would account for the absence of humbler dwellings, and for the gorgeous architecture, the beautiful sculpture, and the splendid palaces with which Canopus abounded. But when the delusion vanished, and the people no longer believed in the virtues of the fountains, it is probable the desertion of the city was as sudden as its rise and prosperity had been rapid. This delusion, it has been humorously said by a distinguished traveller, was no greater than actually exists in the 19th century, in England and America. It is true, people do not believe in fountains of youth; but they believe that pills and lotions will produce an effect as marvellous as that ascribed to the baths of Canopus. Any one may be convinced of this fact by reading the newspaper advertisements of the day, from which it will appear that if people become sick it is their own fault; and if they die they have no one but themselves to blame.

DAMIETTA is situated on the eastern bank of a different branch of the Nile, and is remarkable for having been the city which was the residence of the Crusaders. The architecture of the buildings and the appearance and customs of the inhabitants, approach nearer to those of the cities of Europe than any other eastern city. The inhabitants are cheerful, and possess a spark of vivacity uncommon with the Turks, and such as is seldom met with in other cities of the East. Its population is about 20,000.

GOSHEN. 1. Gen. xlv. 10.) A fertile section of pasture land in the north-eastern division of Egypt, between the Red Sea and the River Nile, upon the southern border of Canaan, allotted by Joseph to his father and his brethren, where they dwelt for upwards of two hundred years. It was, for grazing purposes, the best of the land. (Gen. xlvii. 6, 11.) Mr. Smith, an American missionary, passed, with a caravan, through the northern district of ancient Goshen, in 1827; and he describes it as an immense sandy desert, drifted with sand banks; and presenting here and there, in small patches, a few shrubs of evergreen, like our whortleberry bushes, on which the Bedouins pasture their flocks. Rameses and Pithon are mentioned as cities of Goshen, and the supposed ruins of them are described by modern travellers.

The Pacha of Egypt has lately established a colony of 500 Syrians in the ancient land of Goshen, for the purpose of cultivating the mulberry and rearing silk-worms.

2. (Josh. xv. 51.) A city in the territory of Judah, which gave the name of the land of Goshen to the country around it.

HEPTANOMIS was so called from the seven Nomi or districts it contained-Lower Egypt, which included what the Greeks call Delta, and all the country as far as the Red Sea, and along the Mediterranean to Rhinocolura, or Mt. Casius.

HERMOPOLIS is in ruins, but its streets, squares, palaces, and some of its private dwellings remain; and while walking through its desolate streets, and standing beneath the gorgeous temples, the traveller cannot but feel lost in admiration at their beauty and splendor.

HELIOPOLIS. At this city, in its palmy days, was a college of great celebrity, where Greeks and Romans, and citizens of other places in Europe, used to resort to acquire knowledge. It was there that the doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls, was taught, and which, by Pythagoras the Samian and other philosophers, was carried over into other countries. Those who entertained a belief in this doctrine supposed that there was a time when every soul was independent of a body; that when a body was afterwards created, a soul entered into it, and there continued till the natural term of its existence had expired; and if, during this state of probation, it conducted with rectitude and propriety, fulfilling all the duties prescribed by the moral law, the soul would afterwards pass into the body of a being of a higher grade than the one it had left, and at the close of every term of its existence, it would go on improving, if it continued to conduct in a blameless manner- at length getting advanced in the scale of improvement beyond human perfection, it would constitute the essence of an angel, or some superior being, and still improving, would finally become incorporated with Deity itself. This was the system of rewards. The system of punishment was of a corresponding nature. If a person conducted ill, the soul, at his death, would enter into the body of an inferior human being, or perhaps an animal- and if

his conduct had been exceedingly vicious and depraved, it would enter into the body of an animal of the most degraded and detested class.

MEMPHIS. This city was built by Uchoreus, king of Egypt, on the west side of the Nile, and was the capital of Middle Egypt, or Heptanomis. It was 150 furlongs, or more than 7 leagues, in circumference, and stood at the point of the Delta, in that part where the Nile divides itself into several branches or streams. Southward from the city, the king raised a vast and high mole; on the right and left, he dug deep moats to receive the river. These were faced with stone, and raised, near the city, by a strong causeway the whole designed to secure the city from the inundations of the Nile and the incursions of enemies. A city so advantageously situated, and so strongly fortified that it was almost the key of the Nile, and by this means commanded the whole country, soon became the usual residence of the Egyptian kings. Here were many stately temples, the god Apis, pyramids, &c. -(Rollin.)

NOPH, (Isa. xix. 13; Jer. ii. 16; Ezek. xxx. 13, 16,) was probably the ancient Memphis, in Middle Egypt, on the Nile, 15 miles south of old Cairo. It was the residence of the earlier kings of Egypt, and is said to have been about 20 miles in circumference. In the seventh century it fell into the hands of the Saracens; and the predicted judgments of God, on account of its idolatry and general corruption, gradually effaced every trace of its ancient magnificence. In the time of Strabo, there were many splendid remains, among which he describes a temple of Vulcan, of great magnificence; another of Venus; and a third of Osiris, where the Apis or sacred ox was worshipped. He also mentions a large circus; but he remarks, that many of the palaces were in ruins, and describes an immense colossus which lay prostrate in front of the city; and among a number of sphinxes, some were buried in sand up to the middle of the body, while of others only the heads were visible above the sand. Some monuments were to be seen 600 years after the time of Strabo's visit, when the Saracens had possession of the country; but at present there is scarcely a vestige of its former grandeur to be found. This has led

some to conjecture that its site was overflowed by the Nile; but it is much more probable that it has been covered by the continual encroachment of the sands, which, we see, were advancing in the time of Strabo. And it

cannot be doubted but that a large part of ancient Egypt has already been completely buried by the sands from the wilderness.

No, (Jer. xlvi. 25; Ezek. xxx. 14,) is generally supposed to be the famous city of Thebes, in Upper Egypt, extending itself on both sides of the Nile.-(Nah. iii. 8.) The fact is so uncertain, however, that we should not feel justified in introducing an article upon Thebes. Instead of No, in Jer. xlvi. 25, it should be rendered Ammon of No, or the seat or dwelling of the god, Ammon. It was probably applied to two or three places. A distinction was sometimes made between the No spoken of in Nahum iii. 8—10, and the No mentioned by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The destruction of the former [supposed to be Thebes,] is described in detail, as already past, while the doom of the other [which is supposed to have been in Lower Egypt,] is predicted by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as a future event. No, was the chief seat of the worship of Jupiter Ammon. Its ruins are the wonder and delight of all travellers. (Jer. xlvi. 25.)

The city of Thebes. The foundation of the kingdom of Thebes was laid by the celebrated Cadmus, a Phœnician or Ethiopian. The city of Thebes, in Upper Egypt, was one of the most splendid cities in the world, and was built by Busiris, king of Egypt, now called Said. Temples and palaces have been discovered, which are still almost entire, adorned with innumerable columns and statues. Travellers give us accounts of one palace in particular, whose remains seem to have existed solely to eclipse the glory of the most magnificent edifices of ancient or modern times. Four walks, extending farther than the eye can see, and bounded on each side with sphinxes composed of materials as rare and extraordinary as their size is remarkable, serve for avenues to four porticoes, whose height is amazing to behold. Besides, those who describe this wonderful edifice had not time to explore it thoroughly, and suppose they saw no more than half its extent. A hill, which in appearance

stood in the middle of this stately palace, was supported by 120 pillars, each of which was six fathoms in circumference, and of proportionable height, intermixed with obelisks which so many ages have not been able to demolish. Painting had displayed all her art and magnificence in this edifice. The colors themselves, which soonest feel the injury of time, still remain amidst the ruins of this wonderful structure, and preserve their beauty and lustre. So happily could the Egyptians imprint a character of immortality on all their works.-[Lib. 17, p. 805.] Strabo, who was on the spot, describes a temple he saw in Egypt very much resembling that of which we have been speaking.

The ruins of Thebes, lie on both sides the Nile, for a space of nearly nine miles along the river, and reaching far inland. The modern names of Luxor, Carnac and Kourna are given only to parts of the same city, whose ancient circuit was 27 miles, the whole of which space is now full of fallen columns, colossal statues and obelisks. It is reported to have had an hundred gates, out of each of which it could send 20,000 soldiers and 200 chariots. The palace of Memnon, with its vast porticoes, colossal statues, and almost endless rows of columns, shows that the kings who once reigned here were very rich, and that the artists by whom the edifices were erected were able and intelligent men, although they were built so long ago that history can tell us very little about them.

THEBAIS, derives its name from Thebes, which with its hundred palaces and hundred gates, might vie with the noblest cities of the world. It was celebrated by Homer, an Ethiopian, whose description is generally familiar. It acquired the surname of Hecatompylos, to distinguish it from the other Thebes, in Boeotia. It was equally large and populous, and according to history it could send out at once 200 chariots and 10,000 fighting men at each of its gates. The Greeks and Romans have celebrated its magnificence and grandeur, though they saw only its ruins, so august were its remains. [Strabo and Rollin.]

The Thebans, says Diodorus, considered themselves as the most ancient people of the East, and asserted that philosophy and astronomy originated with them.