The first of the course of lectures advertised was given by C. W. Goopwrx, Esq., Deputy Chief Judge, in the Asiatic Society's Rooms, on the 19th inst., the subject being "Egyptology." We offer a very brief out line of the lecture, which was highly instructive and popularly treated.
Mr. Goopwis commenced by observing how Egyptian research came to be the "ology" which formed the title of his lecture. It was a science studied by a very few, and several carly writers had even attempted to cast derision upon it as mere charlatanism, unworthy of a position in didactic science; more especially Sir G.
wall Lewis, who in a book publish-ea shortly before his death, arrived at the conclusion that the discovery and observations on Egyptian lore made by his favourite Greeks and Romans should be considered to have exhausted the field. But his work displayed the most complete and inexcusable ignorance, for lately, under the hands of a few explorers, Egyptology has continued to yield as-rounding results, though it wad only recently, that the science, with that of logies. Phe name "Egypt" was one which Assyriology, came to isedamongthe
represented at once to the mind fossil civilization and a forgotten history, both as remarkable as any that had since been recorded, but long ago faded from the recollection' of mankind, and to restore this obliterated book: was the object of Bap ology. Fifty years Egypt had been a sealed my that was known of its ancient history was to be found in the Scriptures, or what we were accustomed to regard as the half-fabulous narrative of Herodotus—still was she sacred and silent as her Sphinx; but it was about this time that Francis Champollion discovered the true key: to. Egyptian writings. This was the discovery that the wri on the Rosetta stone, now in the Britisl Museum, was both hieroglyphic and alphabetic, that the written language really possessed a phonetic alphabet, though mixed up and obscured by the addition of the system of symbolism. This discovery was the key to the meaning of the inscription which had bated previous inquirers, and its value was readily proved by comparison with Coptic, the ancient language of Egypt. Champollion left behind him a grammar of the language, which he said, when dying, would be his carte de visite to posterity, and it was by. the light of his discovery and by the aid of his work that Egypiologists now endeavoured to read the ancient manuscripts and inscriptions. The task was a difficult though absorbing one, for the explorer had to improve the mar and form a dictionary as he felt his way along. The Lecturer then spoke of the research made into the chronology of Egypt, a field still of much obscurity and' doubt; and represented the value which its determination would have, as the most ancient of the world that by which all subsequent time would be regulared. At present they could not do so with perfect satisfaction, but it was believed that her first king reigned 4,000 years before Christ, and that the Pyramids were built 500 or 600 years later, though there was no date as yet against which objection could not be ference was made to the books of the Papyrus reed, 2a facsimile of which was shown, and when he (the lecturer) told them that the original was four thousand years old, they would with him in Gelieving'it £9 he the oldest in the world. Of Greek manuscript they had nothing more than 1,500 years old. The subject matter of the work was a series of proverbs, written 1,000 years before Solomon. There was also a "Book of the Dead," 'a similarly ancient book, having for its object to preserve the bodies and souls of the dead from the dangers which would encompass them after death. Other fragments of Egyptian literature had been found, comprising tales of their ancient times, doings of warlike kings, some 7 and_a tale after the style of the "Arabian Nights." The lecturer then ye a minute language and the anak tween it an leseription of, the written Chinese, He did not, however, believe with Callery that there was any affinity of origin, Dut that the workings of the human mind in each country had produced results bearing a resemblance in some though not in important respects. He particularly instanced the finding of porcelain vases of Chinese manufacture in Egyptian tombs supposed to have remained inviolably closed for 1500 the vases having the further interest of being older than the recorded invention of in. Enquiry, however, in which Mr. Medhurst, H. B. Bf. Consul took part, proved that the vases must have been placed in the tombs by the Arabs, in order to bear an increased value by theirpresence there, as the writing on them was from poets of the Tang dyn: of more than theory put forward by Piazzi Smyth, that the ids were erected to preserve standards of measurement, and held that as tombs only had they come to exist. The religion of the Egyptians was of a much higher order than they generally got credit for. In ancestral worship and the care with which they selected and prepared their eternal mansions" they greatly resembled the Chinese. Of the Israelites in Egypt, no positive mention could be found, though there was frequent mention of slaves, and an extradition treaty regarding them was entered into with neighbouring states.
Mr. Goopwrx wound up an eloquent peroration by saying that, to have treated the subject exhaustively, ten lectures instead of one would have been necessary. If he had another fifty years of life he would gladly devote it; and he should find work, in the elucidation of the science of Egyp-ology, to occupy ital.
Mr.' Resi moved a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Goodwin, There was nothing more pleasing to an audience than to hear a valuable paper read by one who thoroughly loved his subject and who felt a real pleasure in communicating it.
'Mr. Goopwrs said he felt' very much obliged to them for the attention they had given him.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.