tians, to characterife its violence, called it Apoh, giant.

In the course of these letters, I have, more than once, mentioned its deftructive effect; but, however strong my expreffions they are ftill fhort of the truth. The heavens darkened by duft, which burns the eyes, fcorches the entrails, and veils the face of the fun caravans ftifled in the defart; tribes of Arabs extinct in a single day; fandy rain sometimes covering the whole furface of Egypt, and forming hills which, rolling from the desert, threaten to overwhelm and bury all living creatures powers the giant Typhon. I have read of a tempest (b), from the South, which continued three days and three nights, till the utter ruin of Egypt was apprehended; had it not abated this fine country would have become a fearful wilderness. The priests, to exprefs the fury of Typhon, in their allegoric language say, he was not born, after the manner of Ofiris

fuch are the destructive

of

by the Latins, Sem, poifon, by the Arabs, and by the modern Egyptians, Merifi, wind of noon, or, more generally, Khamfin.

(b) Elmacin Hift. Saracen.

VOL II.

Ee

and

and Horus, but having torn his mother's fide escaped through the opening (1).

Herodotus (k) thus defcribes two ftatues which, in his time, ftood in the temple of Vulcan, at Memphis. "The one, facing "the North, named Summer, is adored by "the Egyptians, and furrounded by marks "of their respect, and gratitude. The other, "turned Southward, and called Winter, is "very differently treated." The latter is what they whipped with rods, on certain occafions, it representing Typhon. The South wind begins to be felt, in the month of February, and caufes the evils I have mentioned; the Etefian winds prevail in Summer, purify the air, and produce the most happy effects. Hence we may satisfactorily explain the sacred fable of the priests, relative to Typhon, which I have, in part, repeated. Plutarch gives it at length, but the leading traits will be here fufficient.

Ofiris () afcended the throne of Egypt, reigned gloriously, and became celebrated for his beneificence and juftice. Travelling the

(i) Flut. de Ifide et Ofiride.

(k) Lib. 2.

(4) Plut. ubi fupra.

world

world to do good to men, his brother Typhon, for some time, durft undertake nothing against his interests, because Ifis was watchful for the fafety of the kingdom; but, when Ofiris returned from Ethiopia, Typhon, with seventy-two confpirators, inclosed his body in a wooden coffer, and threw it into the Nile. It defcended into the Mediterranean, by the Tanitic branch, and : was found on the coaft of Phenicia, by Ifis, and brought back into Egypt: but the ufurper, perceiving it by night, the moon being at the full, as he hunted the boar, broke it, divided the body into fourteen parts, and scattered the members over the country. Ifis collected and carefully preferved them (m). Typhon, delivered from his enemies, exercised tyrannical power over Egypt, and, to make the crown fure, endeavoured to kill Horus, the fon of Ofiris, for whom he most carefully fought; but Latona, hiding and educating him, at Butis, faved him from his purfuers, and, becoming ftrong, he declared war against his father's murderer, and vanquished

(m) Except the privities, which, thrown into the river, were devoured by the fish Lepidotus, the Phagrus, and the Oxyrynchus. Perhaps this trait is added to denote the prodigious fecundity of these fish, which became facred.

and gave him in charge to his mother, loaded with chains. Ifis fet him at liberty, and Horus, in his anger, took away her crown, combated the tyrant again, and, after conquering him a fecond time, reigned in peace and glory.

A few remarks will fuffice to explain this fable, which, in part, explains itself. Ofiris is the general name of the fun, which beftows its benefits over the whole earth, and particularly, manifefts its power in Egypt. His return from Ethiopia fignifies the time when, coming from the tropic of Capricorn, he once more proceeds toward the equator, and paffes through the Winter figns; during which season the South wind predominates. The feventy-two confpirators (n) fignify the days during which it ufually blows. This epocha is the death of Ofiris and the triumph

(n) The time when the South wind is moft ufual, at prefent, is called Khamfin, or fifty, but neither this number, nor feventy-two precisely mark its duration, that being variable. This period therefore may be denoted by the nearest number, and feventy-two appears to me the most exact. I have before obferved this wind rarely continues, blowing more than three days together, otherwife it would render Egypt uninhabitable.

of

:

of Typhon. Horus, educated near the lake Butis, according to the Egyptians, depicted the fun attracting beneficent vapours to return them back in dews: his increasing strength and victory over the tyrant indicate his entrance into the Summer figns; and the Etefian winds, which begin to repel the South storms. Typhon, releafed by Ifis, informs us this evil returns, fometimes, towards the end of June, especially at the full of the moon (o). But the fun, being come to the tropic of Cancer, the North wind recovers its power, refreshes the air, expels contagion, drives the clouds towards the high fummits of the Abyffinian mountains, and fwells the Nile by the rains which, thence, defcend in torrents. This is the glorious reign of Horus.

(0) I have feen terrible examples of this, because the South winds drive back the clouds, toward the North, which should occafion the overflowing of the river, and the country is in danger of barrennefs. As this ofteneft happens during the full moon, the priests fay Horus, in wrath against Ifis for having fet Typhon at liberty, takes away her crown, and is obliged to combat the tyrant anew, over whom he remains victor: that is to fay, the moon in conjunction, and journeying by day, with the fun, has loft her light; and the North wind then gains the afcendant.