LETTER XVII.

The lovely Osiria's legend of King Saurid—Stately Hebrew woman—Tradition of the construction of the larger pyramid—Its foundations—Its gates—Its covering of silk—Its treasure-chambers and magical guardians of stone and agate—Miriam, the papyrus-copier—Her striking resemblance to Prince Remeses—The pyramid penetrated by a Phœnician conqueror—Discovery of treasures—Mighty sarcophagus of the dead monarch of two worlds, Noah—Chamber of the precession of the equinoxes—Hall of the Universe—Pyramids built before the Deluge—Configuration of the seven planets as at the Creation—Astrology—Enigma of the Phœnix—The riddle solved—Nelisa—Interview with the stately Miriam in the Hall of Books—pp. 277-293.

LETTER XVIII.

Tidings from Prince Remeses and the army—Antediluvian origin of the pyramids—The barbaric King of Ethiopia, Occhoris—His body-guard of Bellardines—His sacrilege in the temple of the sacred bull at Thebes—Pious vengeance of the people—Visit of Remeses to the tomb of his father—Remarkable conversation with Miriam, the papyrus-copier—Description of Miriam—Ben Isaac and the lad Israel—Contempt of the Egyptians for Israel—Religious and political degradation of the Hebrews—Miriam declares the mystery of the God of her fathers—Her denunciation of idol-worship—Miriam's occupation—The winged asps—Interview with the Prince of Uz, Ra-Iub (Job)—Job speaks of the Almighty!—Seems inspired of God—Tradition of a Day's-man, or mediator—Job convinces Sesostris that there is but one God—pp. 294-313.

Almighty

LETTER XIX.

Intelligence from Ethiopia—Remeses a conqueror—Great spoils—He enters Memphis in triumphal array—His filial piety—The captive Ethiopian king—Victorious army of one hundred thousand men in triumphal procession—The Prince of Egypt in his war-chariot—Column of twelve thousand Ethiopian captives—Description of the bands of captives, and their treatment—Invocation of the victors in the great temple of Pthah—Distinction between captives taken in war and the Hebrews—pp. 314-330.

LETTER XX.

Delightful climate—Indolence and leisure by day—Spirit of life and enjoyment reigns at night—Galley of a noble designedly runs down a small baris—Handsome Hebrew—Another startling resemblance to Prince Remeses!—The lad Israel again—Miriam, the papyrus-copier, the sister of the handsome Hebrew—What he saw, in boyhood, beside the Nile—His infant brother 

 Prev. P 10/385 next