When one died, the whole country was searched to find a successor. He was known by having particular spots of certain colors upon him; and when he was found, the whole country was filled with rejoicing. At the funeral ceremonies of one of these bulls, more than fifty thousand dollars were expended in show and parade. H. Ffty thousand dollars at the funeral of a bull! Well done, Egypt!

Mrs H. Recollect then, my dear children, from what folly and wickedness we are preserved, by the light and knowledge communicated to us in the Bible. But this was not all; the animals I have mentioned were embalmed, and kept in temples erected to their honor; and in a time of famine they would eat each other, before they would kill a sacred animal.

F. O mother! I am disgusted with this picture of ignorance and folly; may we not go to something else? Did they have any

books?

Mrs H. Yes, the first libraries we read of were in Egypt. The places where they were kept were called " offices for the diseases of the soul. Their books were made of the bark of the plant called papyrus, or sometimes of skins, dressed something as we dress leather. The pieces were glued together, into one long strip, and it was

rolled up and put into a case, instead of being bound in a volume like our books. In early times, they stood first among the nations in learning and the arts; and other nations sent ambassadors to them to learn their skill. This excited them to make improvements that they might keep their exalted station. They were divided into castes like the Hindoos, and these castes never intermarried: and the son always followed the trade of his father. The priests pretended to great knowledge of future events, and to be able to perform miracles by means of their enchantments. The public records were kept by them, and written in hieroglyphics, which no one but themselves understood-and, therefore, when in the decline of the whole nation, the priests became less learned than their forefathers, the knowledge of these characters, was lost; and much of the early history of Egypt, which, probably was very interesting, is entirely lost with them.

one, now, understands the multitude of characters that cover every statue, and obelisk, and sarcophagus, and temple, in the land.

'We have had a long lesson for the first one. Now I will give you another for tomorrow evening; and then I will be the questioner and you may answer me. You

may look at the history of the kings of Egypt, and I wish you to notice particularly their good and evil qualities, and tell me what you think of them.' So saying, Mrs Harrison left the room, but the children still chatted about the Egyptians till quite supper time. Frances could have liked them but for their idolatry; Henry was captivated with their skill in architecture, but poor Jane was in trouble lest she should dream all night about mummies,

CHAPTER II.

HISTORY OF EGYPT.-KINGS.

Henry. Well, mother, we have looked over our lessons, and we think Rollin tells rather a discouraging story to begin with. He says, the ancient history of the Egyptians is all involved in obscurity and contradictions, and that no two historians agree with each other; and that the Egyptians themselves were so proud that they wished to make people believe their nation existed, at least, 20,000 years before the world was made, and that it was governed by gods and demi-gods all that time.

J. What are demi-gods, mother?

Mrs H. Heathen nations always suppose there is a race of beings superior to men, but not quite equal to the they call demi-gods, or Henry, can you not find in your lesson; was there not such a king as Busiris.

gods, and these half gods. But anything to recite

H. Yes mother; the first king of that name built the famous city of Thebes, which you mentioned yesterday.

J. I recollect you told us that Egypt was founded by Mizraim: was Busiris next after him?

F. No: there were several kings whose names are mentioned by some writers, but there is nothing more than their names known.

Mrs H. Do you recollect anything of O symandias?

war

H. Oh yes, mother; he made against the Bactrians, with an army of 400,000 foot soldiers, and twenty thousand horsemen. After he returned, he erected a most splendid building, ornamented with sculpture and painting, to commemorate his expedition. In one room there was represented an assembly of Judges; but how were these made, mother?

Mrs H. They were cut from the rocks like almost all the works of the Egyptians. H. Stone judges, then,-no doubt they were up-right men: a good hint really.

J. But, where did the Bactrians live, Henry?

H. Here is Bactriana, on the map, Jane; away to the southeast of the Caspian Sea, and northeast from the Persian Gulf. It is now the eastern part of Persia.

J. His soldiers had a long walk of it. But why did he go there?

Mrs H. For no other purpose, probably,