8

INTRODUCTION.

Such appears to convey a pretty clear but general idea ofthe system of philosophy invented by Mochus, or Leucippus ,the master of Democritus , and adopted by our author. Itwould, indeed, be a waste of time and space to observe atthis day on the folly of such a system when compared withthe more rational cosmogony of Moses . And yet there isone modern author of high reputation who has ventured tomaintain those principles in part, who is Des Cartes .

The Jewish legislator, by ascribing proper effects to theironly true and adequate cause, the Omnipotence and Omni-science of the Most High, furnishes us with the only trueand rational origin of all things, which produceth instanta-neous conviction; whilst the ingenious and speculative theoryof the Phoenician or Grecian philosopher’s system, evaporatesinto “ thin air;” because he does not admit the existence ofa cause proportionate to the grand effects produced.

The Egyptians are universally confessed to have beenthe first people civilized, — to have excelled all others inthe invention and perfection to which they brought thosesciences and arts which are the ornaments of man, andwhich constitute the utilities of life . 4

They were the immediate descendants of Noah, by Miz-raim, die second son of Amyn, Hamyn, or Ham. A people^who have left such pledges behind them of mental superi-ority, which will not let us doubt of their transcendant emi-nence in intellectual acquisitions; because, judging from acriterion furnished us by one of our most learned professors,“ that we must judge of the attributes of every people, ofwhom we have no ajitIdentic, certain, or intelligible matenalsremaining, to proceed upon, from such monuments of art theymay have left behind them.” 5 The tyranny of ambitious men 6having deprived us of their written verbal records, we must(as yet) resort to the above criterion to form our judgmentof the people now considered. Among the first princes ofEgypt appeared some illustrious sovereigns,—highly merito-rious individuals, in the first character greatly beneficial totheir country; and, in the second, eminently serviceable tomankind in general: to whom are ascribed the inventionof those arts w r e may presume man, in a state of nature,stood most in need of: and the benefit of which we at thisday experience. These were such, which, in the senti-

4 Vide the learned and Reverend Bishop Warburton's discourses upon thissubject.

s John Flaxman , Esq. R.A. and Professor of Sculpture to the Royal Academyof London, also Honorary Member of the Academies of Florence and Carrara, &c.

6 Cambyses ranks first; Misphagnorthosiox, the Arab shepherd ; and, lastly, theMussulman, Omar, the Caliph , in A.D. 637.