surface a profusion of monuments, there being not less than eight different temples. The principal one is dedicated to Isis, and was begun by Ptolemy Philadelphus. A chapel dedicated to Athor bears the name of Nectanebo.

In the country of Nubia, beyond the first cataract, temples and monuments are found rivalling those of Egypt, but of that region it is not intended to speak now, and here, therefore, terminates our sketch of the antiquities of Egypt.

CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF EGYPT, ESPECIALLY AS CONNECTED WITH THE SCRIPTURES.

Three sources of information-Chronological agreement of monuments with the Bible narratives-Manetho-Eratosthenes-Survey of dynasties-Building of pyramids-Age of Osirtasen-Invasion of shepherd kings-The eighteenth dynasty-Exodus of the Israelites-Solomon's alliance with Egypt-Conquest of Rehoboam by Shishak, with the monument in commemoration-Wars of Egypt with AssyriaCambyses and his conquest of Egypt--The age of the Ptolemies-Prophecies in the Bible respecting Egypt-Visit of the holy Child Jesus-Conclusion.

IN attempting a sketch of Egyptian history, it is well to enumerate the sources whence our knowledge is derived, and the materials by the study of which only it can be prosecuted. These consist of the Bible, the existing monuments, and historical documents.

The first is by far the most important, by reason of its authority, and the nature of the facts which it records. It is necessary, however, to guard the reader against falling into a mistake in reference to the chronology commonly printed as a portion of the sacred Scriptures. While for the facts as recorded in the Bible we lay claim to a complete authenticity,

this claim must not be supposed to extend to words in which the ancient manuscripts are themselves discordant, and still less to the interpretations assigned to these words by fallible men. The construction of a complete chronological system, which shall carry with it conclusive authority in all its parts, is a problem yet to be accomplished, but one of which perhaps it may be said, that we are rapidly approaching its satisfactory solution. Such a system, whenever it is fully established, will be found in perfect harmony with the Divine revelations in the Bible. At present, however, the subject, by reason of its obscurity, is attended with some difficulty. The space of time which elapsed from the creation to the birth of Christ is generally divided into certain great periods, the earliest of which are from the creation to the deluge, from the deluge to the birth of Abraham, from the birth of Abraham to the Exodus of the Israelites, and from the Exodus to the building of the temple. A remarkable difference is found to exist between the numbers recorded in the Hebrew manuscripts of the book of Genesis, from which our authorized English translation of the Bible is made, and those contained in the Greek Septuagint version of the Scriptures, made in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, about two hundred and fifty years before Christ. The numbers in the latter are corroborated by their substantial agreement with those given in the writings of Josephus, the Jewish historian. The difference between

these two independent authorities, the Hebrew and the Septuagint, each of which presents claims to be considered the correct reading of the word of God, is about six hundred years from the creation to the deluge, and seven hundred years from the deluge to the birth of Abraham, with differences less important in the succeeding epochs. The arrangement of the chronological dates of the events recorded in the Bible must depend on the previous question, which of these varying classes of authority is to be preferred. Archbishop Usher, from whom our ordinary chronology proceeds, adopted that of the Hebrew manuscripts as given to us by the Maronite Jews, and the dates which were fixed upon by him were chosen out of many opinions having more or less of authority in their favour. Perhaps in the choice made by him he exercised a wise judgment; it is no reflection, however, on him to say, that possibly he was mistaken. A difference in judgment with archbishop Usher and the advocates of the contracted chronology, may be so far from being the result of opposition to the word of God, as to proceed from a profound respect to it, and a willingness to be wholly subject to its unerring teaching. Accordingly, some of the most learned, and at the same time most devout Biblical scholars, have not hesitated to give the preference to the extended chronology, which was used in the earlier ages of the Christian church, and is sustained by the testimony of the Septuagint and Josephus.

So long a reference has been made to this difficult and intricate subject of chronology, in order to remove from the mind of the reader any vague apprehension of irreconcilable opposition between the conclusions of Egyptian researches and the contents of the sacred volume. The results of the investigations of science and of literature, when faithfully conducted, ever have been, and it may be safely affirmed, ever will be in harmony with the word of the all-wise and beneficent Creator. It is not yet absolutely certain that the information afforded by Egyptian monuments is irreconcilable even with the contracted chronology of archbishop Usher, but it is admitted on all hands to be perfectly reconcilable with the extended chronology of the Septuagint and Dr. Hales, so that the believer in Divine revelation has nothing whatever to fear from any boasted antiquity of the Egyptian annals. The result of investigations on this subject has been singularly fatal, step after step, to the boasted wisdom and prophetic spirit of the opponents of revelation. When darkness overhung the monuments of Egypt, it was a common practice for the infidel to appeal to them, as affording indubitable proofs of facts quite in contradiction to the statements of Moses. Volney did not hesitate impudently to assert, that the comparatively modern temple of Esneh was older by some hundred years than the date assigned by Usher to the creation of the world, and to anticipate, with profane satisfaction, the complete,