sidered as everlasting habitations*, which it was a religious duty to adorn. It was their interest to inculcate similar notions: the persons employed in making and decorating the tombs were of the sacerdotal order; and the splendour of funeral obsequies tended to their emolument. They induced them to expend considerable sums on the celebration of those rites; and many, who had barely sufficient to obtain the necessaries of life, were anxious to save something for the expenses of their death. For besides the embalming process, which sometimes cost a talent of silvert, or about two hundred and fifty pounds English money, the tomb itself was purchased at an immense sum; and numerous demands were afterwards made upon the estate of the deceased, for the celebration of prayers, and other services for the soul. We cannot, however, suppose, that temporary gratification was denied to the rich of any class, or was deemed unworthy the wisdom of the priesthood; and they evidently enjoyed all the comforts and luxuries which their means could so well provide. Though the priests may have kept up an external appearance of self-denial, and avoided all unnecessary display of wealth, it is natural that they should welcome the blessings of this life, provided they did not interfere with the practice of virtue. And if they taught others to avoid ostentation, if they themselves submitted, on some occasions, to severe *Diodor. loc. cit. + Diodor. i. 91. This was the most costly; the poor classes paid very little; and every one in proportion to his means or inclination. abstinence, and encouraged morality by their own example, we must allow that they were deserving of esteem; and little cause for censure can be found, except in that exclusiveness which degraded the lower classes of their countrymen, and in the disproportionate extent of their possessions, compared with those of the other Egyptians. HOUSES IN THE TOWNS. The houses in the towns varied of course in size as well as plan; but, judging from the ruins that remain, the streets were laid out very regularly; nor does there appear to have been the constant mixture of large houses and low hovels, so frequently met with in eastern towns. As is usually the case in hot climates, many of the streets were narrow, and few, except the principal ones, were large enough to allow the passage of a chariot. In Thebes, however, it is probable they were on a somewhat larger scale, and proportionate with the increased size of the houses, some of which, even in the early age of its founder, are said to have been four or five stories in height.* In towns built at the mouths of mountain ravines, the main street was, at the same time, the bed of the torrent: several instances of which may be seen in Spain and Italy; and, as storms of rain seldom last long in the arid climate of Egypt, the communication by it was rarely impeded, or its surface Diodor. i. 45. The greater number I believe to have been confined to one or two stories. At Rome they had three. Augustus materially impaired. Indeed, if much rain had fallen in that country, it would have been necessary to construct houses of materials more capable of resisting its effects than mere crude brick; and, from the narrowness of some of the ravines, their foundations would have been in danger, as well as the lives of the inhabitants. But heavy rain was a rare phenomenon in Upper Egypt; and though much fell about the sea-coast of the Delta, and, during winter, in the interior of the eastern desert, a violent storm at Thebes was looked upon to presage an approaching calamity.* The use of crude brick, baked in the sun, was universal in Upper and Lower Egypt, both for public and private buildings; and the brick-field gave abundant occupation to numerous labourers throughout the country. These simple materials were found to be peculiarly suited to the climate; and the ease, rapidity, and cheapness with which they were made, offered additional recommendations. Inclosures of gardens or granaries, sacred circuits encompassing the courts of temples, walls of fortifications and towns, dwelling-houses and tombs, in short, all but the templest themselves, were of crude brick; and so great was the demand, that the Egyptian government, observing the pro * Herodotus says," rain never falls at Thebes; but before the Persian invasion it rained violently." (lib. iii. 10.) The historian is not, however, borne out by fact, as we see from the appearance of the watercourses there, which were formed long before his time, and from the pains taken by the ancient Egyptians to protect their tombs and other monuments from rain. A continued storm of heavy rain during a whole day and night would be a rare occurrence; but showers fall about five or six times in the course of a year at Thebes. Vide my Egypt and Thebes, p. 75. + Some small temples in the villages were of crude brick. |