her dominions, a fact the more interesting, because without a parallel in the annals of nations since the chain was forged that bound in fetters the first slave. In the court leading to the market curbashes are sold, thongs made of the skin of the rhinoceros and hippopotamus, a cut from which is so severe that it becomes a powerful weapon. I never failed to make my way through a crowd, when I had one in my hand, though I never struck any one a blow. The tombs of the caliphs and Mamelukes have been much admired, but they are very inferior to many of those erected by the Mussulmans in India during the existence of the Mogul empire. Between new Cairo and the old city, after crossing an extensive burial ground and some gardens, there is an aqueduct with 317 arches, not at present in use. In the same direction is one of the palaces of the pacha, in which, as in all other modern Egyptian architecture, there is a strange mixture of refinement and barbarism. in vain that we cast a look towards the pyramids, to contrast their appearance under different lights, and at different distances; our attention was soon called away from Cheops and his monument of 3000 years to the reiterated claims of our nearer attendants. I was anxious to proceed to the top of the highest pyramid before the sun's rays had become too powerful. I was assisted by two Arabs in climbing the steps, which at the commencement are upwards of a yard high. It is a difficult task for muscles not accustomed to the attempt, but by no means so formidable as has been represented. It is not unusual for females to accomplish the undertaking, and a party had engaged to accompany us, but in the mean time one of them had been taken ill. Not long since some English travellers, with that love of frolic which is their general characteristic, had a donkey taken to the summit, and then, with that thoughtlessness and cruelty of which they are too often guilty, had it precipitated to the ground, by which it was, of course, dashed to pieces. It is during the ascent that the magnitude of the erection first comes home to the mind with proper force; to look down, and then towards the summit, it seems impossible that so immense a pile can be entirely the result of human labor. It is about 700 feet in the length of its base, and is 461 feet high, being 227 feet higher than the cathedral of York, and 117 feet higher than St. Paul's at London. It is ascended by 206 layers of steps, of different dimensions. I did not myself make any admeasurement, and must take for granted the declarations of former travellers, or I should have taken the elevation at a greater number of feet, allowing the number of steps to be correctly stated, as The palace of Shoobra is situated on the banks there appeared to me to be more tiers that were of the Nile, and is approached from Cairo by a above three feet in height than there were under broad road shaded with trees. The gardens are this size. There will always be a difference in laid out with some taste, and have walks pebbled the computations of travellers, because many of with different devices. There is a fountain, sur-the steps are broken, and the sand at the base rounded by a court paved with marble, to which does not always accumulate to the same elevathe pacha is sometimes accompanied by the ladies tion. At the apex is a flat space, about 30 feet of his harem. The giraffes brought from the in-square, upon which are cut the names of its adterior were all dead but one, and the dim eye and languid movements of the survivor betokened that it would soon follow its companions. The glory of Old Cairo is completely eclipsed by the superior grandeur of the New, but it is more conveniently situated in every respect except for defence, being near the river. There is here shown the place where our Saviour is said to have lived during his residence in Egypt, and several other places of a similiar description, fruitful sources of revenue to the monks. The island of Rhoda is formed by a division of the Nile, and is occupied by the gardens of Ibraham Pacha, to which the wealthier Turks delight to retire in the cooler hours of the day and listen to music. At the southern extremity is the ancient Nilometer, from which the official account of the rise of the river is ascertained. I was accompanied to the pyramids by the Rev. J. Bartholomew, of the Wesleyan society, who had come to the capital on business connected with the mission. We mounted the donkeys of the country, active and useful little creatures, on the western bank of the river, and after an hour's quick ride were at the foot of one of the seven wonders of the world, and the only one of the seven at present in existence. The cultivated plain approaches these ancient structures within a few hundred feet. The ground upon which they are built is somewhat elevated, which adds to their imposing appearance from the distance. The villages we passed in our ride each sent one or more of its inhabitants to accompany us, and before we had proceeded far we were surrounded by a noisy crowd, all of whom had something to say why they in particular should have their services accepted; and if we insisted upon their return before we would proceed one step further, it was only to see them come back again after a little time, perhaps in increased numbers. It was venturous visiters. I added my name to those of three other missionaries, all of whom are now no more. The multitude of events that rush at once upon the mind, when standing in this elevated position, produces an indistinct and indefinite excitement, half fearful, half joyous, and utterly indescribable; a something that was never felt before, and cannot be expected ever to be felt again. The stones that are there placed have occupied the same spot an unknown period, more than half the age of the world. We may tell every name written upon the scroll of history, every event recorded among the archives of the world, every empire whose fall has been wept by its bereaved children, however ancient that name, or distant that event, or extended the sweep of that empire; and whilst all these were the passing wonders of the day, this erection was standing as it now stands, in the same form and the same position. The day was most favorable to the full enjoyment of the prospect. At our feet were other pyramids of equal antiquity, and the pyramids of Saccarah and Dashoor were seen in the distance. The minarets of Cairo were to be distinguished over the Nile, with the citadel frowning from the Mo kattam. The river was presented in a long con- The descent is less difficult to the muscles, but a greater trial to the nerves. An English gentleman was thrown down about three years ago, and was killed, as the wind was violent, and he refused the assistance of the Arabs. no doubt that they were tombs, and perhaps they were nothing more. If it be objected, that it would be absurd to suppose the Egyptians lavished so much expense upon buildings that had no other design, we need only refer to their mummies, their catacombs, and the tombs of the kings at Thebes. In the centre of the pyramid the body of the founder was probably deposited, and the passages would answer the same purpose for the bodies of his family and descendants. They might afterwards be used for deeds of darkness that the licentiousness of later periods introduced into the world. The absence of hieroglyphics in every part of the structure may arise from their antiquity, as they may have been built before the invention of these symbols: but it is more probable that the cause is to be found in the known opposition of the founders to the existing hierarchy, who alone had the key to this secret manner of writing; as Herodotus, in speaking of Cheops, expressly states that "he barred the avenues to every temple, and forbade the Egyptians to sacrifice to the gods." It has been assumed, with a great appearance of probability, that the Israelites assisted in the erection of these artificial mountains; and to support this argument, many distinct series of proofs have been brought forward both from sacred and profane history. There are two other pyramids at a little distance, one of them of a much smaller size. The nearer of the two was opened by Belzoni, after a close of some ages, but he was disappointed in finding that it had been previously explored, and deprived of its most valuable remains. An attempt has been made to destroy it, as the steps are all broken nearly half-way up to the summit. There are several other buildings in the plain, half-buried by the sand. The paintings in one of them might represent a grand gastronomic procession, as there are all the operations of cooking. At a little distance are several beautiful sarcoThe entrance into the interior is at some dis- phagi cut into the shape of the human body, with tance from the base, but is approached by an ac- the lids entire and the inscriptions as perfect as if cumulation of sand and stones. We descended just prepared for some one that was about to be to the distance of about 70 feet by a gradually interred. The sphinx is cut out of the rock where inclined plane, from whence the principal passage it stands, and the head only can now be seen. I ascends with a shelving ledge on each side, and could not discover so much beauty in the features we could distinguish the roof by the light of our as many travellers profess to find. There are dim tapers. The ascent is attended with some said to be many inscriptions on the lower extremidifficulty, and would be almost impossible, were ties, and the whole mass, if cleared away entirely not holes cut in the stones for the hands and feet. from the sand, would be upwards of 100 feet long. The passage terminates in a chamber 32 feet long The Arabs continued to throng about us, in spite by 16 feet wide, and said to be 19 feet high. In of all our efforts to drive them away. They have the centre of the chamber is a sarcophagus of red been designated robbers, and all manner of evil granite, without any inscription. We sang the has been said against them, but a set of merrier doxology,-"Praise God from whom all blessings or better natured fellows I never met with, and a flow," to the usual psalm, and the effect was few piastres distributed among them were acvery grand. Our two voices seemed to be swell-knowledged by a thousand thanks. Some of them ed to the compass of a multitude, as if some of the live in the excavated parts of the rocks, where old Egyptians who had been there entombed had they have comfortable shelter in this favored also taken to themselves a voice, and joined in the climate. song of praise. There were many other passages breaking off in different directions to less or greater distances. Some of them have been explored to the extent of several hundred feet, and it is probable there are many others, the entrances to which cannot now be ascertained. There have been a great many opinions as to the design with which the pyramids were erected. There can be On our return we called at what our guide denominated a manufactory of chickens ;" and after recrossing the river, visited one of the pacha's schools. There were 1700 boys under a course of instruction, nearly all of whom were boarded upon the premises. We saw the kitchen, bath, and hospital. Nearly all their studies are in Turkish, which I do not understand; but they were proud to show us several plans and sketches, at 20,000, about 5000 of whom are Franks.as well as drawings of fortifications and of different public buildings in Cairo, the execution of which was very respectable. We had no letter of introduction, but were treated with great politeness, and were shown through the whole of the premises. The masters appeared to be all Turks. I was kindly entertained during my stay in Cairo at the house of the Rev. W. Krusie, of the Church Mission. There were at that time eight Protestant ministers in Cairo, perhaps an unprecedented occurrence; a clergyman of the Church of England on his travels; Messrs. Leider, Krusie, and Muller, stationed in Egypt; Mr. Gobat, on his way from Abyssinia to England; Mr. Iesenberg, on his way from England to Abyssinia; Mr. Bartholomew, and myself. I had the privilege of partaking with my brethren of the holy Sacrament, and on the Sabbath preached to a small congregation in English. The missionaries are principally employed in the superintendence of schools, but were in treaty for a place in which to attempt a public service in Arabic. ALEXANDRIA. THIS city was founded by Alexander the Great, under the direction of the same architect who rebuilt the temple of Diana at Ephesus. It was the capital of Egypt during the reign of the Ptolemies, and contained a population of 300,000 freemen, with the same number of slaves. It was second only to Rome, among all the cities of her empire. It was intersected by two magnificent streets, 2000 feet broad, one of which extended from the sea to the lake, and presented to the admiring passenger the sight of ships riding at anchor near both of its extremities. It holds a prominent place in history, especially under the early emperors of Rome. The ship belonged to this port in which Paul was wrecked at Melita. When taken by Amrou, the general of the caliph Omar, it had 4000 palaces, 4000 baths, and 400 places of amusement. The commerce between this city and Rome was considerable. The discovery of the passage to India by the Cape of Good Hope destroyed the maritime superiority of Alexandria, and it can only be restored by a return of the eastern trade to its old channel of communication. The present city may be compared to an ancient lady, painted, patched, and powdered, and trying to play the agreeable under her gray locks and wrinkled forehead. New walls are carried over extensive ruins; Turkish palaces look out upon Roman monuments; and hospitals and granaries are built with stones cut by hands that many centuries ago forgot their cunning. It is situated upon a strip of sand between the Mediterranean sea and the lake Mareotis. It communicates with the Nile by a canal dug by the present pacha, at immense expense, 47 miles long. The place bears marks of present prosperity, many large houses being in the course of erection, and the numerous flag-staffs that distinguish the residences of the European consuls are evidence that the interests of many nations are connected with its commerce. The present population is stated There are 3000 persons under the care of the British consulate, principally from Malta and the Ionian islands. At certain hours of the day, a greater number of Europeans than of natives is to be seen in the streets. The column called "Pompey's Pillar," is placed upon an eminence, and is seen to greatest advantage when emerging from the city in the direction in which it is situated.It is one of the largest masses ever elevated by man, as the shaft is 90 feet long, and is composed of one entire piece of granite. The capital is 10 feet high, of the Corinthian order, and is the work of a much ruder period. The site is favorable to the supposition that it stood in the centre of some vast edifice. It was perhaps to commemorate the placing of the capital, or the re-erection of the column, that the inscription was cut, which has excited so many disputes among the learned, and given honor to men who little deserve it. The obelisks called "Cleopatra's Needles," are close to the sea-shore, one erect, and the other fallen, and nearly covered with earth. They are similar to those I saw in Upper Egypt, but the hieroglyphics are much less distinct, from their exposure to the sea breeze. There are several other places to which the name of Cleopatra is attached, with about equal authority. Another pile of ruins is said to be the site of the celebrated library destroyed by Omar's command. The catacombs are at some distance, and cannot be explored very far without difficulty: my other engagements did not allow me to visit them. In the convents are shown several relics, such as a picture painted by St. Luke, and the pulpit in which St. Mark preached. There are considerable spaces within the outer wall not occupied by any building, but mound after mound presents itself, the residue of what once was looked upon with wonder; and in the excavations that have recently been made, to procure stone for building, many pillars, capitals, and walls of extraordinary strength, have been laid open to the day. The city is still supplied with water by the ancient aqueducts, built with arches under the streets. The European inhabitants are principally of the Roman Catholic persuasion. There are also many Greeks, and a few families of Copts and Armenians. The convents appear to flourish under the liberal sway of the pacha. The Jews are a numerous body. The Rev. J. Bartholomew, of the Wesleyan mission, was the only resident Protestant minister. I preached in the chapel to about fifty persons, in English; but the performance of service was not generally known, as Mr. B. had only arrived from the country the day before.There was a school in connection with the mission, in which were 33 boys, of whom 16 were Greeks, 9 Italians, 5 Armenians, and 3 Arabs.Mr. B. preached on board one of the ships in the harbor every Sabbath. Many persons of different nations called upon him to converse on religious subjects; and in this way it was hoped some good was done. There are many villages in the Delta, near to each other, in which the Copts are numerous. It would be well if schools could be established among them, as by this means access would gradually be gained to the people, and they might be brought under the preaching of the word of God. The small force of the mission at pre- and great men came to learn from it wisdom: its sent precludes the possibility of an attempt that temples were crowded with worshippers, and its might be attended with the brightest results. river was covered with the swelling sails of its I embarked for Beirout, in Syria, in the Ran-multitude of vessels; it is now "the basest of kingger, and when we got under weigh, I looked to-doms." The oppressions that the people have wards the shore, and thought on the many impor- suffered have known no limit. Inhabiting one of tant events that had there taken place. The the richest countries under heaven, the soil of palace of the pacha stands upon a peninsula be-which requires scarcely any culture to render it tween the two harbors. The site of the ancient productive, they are destitute of the necessaries of Pharos has been swept into the sea. The ships life. Their moral condition is equally to be deanchor in the harbor furthest from the town, and plored. The Turks are the lords of the land, and it was then filled with ships of different descriptions no where have they been more proud or more from the western ports of Asia and all the princi- cruel. The villagers are sunk into an awful depal ports of Europe. The number of men-of-war gree of depravity: in no other place have I seen displaying the red flag with the crescent, one of such shameful exposure of the person, both among which carried 130 guns, proclaimed the maritime males and females; and it is said, that there are power of the pacha. The harbor is difficult of ac- crimes commonly committed among them to which cess, having a bar of rocks at its entrance, and the I dare not more distinctly allude. coast on both sides is too low to be seen at any distance. We skirted the bay of Aboukir, in which was fought the battle of the Nile. The sight of a ruin under any circumstances, is an impressive sign of the instability of the things of earth; but in contemplating the columns of Egypt, it cannot be forgotten that not merely a few generations have passed away since their erection, but that even the mightiest empires the world ever saw, were founded, and flourished, and fell, within the same period: thus the voice with which they speak gathers fresh energy from every century that is added to their age; and we not only ask, What is man?-we ask, too, What would man be, were even a thousand years added to his threescore and ten? The soul then feels its need of some support that is eternal, and cleaves with the greater firmness to Him who is the same, and whose years fail not, thankful that He who alone can save is willing "to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Jesus, seeing he ever liveth." Since its foundation by Alexander the great, and its reception of his remains in a sarcophagus of gold, Alexandria has been alternately a queen among the nations, and a slave to the oppressor, and its history is not without stirring pages that claim deep attention. In the time of the Ptolemies it was the metropolis of Egypt, it drew from proud Tyre her resources, and became the mart of the commerce of the East: it was near this place that Pompey was murdered within sight of his wife Cornelia; and that the great Cæsar and the unfortunate Marc Antony yielded themselves captive to the charms of the worthless Cleopatra: it gave birth to Apollos, the mighty in the Scriptures: the evangelist Mark here preached the humbling doctrines of the cross, and sealed them with his blood: it afforded refuge to 100,000 Jews, and In the infancy of the human race, Egypt rose to under Nero its streets were red with their blood: a situation of great pre-eminence among the nait was here that the translation of the Septuagint tions of the world. Its climate was a delightful was made, opening the volume of truth to the mean between the extremes of heat and cold. whole of the then civilized world, and that the most There being little rain, the labored erection of ancient copy of the Scriptures now in existence substantial dwellings was not necessary: the was penned by Thecla, a noble virgin; it was plains required little trouble to cultivate them, and here that the monastic life originated, that Arius their riches could never be exhausted. The wandenied the divinity of his Redeemer, Athanasius de-dering habits of the patriarchal families were here fended the truth, and Origen commenced his allegories, all of which have had their different influence upon the church: it was here that the eclectic philosophy flourished, the corrupter of the simplicity of the gospel: its skies have been blackened by the smoke of 700,000 volumes thrown to the flames by the bigotted Omar; then come Saladin, and Richard the lion-hearted, and the crusaders, and as a grand conclusion, Nelson and Napoleon have fought, and Abercromby died, within a few miles of its walls. first repressed, as it was impossible that they could proceed further to the westward on account of the Libyan desert, and it was equally out of their power to migrate in the valley of the Nile, the constitution of the soil being adapted for tillage rather than for pasturage, and requiring a fixed settlement in those who were wishful to reap its advantages. This may have been one reason why "every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians." Under a paternal government, the people of Egypt might have been the happiest nation upon earth, but as in too many similar instances, that which appeared to be their greatest advantage provI quitted Egypt with some regret that it was ed their greatest bane. They had leisure, and not in my power to spend a longer period in inves- their thoughts, free from the anxieties of other tigating its antiquities; but I remembered that I lands, were swelled to compass that which was had duties of a higher kind that required my at- magnificent, from looking by day at the majestic tention. No man with eyes to see, and a heart fronts of their numerous mountains, which though to feel can look upon this country in its present of no great elevation have much in them of the subdegradation, and compare it with its former great-lime, and from gazing by night at the bright luminess without learning an instructive lesson. It once naries of the sky, through the clear firmament unsat in majesty, and kings came to do it homage, der which they reposed. The leisure and the mag nificent thought were both seized upon by the kings and priests, and employed in works that required the bending of united strength to one common object. They first scooped out caves, then cut the rocks into columns, sanctuaries, and gigantic statues, of one single stone; and by degrees exhibited greater boldness and science, and upreared temples. There is great simplicity about all their productions, and a heaviness in their conceptions, compared with the more luxuriant imaginations of the Indian architects. There is little about any of their remains that expands the mind with that force it feels when looking at an extensive prospect in nature, or that excites the pleasurable emotions it experiences when examining a finished work of art. The thoughts dwell only on the builder: we are astonished at what he has done, but the soul feels as if burdened by the mass of materials that are crowded together, and cannot move with freedom, or be prompted to grandeur in its reveries. It was because the ancients were unacquainted with the principle of the arch, that all their temples are either too narrow, or too crowded with pillars. The temple at Karnac is to be excepted from these conclusions, as time has robbed it of its massy roof, and opened an inlet for the admission of the thoughts that wander through eternity." The hieroglyphics upon the temples of Egypt have ever been regarded with great interest.Their meaning was for many ages involved in obscurity. Clemens Alexandrinus spoke of a description of writing "by means of the initial sounds of words;" but it was not known until lately what was the meaning of the author. In 1814, the French discovered, near Rosetta, a slab, with an inscription in three different characters-the sacred, the vernacular, and the Greek. By a comparison of the three it was found that the hieroglyphics represented names by the initial letter of the word that expresses the figure drawn upon the stone, in the common language of the country.Thus, in our own language, to express the term lion, the hieroglyphics might be a lotus, an ibis, an octagon, and a negro. The names of princes are encircled in an oval, and I was able to make out, from the published alphabet, the result of much tient investigation, the names of several princes known in history. Mr. Salt, by this method, discovered the name of TIRHAKA, which occurs, 2 Kings, xix. 9, of whose existence the enemies of revelation had affected to doubt, because it is not mentioned by any profane historian. There are also two other descriptions of hieroglyphics, that may be called the simple and the metaphorical. The simple is the most ancient, and gives a direct representation, as a man for a man, or a bird for a bird. The metaphorical is more complex, as it gives a scarabeus to represent the oblique course of the sun, or the act of mundane formation, or the reproduction of the world after the destruction to which it is periodically subject. The initial must have been used after the invention of the alphabet. The grounds upon which it at present rests are questionable, and little pro pa few proper names; but it is hoped that further researches will complete the system, and render it applicable as well to abstract terms. The tale has been often repeated that the sepoys that joined the British army in the war against Napoleon, performed their devotions in the temple at Denderah, as if they had taken it for one of their own places of worship. The anecdote, perhaps, rests upon too strong proof to be questioned; but it is contrary to the known customs of the Hindoos. They do not acknowledge a place that has once been desecrated, and the wonderful cave temples near Bombay have no attendant priest-gress has been made beyond the discovery of a hood, and scarcely a single worshipper. I did not discover so much similarity between the Braminical temples and the Egyptian as to prove an indentity of religion, though I must confess that I am not deeply versed in either superstition, being most conversant with Buddhism. The most prominent examples I observed were the lingam, the lotus, and the hanshaya, or king of birds. The unsightly symbol of the phallus is exhibited in all its grossness in many places, particularly at Karnac, and its popularity in India, as the common form of an idol, I need not repeat. In history a few more particulars may be noticed, such as the use of brazen vessels, cleaned every day; the shaving of every part of the body by the priesthood; their confinement to one mode of dress; their frequent ablutions; their veneration for cows, and their abhorrence of swine. These observances, common to both religions, may prove that they derived their origin from one source, but were differently modified to meet their different circumstances. The simplicity of the Egyptian architecture may argue its superior antiquity. To express power, the Deity was formed in colossal proportions, and the Hindoos used the same method for the same purpose, but in addition gave to the idol a multitude of arms, an idea which was probably intended to be a refinement upon the African usage. The thought might be extended, but the controversy cannot be entered into within the narrow limits to which these observations are intended to be confined. It is much to be regretted that some one of competent abilities does not spend a short time in Egypt for the express purpose of illustrating the Scriptures. This regret came to me with peculiar force when examining the caves of Beni Hassan, the paintings in which are of the most interesting description. In one cave there are figures of wrestlers, in at least a hundred different attitudes, and various other games are represented in separate compartments. A number of females appear to be playing at the rough game of leap-frog, and others at ball. There are washermen beating the clothes against a stone, and others wringing them out; blacksmiths, hunters, and fishermen ; houses, flowers, and musical instruments; men exciting bulls to fight, and driving cattle as if to market; children riding upon asses in panniers; the sacrificing of bulls and human beings; the various processes of ploughing, sowing, reaping, treading out the corn, and housing it in the granary; groups of cattle, antelopes, asses, and dogs; lions and tigers; men shooting at game with arrows; weighing in a balance, hauling boats, and rowing; marriage processions; in fact, a peep is given at most of the common transactions of life as they took place in the olden time, not after the crude imagination of a modern painter, but in all the force and fire of living truth. There are two harpers, |