09-18.30-imß PREFACE. THE interest which the Christian public is now taking in the subject of Egyptian Hieroglyphics, renders it desirable that some work should appear, which may impart the information necessary to gratify literary and religious curiosity. Egypt was the mother of the arts, sciences, letters, and learning, in the ancient western world. Its history, at a very remote period, stands connected with that of the people of God. The philosopher as well as the Christian, then, cannot help feeling a deep interest, in having the dust of ages which has covered the monuments and the glory of Egypt, swept away; and in seeing her rising from her obscurity and ruins, with renovated splendor. The great problem of Hieroglyphics is at last solved; and the veil has been lifted up which hid from past ages the mysteries that lay concealed under them. We now know, that they were usually employed as mere alphabetic letters; that when thus read, they give us regular composition in the Coptic or old Egyptian language; and that, as the Coptic is understood by a considerable number of stoos in Earpe, we are ma fair way of karus, at which the Egyptian phonetic or cipladenie. Wong ples of the monuments, were designed to conc We now Arew asa en Herg were often employed as symbols, i, e, as the spis qidira; and these symisols are to a great extent dready known, and progress in the deson age of tem is gradual and Constant. It is also ascertained, that there are Hieroglyphies, or rather, groups of them, which have a mystical meaning such as they have gonertly been supposed to convey. The interests of religion are dorgly concerned in these investigations. The pole of God sojormed for several centuries in Pypt and during a part of the time, when many of the monuments and elifces now standing were actually erected. There em be but little doubt, that a part of their emel bondage consisted in laboring to erect some of these, or to prepare materials for them. The overthrow of a distinguished Egyptian king, was connected with the departure of the Hebrews from the land of Egypt. Are there any notices of them, or of their oppressors, on the menuments of this country, or among the numerous manuscripts which are every day discovered amidst the tombs and ruins? Is there any confirmation of the Scripture accounts, derived from these accidental and hitherto inaccessible sources of knowledge?— Questions of great interest to the Christian, who reverences the Scriptures; and even to the mere lovers of andles Histor. On these questions some light is thrown in the following sheets. It is the special object of M. Greppo, the writer, to direct his attention to this particular point. I cannot help thinking, that what he has done will be grateful and acceptable to the public in this country. The translation of the work was made by my son, whose name stands on the title page. I have inspected the whole, and compared it with the original. Here and there I have suggested some slight verbal alterations. In all other respects the work is as it came from the hands of the translator. In regard to the Notes; such as are my own, are included in brackets, and have the initials of my name added at the close. For the rest, the translator is responsible. My hope and earnest desire is, that the work may not only gratify a laudable curiosity in the public mind, but that it may contribute to render still more firm the belief of Christians in the truth and faithfulness of the sacred writers. I only add, that the work of Spineto, and Jablonski's Pantheon Egyptiacum, have been used in preparing the notes; and nearly every thing material has been taken from Spineto, in which he differs from M. Greppo, or has gone beyond him in descanting on particular topics. The work of Spineto is too large and expensive for republication here; and its design not directly a religious one. On this account I have thought the work of M. Greppo preferable; and he has evidently studied his subject as extensively as Spineto, although he is less bold in advancing some * |