The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1823-07-09
@isreiianp.
The following Extract irom Rollins An.
Glen, History, gIve' description vi Tho
MUMMY,


MUMMY,
Or the Cereme.ies Of re Egyhnan Funerals
shall COW give Q concise account OF The
funersl eersnopies of the Egyptians.
The hoDofs which have been paid in oil a.
ges and ns,kSs tc the bodies Of the dead snd
the religious care tsken to provide sepulchres
for them, seen, to iusinuste an universal per.
.uasion, ,ha, bodies were lodged in sc sspuichres
merely ps dtposit or trust.
We have ss esdy observed, in our mention
OF rhs ryramits, viib who, magniheepce sep.
ulehre' were eoi, in Egyp, for besides, that
hey were ererted ss so many sacred monu.
mcnis dssliptd>io transmit TO future times
the mtmr ke' great princes; they were like
! wise eobsirssed as ebs nsunoos where thc
body was 10 'smao during a long succession
OF aRes;-Wheress common houses were
called inns, IN which men were TO ebide only
q, jewellers, and that during the course @! q
lie which was too short 10 eOgagc their pHec'
iions.
When any person in family died. all the
kindred and hiends quilted their usual hsbit',
md put co mou' ming and sbstsined from
baths. wine, and dain,ies OF every kind. This
mourning held forty OF seventy days; proba-
Bodies were embaiped three different
ways. The most magnificent was bestowed
on persons Of distinguished rank, and the ex.
pense amouoted to a talent oi silver, or ih'ce
thousand French iivres
Many hands were employed in this cere.
mony. Some drew the brains through the
nosuil,, BY on instrument made for that pur-
pose. Olhets empted the bowels and intes-
uInes, by cutiing hole in tho eide, with an
E,hiopI.n stone that was as sharp as razor
after which tho casIits were biltd with per.
fumes sod vsrious odorilerous d ugs. As
this e,acua,ion (Which was necessarily attend.
Cd with some dis'ections) seemed 10 some
measure cruel and inhumap, he persons en-.
played fed as soon ss tho operation WAS over,
aud wee pursued with stones by The ISLANDERS.
by But those who embslmed The body were
honorsby uested. They filled ~ with nyIrh,
cinnoman. and ell sorts ot spices h'ter Q
ceftslo time, the body was svalhed IN lawn
flieis. which were glued together with . kind
OF vs'y thin gum, and then crusted the m over
with tho most exquisite peiiamcs. by this
mosas, u said, that the entire figure Of the
body, the very iinesments Of the tace, and The
hair on the lids and eyebrows, were prese,v
ej in their natural PEI tiec,ion. The body thus
embalmed, was delivered TO the relations, who
shui II up 10 kind OF open chest, fitted ex'
scuy 10 The size OF the corpse then they
placed II Up,igbt against the wall, either IN
sepuloh'es, (uf they had any,) or in their bou.
ses. These embslmed bodies ure now what
we cs'l Mammies, which pre sill brought
from Egypt, end arc found in the cabinets OF
the curious. Thi, shews the Gaze which the
IF al heai heir Ufnti
iude to their deceased citations was immortal.
ChIidfen, by seeing he bodies OF their snces-
tors thus preserved, recalled to miod those
virIues lor which The public had honoted
them and were excited TO love Of those
laws which such excellent persoDs had left
for their security. We find he, par, o! these
ceremonies were performed IN tho funeral
honors done to Joseph 10 Egypt.
have said tha, the public recognized the
virtues Of deceased persons, because :hai, be.
fore they could be admiued into the sacred o.
sylum Of tho tomb, they underwent solemn
,usl.-hnd this circumstance IN tho Egyptian
funerals, 10 one OF the most remarkable TO bo
lound in ancient history.
II was a consolation among tho hea,hens,
10 a dying man, TO leave good name behind
him end they imagined that this is the only
human blessing OF which death cannot de-
ptiye US. Blu, the Egyptians would no, suf.
fer crsises 10 he bestowed indiscrirninst.iy
on all deceased persons. This honor was to
be obtained only fGom the public voice. The
assembly Of the Judges met on tho Other side
Of lake, which they crossed m boat. He
who SAT at the helm was called Chsron, ~
the Egyptian language; md this FIRST gave
ihc bint 10 o pheus, who had been in Egypt,
and after him, to the other G,eeks, 10 invent
the fclion Of Charon's boat. As soon ss
msD was dead, he was brought TO bis trial.
The public seeuser Wa, hoard II he proved
that the decessed had led bad lie, his mem.
ory was condemned, end nc was deprived OF
bu'isL The people were Effected with laws,
which extended even beyond The grave; and
every one, struck with the disgrace iDH.c'ed
on the dead person, was afraid to refleet dis.
honor OH bis own memory, and that os his
family. But If The deceased person was no,
consie,ed Of any crime, he wss inferred IN an
honorable manner.
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