Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-13
A NEW LINE OF EGYPTIAN RE-
SEARCH.

Research is adding wonderfully to our
knowledge, and every now and then we are
startled by some discovery, or stand wonder
struck at some invention. 1t is a strange
thing, among others, that we at this late day
should know more of the old world, from the
Egypt of four thousand years ago and on
ward, than were known by our grandfathers,
or by our ancestors in the middle ages. Dis
coveries in Egyptian tombs, in Baby lonian
cuneiform inscriptions. among the remains
of Grecian and Roman structures, amid the
Troad, the sepulchers of Cyprus, and the
fields of Moab, have revealed to US many
secrets relating to ancient history, customs,
employments, and amusements, 80 that the
further we have got from the past the more
intimate we have become with it. There is
one point on which inquirers, especially
those interested in the Bible narratives, feel
an especial interest. Egypt, owing to its
numerous remains and the fine state of pre-
servation the pure climate of the country
has preserved to them, is in many respects
almost intimately known, but with all the
light that hieroglyphics and endless papyri
have thrown upon the history of that country,
nothing has been discovered in connection
with the stay of the Israelites in the land, and
with the authority Of Joseph. That remains
OF the presence of those people must exist
there cannot be doubted, in view of what the
bricks of Babylon, inscriptions at Ninevah,
and in stones at Moab have told in confrma-
ton of the early history of the ancient peo-
pie, as given from Genesis to the records of
the prophets. Steps are now taking which
may remove the darkness that now rests
upon the connection OF the Israelites with
Egypt from the time of Joseph to the epoch
of the wonderful flight. In London a num-
Der of archeologists have formed an associa-
ton for exploring that part of lower Egypt
in which the land of Goshen was situated,
spot whose situation is pretty accurately
known. Explorations hitherto have been
almost altogether confined to upper Egypt.
There. it is expected, remains will be found
which will clear up perplexiDg problems of
Biblical history. A lofty mound is all that
remains to chow where Goshen once
thrived. How much may lie beneath that
silent eminence, which, taken in connection
with the details given in Genesis, may add
to our knowledge of the transactions of those
early days! The Identification of the sites
of Succoth, Ethan, Pi-hahiroth, Baal- Zeph-
Oh, and especially of Migdol, win enable US to
say with tolerable certainty whether the Is
realities crossed the "Reedy Sea" in their ex-
odns from Egypt, near whore Suez now is, or
at the Bitter Lakes, or still nearer Lake Men
zaleh. We could then judge how a strong
east wind could make the sea dry land. The
stone cities Pithom and Ramses would well
repay exploration. The ruins of Xois, Nau-
kratis, Sais, with its temple of Meth, with
various tumuli, Enclosures surrounded with
massive walls and containing sepulchral
chambers, are all deposits of secrets, whose
discovery will be of the deepest interest
Hitherto Egyptian search has mostly been
made in one direction; the researches now
contemplated will bring new, and, TO the
lover of Semitic lore, still more interesting
array of facts