indicate that this circle, first receiving the fun's rays, feemed, at his rifing, glittering with brightness, and, when he set, reflected his last beams upon the earth. They called Anubis the fon of Ofiris, but illegitimate, in their facred fables, for he only returned a borrowed light to the earth, and might not, like Horus, be regarded as the father of day, or the lawful fon of Ofiris. We may add, the visible horizon turning with the fun is his infeparable companion.

According to the fecond of thefe explanations, where Anubis means the tropics, he is alfo the faithful guardian of Ifis and Ofiris. The courfe of the fun and moon is included within the Zodiack, wandering neither to the right nor left; which limits, fixed by the author of nature, might, in hieroglyphical language, be typified by a deity with the head of a dog, which fhould seem to oppofe their paffage toward the two poles. The firft opinion, however, feems to me most natural, and accordant to the ideas of the priests.

You perceive, Sir, thofe authors who have been pleasant upon the Egyptians either did not speak what they thought, or understood

not

not their allegories. Anubis, we may reafonably suppose, was, at firft, only a symbol, invented by aftronomers to express their difcoveries. The people, accustomed to see it in their temples, where fcience was depofited, adored it as a deity; and the priests favoured their error by connecting it with religion. The worship of Anubis induced that of the dog, his type, and moft of the Pagan gods, had this kind of origin. Before men could write they ufed imitative figures to exprefs their ideas, which language was, at first, intelligible to all. Having invented characters which by found might express thought, the people employed these because they might be used with more facility. The hieroglyphics were configned to their fanctuaries, and the priests only preferved their interpretation. These allegorical figns, at length, no more had meaning, in the vulgar apprehenfion, but, containing the forms of things, became objects of fuperftition.

I have the honour to be, &c.

LETTER

LETTER XXXIV.

OF TYPHON, A SYMBOLICAL DEITY,

Typhon, an evil genius; the crocodile and hippopotamus confecrated to him; his ftatue infulted when thofe evils did not ceafe of which he was the fuppofed author. The priests by this god figured winter, and the fatal effects of the South and South Eaft winds. Their fables concerning Typhon paled into Phænicia, Greece, and Italy; the philofophers and poets of which nations, adding new allegories, introduced his worship. His origin discoverable amid thefe fables.

To M. L. M.

Grand Cairo..

I HAVE mentioned Typhon before, Sir, because his history is connected with that of all the gods of Egypt. Hitherto you have beheld beneficent deities worshipped, and animals confecrated to the fun, the moon, and the Nile. Gratitude rendered this homage,

but the adoration of Typhon was the effect of fear. Thanksgivings and offerings were appointed for the former; this evil genius was to be pacified by facrifices; and, when those calamities which were attributed to him did not cease, his image was infulted. Believing Typhon to be the evil principle, the Egyptians confecrated the crocodile (a) to him, the hippopotamus, and the afs, because of its red colour. These animals, supposed to be agreeable to him, were revered in many cities, and kept in facred inclofures, they imagining fuch religious attentions would calm the fury of Typhon, whofe foul was fuppofed to animate them. "The Egyptians endeavoured to appeafe this evil genius by facrifices (b)". When unsuccessful, at certain feftivals, they loaded him with opprobrious epithets and invectives, and ftruck his ftatue. "When any extraordinary heats (c) which occafioned peftilential difeafes or

66

(a) Plutarch de Ifide et Ofiride. Herod. lib. 2.

(b)' Plutarch ubi. fup. Herodotus, in confirmation, fays, crocodiles, confecrated to Typhon, were worshipped in certain cities, the Egyptians being perfuaded they were animated by his foul. Lib. 2.

(c) Plut. de Ifide et Ofiride.

"other

"other calamities happened, the priests took "fome of the animals dedicated to him inte

dark place, where, by menaces, they "firft endeavoured to terrify them; and, if "the contagion did not ceafe, facrificed them "to public vengeance”.

The purport of these ceremonies was, evidently, to calm the people's fears, and revive their hopes. While they were performing, the ills occafioned by the peftiferous South winds might cease, and the nation, supposing Typhon appeafed by facrifices, or intimidated by threats and outrages, would attribute all the glory to the priests.

The word Typhon, according to Jablonski (d), is derived from Theu, wind, and Phou, pernicious, which interpretation is confirmed by the most ancient authors.

"A violently

fcorching wind is called Typhon (e).” Euftathius interprets it a burning wind (f); and Euripides employs the word to express a fcorching whirlwind (g). The ancient Egyp

(d) Panth. Egypt. tom. III.

(e) Hefychius.

(f) Comment. in Iliad.

tians,

(g) Euripid. Phoeniffe. This fame wind is called burning by Job, chap. 27, breath of fire by the Greeks, Eurus

by