700 years, much of which was heretofore comparatively unknown and unexplored. This field was hastily explored, usually at off-times, within the space of a few years. Armed with the "key" to the marvelous chronological system of the ancient Egyptians, which a fortuitous discovery had placed in my hands, I entered into a lost world, all recollection of which had died out, and there made a series of discoveries, and gathered together a great mass of new historical facts, the startling and far-reaching importance of which it would be almost impossible to estimate. When I first crossed the threshold of this terra incognita, I naturally entertained many of the views and opinions concerning the Egyptians and their religion, science, and civilization, common to modern Egyptologists in general. Some of the errors and superstitions regarding the Egyptians, which were current among so-called "scientists," were of such a preposterous nature, that my native common sense recoiled from them instinctively; but there were

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others, which were of such a subtle character, and so deeply rooted, and so thoroughly interwoven with the terms, phraseology, and modes of expression in common use among all classes of readers, that I found, and still find, it almost impossible to completely free my mind from their disturbing influences.

The greater part of this book was written while the researches were being made. The author's point of view was constantly changing. The horizon was constantly widening. Each new discovery, each new fact brought to light, served to dispel the clouds and mists which hung over, and obscured from view, some of the most important periods of Egyptian history.

A book written under such circumstances naturally lacks uniformity and logical continuity. Although it was completed about a year ago, I could not persuade myself to publish it in its present form, but hoped to find the necessary time and leisure to remold it from beginning to end. This hope, I regret to say, has not been realized. The discoveries, however, are of such a nature, that I would not be justified in longer withholding them from the world. The value of the facts made public must be my excuse for the form in which they now appear.

It is due to the reader to state, that it has been my earnest endeavor throughout to get down to the bottom facts. Prior to the date of the so-called Flood (2348 B. C.) these "bottom facts" exist, and can be found, in Egypt alone. Wherever we succeed in striking "bottom facts," we have evidence of the most convincing character, evidence which can not

be successfully contradicted, evidence which may be said to verify itself. For example, the Great Sphinx, the pyramids, such as those of Nuterachi, Senoferu, Chufu, etc., the mastabas, reaching back to those of Sheri and Amten, the hieroglyphical inscriptions found in the recently opened pyramids of Unas, Teta, Meri-ra Pepa, Menthusuphis I, etc., the contemporary inscriptions of Una, Hirchuf, Aahmes, etc., the tombs and coffins of the Antefs, the statues of the Hyksos kings, the Table of Abydus, the Tablet of Four Hundred Years, the Turin Papyrus, etc., constitute what might be called the "best" evidence, that is, evidence of such convincing and unimpeachable character that no number of modern authorities could add to its weight or credibility.

For this reason, I did not deem it necessary to encumber the text with a mass of miscellaneous citations from so-called "authorities," and thereby weaken the effect of the facts presented.

The Sothiac system of chronology is so nicely adjusted in all its parts, so perfect as a whole, that no one who has made himself acquainted with its practical workings will deny that it is mathematically accurate, self-registering, and self-verifying-a marvelous piece of mechanism indeed.

Now, as modern Egyptologists, one and all, contend that the Egyptians were altogether ignorant of the science of chronology, it will be seen that I can not use them as authorities, for my discoveries place me in direct opposition to them.

It was not so with Champollion and Lepsius.