The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-07-27

fragments over me ho> sands OF some
tourist-ridden metropolis" Looking
back In the light Of the unearthed his
torlcal muniments of this ancient land
our interpreter visions this singer,
abroad in the early morning "iike the
Shulamite Of King Solomon's day." her
hair moving In the breeze "as flock
Of goats that appear from Mount Gl-
lead" her teeth white "as the shorn
sheep which come up fSom the wash
ing" and her lips like thread of
scarlet" singing Of her hearts delight
where the wild ducks cry to each
other as they scuttle through the tall
reeds"
The Egyptians loved the great out
doors-the gardens, the leafy places.
They spooned In the great parks which
were laid out by the Pharaohs, planted
with rare shrubbery and flowers from
distant lands. They danced and sang
In the festivals that were held in the
season when the flowers were in full
bloom and the light-hearted lovers
made the flowers and the trees vocal
with the delight Of life. In one Of their
songs a fig tree is made to call to
passing maiden to come into Its shade:
Some" II says, land spend the fes-
tai day and tomorrow and the day
after tomorrow, sitting In my shadow
Let thy lover sit at thy side and let
| him drink Thy servants will come
with the dinner 'things-they will
drink of every kind, with all manner
Of cakes, flowers of yesterday and Of
today and all kinds of refreshing
fruit
From many an inscription breathes
this pervasive "joy OF life" The very
names which the Egyptians gave their
children are redolent OF gayety-
"Eyes-of-Love" "My-Lady-Is-as-Gold."
"Cool- Breeze" "Gold-and- d-Lapis-Lazuli."
Beautiful Morning." Their vases and
toilet articles and furniture and all OBJ
iects of daily use tell Of people who
believed the world was made to be
happy in. "There Is no reflection"
says our author. ''of the underworld to
he looked for In the ornamental bronze
mirrors, nor smell of death in their
frail perfume pots. Religious abstrac-
tion Is not to be sought In lotus-formed
drinking cups, and modification OF the
body is certainly not practiced on
golden chairs and soft cushions. And
these were objects found buried even
in the tombs of their priests and re-
ligious teachers"
Joy Was Unconfined.
The intense craving of the Egyptian
for brightness and cheerfulness is the
real voice that comes from Egyptian
tombs. They were passioDately fond
of ceremonial display. Their huge tenn
pies, painted with the most brilliant
colors, Formed the setting of process
sions and ceremonies in which music,
rhythmic motion and color blended. In
honor of the gods dances were con-
Quoted, while celebrations, such as the
fantastic feast of lamps, were held on
the anniversaries of religious events.
In these gorgeously spectacular cere-
monies there was no place for any
thing somber or austere, nor could
they have been conceived by any but
the most life-loving temperaments.
At all times the Egyptians bedecked
themselves with flowers and rich and.
poor alike breathed what they called
"the sweet north wind through a
screen of blossoms. AT their feasts
and festivals each guest was presented
with necklaces and crowns of lotus tiow-
ers and specially selected bouquet
was carried in their hands Constant
ly as the hours passed, fresh flowers
were brought to them. and the guests
are shown in the tomb paintings In the
act of burying their faces in the deli
cate petals with an air of luxury which
even the conyentionalities Of the
draughtsman cannot hide. The COM
mon people arrayed themselves with
wreaths of lotuses at all galas and
carnivals. The feast rooms were elab-
orately decorated with howers-gar-
lands twined themselves about the ta-
bles and around the jars II wine. Keen
was their delight in music. The strihgs
and the pipe, the lutte and the harp.
made music at every festival-reli-
gious, national and private. The words
for rejoice" and dance" were syn
onyinous in the literature Of the Egyp-
tlans. At all banquets dancing was as in
dispensa5le as wine, women and song.
One sees representations of girls, their
heads thrown back and their long hair
flying, merrily twanging guitar
us they skip across the dancing floor.
In the civil and religious professions
many of the participators danced along
as though from sheer lightness Of
heart, and on some occasions even the
band footed it down the high road. cir
cling, jumping and skipping as they
played.
Hathor and Bast were their great
goddesses of pleasure. They were the
patrons Of sports and dancing, Joy and
pleasure, beauty and love and the hap
by temperament Of the Egyptians was
evidenced in the high esteem in which
these goddesses were neld. The an
nual festival of Bast took place at
Bubastis and II was an occasion Of
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