The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15

| have a service. and all the household then re-
tires for the night. do not 40 to any even
ing parties. when 1 was In London did and
| am quito sure II I had continued to live there
should not have reached my present age. l
do not feel that am old except when walk.
and usually walk mile or a mile and quar-
ter every day. have no troubles that depress
me. Ny deafness IL a trouble. because l can
not now enjoy the company Of the distinguished
men who visit the Athenmum Club
II attribute my long life." concluded this
charming man, TO Gods providence. i love
lfe and do not fear death"
Another publication OF the Kahun papyri
discovered in Egypt by Prof Flinders Pstrie
gives us additional knowledge OF the daily
life OF forty-hye centuries ago in that
land OF mystery. Prof. Petris conducted his
explorations In a spot on the west side Of the
Nile about fifty miles south OF Cairo This
territory Is q natural basin some $50 miles
square, forming q deep depression In the
Lybian Range. Com munication with tho
Nile Valley Ia by narrow opening on the
east side--called by the Arabs Illahun. This
fertile region was once a vast lake fed from tho
Nile. and was known to the Egyptians rs
Pa-iuma. "ths sea" whence the modern name
OF the Fayoum. The narrow inlet on the east
was called Pa-Ro-hunt. the mouth OF the
"Labyrinth " and the Arabic Ilahun. 1t was
here that Prof. Pstrie carried out his i'm
portant explorations during the winters OF
1SSS.o0. About six miles east OF the canal
Ia a crude brick pyramid which was identified
as the burial place OF Usertessn II. OF the
Twelfth Dynasty. and north Of this. at Havana.
is the burial place OF Amen-sm- hot III. These
monuments. then. date in about the twenty
seventh century before our era. The period
Of the Twelfth Dynasty was one OF
the most important in Egyptian history.
as It may be called the golden
age OF pure Egyptian civilization. In the liter
AZURE OF this period We have the purest ERyp-
tian. uninfluencd by Asiatlo thought. SO. also.
in art We have truth to nature in painting
and sculpture. which was replaced by conven-
tionaliam when the influence OF the Phpniclau
and hesopotamian artists was introduced. Any
records OF this period are especially valuable.
and to this period the Kahun papyri belong.
Near to the pyramid OF Illahun Prof. Petrie
discovered the remains OF a large town. the
hundreds OF houses OF which were In con-
siderable preservation. These were the houses
occupied by the work men employed In build
Ing the pyramid tomb OF Usertesen II. hence
It's name OF the Town OF the Rest
Ing Plaoe OF Ussrtesen." The long. mar
row streets were once thronged with
busy life. and many traces OF 1t were
found. In the houses were the work
mems tools. and their baskets. with food for
the midday meal. the toys OF the children.
and the shuttlss and whorls Of the women. In
tho unpsr mart NJ tho town was tho cit, deI wb.r.
the garrison and the officials lived. and It was
here that the discovery Of the papyrl was made.
~. vs. Uu%rou W." Nv, oti0o y. ."s
~ ~ 90 .' 40. " e''e
no,ernor. IN tue cnanoeis o' 'his res'oenee
rrol' Fo'io iouhu iarko huhper Vi
papyri. selection OF Whlch mas now oeen
published. Inc majority OF the panyrl we're.
OF course. of1cal documents-papefs relating
to taxation and revenue OF the province and
the conduct OF public works: but am ong them
were some works OF general literature. all OF
which may be assigned to the times OF the
Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties
In the literary section. the most important
work is poem OF six stanzas. OF ten lines each.
addressed to the great conqueror L sertesen Ill.
1t forms apparently sort OF ode OF welcome.
probably from the Inhabitants OF tho Fayoum
and the town. on the occasion OF royal visit.
and is redolent OF Joy at his expansion OF the
Egyptian empire by the conquest OF the soudan
and the suo)ugation OF the Nuolans. AS mas
been several times published. 1t will be suff-
cient to quote ono stanza OF the Oldest known
poem in the world:
He hath to that he may take the land ofths
south Euba). and that the double crown may
be placed on his head.
He hath como, he hath united the two lands; he
hath Joined the Reed TO the Bee upper TO Lower
ESypo'
ne ha'n come ne ruie'h the peopie vi Ts'P'' ana
hA.h pisooa 'ne asser. III .'s po"er.
ho na.n oo,no. Nv n".n .ne '"o '"nu'' anu
80 Ia, 80 - NC w. :. ,S. -.
IT,. h. h.,s do,trovad q, .@ics,ors
b,,b oman I'D tho mouth ubroat, Of IN. cavity.
he hath come We nurture our children and
We bury our aged ones in peace"
Two other yorks of acisntihc interest ware
also discovered. The first Ia part OF a largo
work on medicine. belonging to tho early mart
az the Tvelftb Dvnaaty. and treating OF tho dis
easea Of women. Like all the Egyptian papyri.
IL abovs NO knovledRs of the aurpic,l
aspect Of the subject and many OF the rrescripS.
tions are pure ouackery. As tho majority Of the
presoriptions belong to the branch OF gyngco-
loey. they cannot be quoted. Such nice copdi-
nents "A "asses' liver raw" and "orocodiles,
dune"nre described. Al the Fayoum wa. great
T.