River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-08-28

pathetic, vet carried with the air of one
10 whom respect is inevitably paid.
The type is the same as that ofthe vii
lage magistrate, " but greatly finer and
nobler. The eyes are inserted IN the
same manner. and are even more adj
mirable workmanship; for they fairly
glenn and sparkle, and there are mo-
ments when a hEman intelligence sud
denly lights up the face.
Ii is Il remarkable circumstance, and
one over which the ethnologists will
doubtless break their beads, that these
remains of the earliest, freest, aud high
est arts vet discovered ia Egypt should
represent qnite different physical type
from that Of the later dynasties. That
they are Caucasian, or Arymn, is evident
at The first glance; that they possess
ed intelligence, energy, and those NOR
al qualities which we express by the
word " character seems equally GER
tain. Docking at Ra-Hotep's face,
your first impression is "Here is a
gentleman The remains Of the An
cicnt Empire suggest a certain amount
Of freedom, continuous development,
among both rulers aud people; those
of the Later Empire, on the contrary,
are rigidly stamped with the seal Of 4
priestiy despotism.
Here, for instance, is a splendid
granite statue Of King Sha-fra (Ceph.
renes, the builder Of the Second Pyra-
midi, which Mariette found ut the bot
tom of well in the very ancient granite
temple which he discovered eight years
ago, near the Sphinx. It bears al the
marks OF the same ardent, struggling
art which we detect in the wooden and
in the limestone statues. The head is
slightly lifted; the features are modelled
with a care which attests to us the ex-
actness OF the portrait; the eyes look,
and DO not simply dream, as in the
forms Of the Later Empire and while
one hand rests but not fatty, vpon the
knee, the other is closed and brought
down upon the thigh, as who should
says, Such is my will !" The figure
speaks and commands, while the late
/ Tho;hmes and Rameses sit, like Brah-
MA, III endless pa5siyeness. 1t will be
found, an sure, that the cadence Of
the art Of Egypt, during her most iilss-
trious historical periods, was due TO the
despotic limitations OF her religion. 1t
was the same spirit which, during the
Middle Ages and since, has compelled
the artists to give particular color to
the drapery Of each apostle, and to de-
sign annmclatlons, assumptions, trans
| tigurations, judgments, according to
one easily recognizable pattern.
Mariette's discoveries, thus far, have
thrown less light upon the soiouTn of
the lsraelltes in Egypt than many
might have expected on wished. We
are apt to forget, in the great impor-
lance which the Biblical narrative pos
81 se for us, that asmall, subject race.
like the Jews, could only be accident
ally mentioned in the annals OF such a
proud and powerful people. A few
strange probabilities, however, are
worthy Of being noticed. The conjec-
tured period 0f Josephs arrival in
Hyktos, OF Shepherd Kings. who. being
strangers themselves. would the more
readily confer high authority upon a
stranger. Moses, almost certainly, was
educated as an Egyptian priest under
the reign OF Ramcses lind, and the
Pharaoh of the Exodus was the latter's
son, Meneptah, supurb bust Of whom
is in Varieties museum. The name,
Moses, is the Egyptian Mesu, signify
ing child on 'boy." A recently
deciphered papyrus contains I'm official
report concerning a certain Mesu,
who is declared to have much influence
over the foreign people,, as the de-
scenlants of the Hyksos. the tsraelites,
and other Semitic tribes settled i'll the
Delta, were collectively designated
Bricks, made with and without straw,
are 10 he found in quantities among the
ruins of Babast.s and other Egyptian
cities in the Land of Goshen
1t is difficult to make an end, while
50 much remains undescrihed, yet ]
must try to avoid the formality Of Il
catalogue. 4 large glass case ia one of
the eastern rooms is quite filed with
magnificent Jewels of the queen, .1dh-
hopet (of the XVIIIth dynasty, about
,700B. O., supposed to be the mother
of King Amosis, who overthrow the
Hyksos. The splendid gilded coffin is
found intact, only three or four feet be-
low the soil, 40 small village near
Fhehes. II appears 10 have been sto-
len fion the sepulclrc hS thieves, who
were pursued 81 became alarmed, and
hastily buried il 10y the way. No mod
eln queen woMd hesitate to wear the
exquisite chains, diadems, earrings,
and bracelets, of this Theban woaan.
Ii would require professional ioweler
to do Justice t. the admirable quality
of the workmanship.
OF even greaterinterest are the house
hold articles, indictments Of trade,
food, &c, which like the spoils OF
Pompeii, restore for Ms be domestic
life Of the people Here, for instance.
are stools. cape-hottomed chairs, and
work. boxes. 1000 years old. set no
more dilapidated than ii il came out Of
garnet OF the last century: nets.
knives, needles, and toilet ornament.
glass bottles, and drinking cups. aa
clear ms If Just blown earthrnwarc.
glazed in yellow and hlae patterns, the
very counterpart Of old AIaioica seeds,
eggs, and bread straw baskets. and a
child's ball for playing; paiut.boxcs
with colors and brushes. aud boards
for games Of draughts- in short, col
lection almost as varied and complete
as i. staIta8 80 A.att4ttt n F.as