The sun., 1881-06-26
nrursch's Egypt.

button to our knowledge of the early history OF
the Nile land that has yet been given to the
world is presented in the new edition OF EgUpt
under The Pharaohs. by DR.. HENRY BRuuscH-
BEY, vols. tLondon, John Murray.) With the
possible exception OF Marette- Bey. no contem-
porary scholar has done 80 much for the deci-
phering OF Egyptian monuments, and 1t is tho
distinguishing popularity ofthis narrative that
1t Is exclusively based upon hieroglyphical in
scriptions. The authors resolution to conlne
himself in the present work to Egyptian
sources. has led him to bring his history to
close with the death OF Psammetichus. In q
supplementary chapter ono OF tho English edi-
tors. DR.. Smith. traces rapidly the course OF
events. from the conquest OF Egypt by Camby-
ses to tho accession OF the Ptoemid dynasty
The history OF tho Ptolemes is TO form the Soc
ond division of Dir. Brugsch's large design.
In good many particulars tho conclusions OF
DIR. Brugsch will be found to differ materially
from those OF other EgyptoloGists. He rejects.
for example. tho iden which. however. has found
much favor, OF a Pelasgo- Italian Confedoracy OF
nations in the times OF Mineptah ii. and
Ramses III t1300-1200 B. C.). He also regards
Ilium and the Dardanians. Mysans and Lys-
ians powers unknown to the Egy ptians of the
fourteenth century. and places tho peoples of
corresponding names in the highlands about
be observed. the author declines to sanction the
view taken by Prof. Ebers in that one OF his in
teresting novels. "Uarda." which deals with
the reign OF Ramses ii. DIR. Brugsch believes
that he has further established the remarkable
fact that the Egyptian monuments OF the date
OF 1000 b. G. and later. attest the presence OF
Assyrian Satraps in the Nile valley. His con-
ception OF the route taken by the Hebrews in
their exodus from Goshen. will of course be ex-
amined with special interest. We may note in
passing that the essential feature OF his theory
does not. as has sometimes been alleged. con-
sist in localizing the great catastrophe which
overlook Pharaoh's army at tho tongue OF land
between Lake Sirbonis and the Mediterranean.
but in Identifying the general direction OF the
route. which would lead US. not to the Red Sea.
but to somo place yet undetermined on the Med
iterranean coast in the region OF lakes and
marshes about tho Pelusiac mouth OF the Nile.
A preliminary word should also be said about
the chronological part OF this work. In DR..
Brugsch 9 opinion very much remains to be done
in this province. 30 far as relates to the times
preceding the twenty-sixth dynasty t6G6 b. C.).
We might. indeed. accept with confidence the
dates assigned by Lepsius to the ancient Egyp-
tian Kings. IL We could admit the trustworthi-
moss OF Manetho's lists. on which the chrono-
ogy framed by Lepsius was based. But the
monuments are beginning more and moro to
discredit the numbers OF Manetho; they indi-
cate that his lists included contem porary and
collateral dynasties. and would thus tend to di-
minish considerably the total duration OF the
thirty dynasties enumerated by the Egyptian
priest. DIR. BruEsch has. accordingly. con-
structed provisional chronology. with the
help Of materials furnished by inscriptions.
among which may be mentioned the new table
q Alytns al -fn
court architects. The truth is that in
stead OF growing less. the difficulties
in determining the chronological rea-
tions OF Egyptian history seem TO be multi
piled from day to day. for new problems
are continually presenting themselves in this
field OF inquiry. For instance. the question is
now raised whether tho old inhabitants Of tho
Nile valley used the same form OF calendar Mt
all ages OF their historical existence. In view
OF these considerations. tho author presents his
scheme OF chronology with extreme dinl.ence.
and in tho hope OF indicating rather tho true
position OF persons and events in the order OF
sequence, than their precise dates in order of
time. He does not think that the first dynasty
should be placed earlier than 44O0 b. c.. which
IS more than 1000 years later than the date
assigned by Unger. aud abou, 500 years earlier
than that suggested by Bunsen. The third
reign. in his opinion, about 1906 b. c.:
the twelfth Tor first OF Thebesl in 2466 b. C.
The Egyptian Alexander. Thotmes ILL.,, OF the
eighteenth dynasty. would under this scheme
be referred to 1900 B. c.. and the next greatest
conaueror. Ramses ii. of tho nineteenth dy-
nasty. to 1888 b. g. The son OF this Ramses.
Mineptah H.. tho author identifies with the
Pharaoh Of the exodus.
Whence came the original inhabitants OF the
Nile land. and what were their ethnc allllia-
tonsp 1t may be positively affirmed that the
fOrelathers OF the Egyptians cannot be reck-
oned among the African races properly SO
called. The form of the skull rs well us tho
proportions OF the several parts Of tho body
have been held to indicate connection with
the Caucasian family of mankind. 1t would
seem that the Egyptians form third branch.
designated rs Cushitc, and distinguished by
special characters from the Aryan and Semitic
varieties Of tho Caucasian type. DR.. Brugsch
has no doubt that tho cradle OF the Egyptian
people must be looked for. not in Ethiopia but
in the interior OF the Asiatic quarter OF the
world. 1t is not. rs n Greek legend ayerred.
to a colony OF Ethiopian priests that the E,yp
tim empire owed its origin. its form OF govern
ment. and the characteristic features OF its high
clVlliHaton Much rather was it tho Egyptians
That ascended the river to found in Ethiopia
temples. cities, and fortified places, and to diff
fuse the rellnements OF civilized state among
the rude. dark-colorcd population. Whichever
OF the Greek historians concocted the fiction
OF the primitive Ethiopic settlement in Espyt,
was probably led into the blunder by coniound.
ing tho state OF things in tho prehistoric age
with the retroactive influence which Ethiopia.
once civilized, camo to exercise on tho fortunes
oil Egypt at comparatively late period.
Tho distinctive name OF the Egyptian people
In the inscriptions is tho people OF the
black land" the term, OF course. referring to
tie peculiar color OF the soil In tho Nile valley.
The names of Mizgeim, Muzur. 4Au Misr, ap-
Piled to Egypt by the Hebrews. Assyrans ami
Arabs arc all apparently derived from the
Egyptian word MAJOR Uortihedl. n namo given
TO part OF tho Egyptian frontier in tho east @,
mo Delta which was covered and de'enicG by