votive tablet. In the two following plates and especially the third are given in two ovals his name and title, surrounded by guardian gods. Each of the embassies is made up of four men. First the tawny or brown-red appears, led by a priest with the sparrowhawk's head. They are by some called Egyptians, because they have the color of that people, but their dress and hair indicate them to be Nubians. They are naked, except round the middle, where they have a fine white garment; the Nubians still frequently wear a similar one. They have the thick Nubian hair and the head-dress of that nation. We need not be surprised to see them introduced by an Egyptian priest, as the Egyptian religion prevailed in Nubia. Four white men next appear and at a glance the Jewish plysiognomy is recognized in them. Their national features," says Mintonli (Travels, p. 271), "are thrown together with so much comic humor that it would be difficult for a modern artist to do anything more perfectly." "They may," says Heeren (Researches, etc.), "be considered as representing the Syrians and Phoenicians in general; whose physiognomy probably differed but slightly from that of the Jews." He might have said distinctively the Arabians, Phoenicians, Assyrians and Syrians as like the Hebrews, with other peoples more or less approximating in plysiognomy. Next come the black plenipotentiaries, who are likewise four in number. They also appear lightly clad but evidently for a stately occasion. A curiously-wrought ornament hangs over the right shoulder, which serves to keep up the fine white garment that surrounds the waist. Their thick woolly hair seems to be sprinkled with gold or silver dust. The magnificence of their dress and ornamentation makes the fourth embassy from a white nation most remarkable of all. They are distinguished by a headdress of feathers, with a lock of hair hanging down; and by their long, white, embroidered garments of a very fine texture. If we here consider what Herodotus (1, 195) says of the dresses of the Babylonians, we may be induced to conclude those ambassadors as such; the more so as their physiognomy and beards are evidently Asiatic. The Pharaoh whose remains were deposited here had undoubtedly dominion over foreign nations and some give their reason for concluding him to have been Amenophis II.

"It is in the sepulchres," says G. A. Hoskins (in speaking of his visit to the tombs of Beni Hassan, in 1863) "that we see an epitome of ancient Egyptian life; there are displayed their knowledge, their tastes,, their pursuits, their habits, their pleasures.

Elsewhere the tombs are often from their closeness and ruined. state unpleasant to visit; but these tombs of Beni Hassan are open to the Nile's breezes and no drawback of any kind diminishes the pleasure of the excursion.

"Then it must not be forgotten that these tombs are far more ancient than any antiquities farther up the river; that some of them bear the name of Osirtasen I., who is supposed to have reigned 2,000 years B. C., and, as Wilkinson very correctly states, many of them are obviously in the architectural imitation of the then existing buildings. From the perfection of the architecture and the excellent execution, throughout the best, of some of the tombs and paintings, art was obviously then very far from being in its infancy; and we cannot, without wonder as well as pleasure, study those very early pages of the history of the civilization of the world. They do not, as in other tombs and temples, give us representations of the theocracy and mysterious rites which the learned can scarcely yet understand. All that time has spared here is interesting in the extreme, for it is a picture of the Egyptian people and their governors."

I will here give a passing review of the author's general description of the tombs of Beni Hassan, which will be found to be exceedingly interesting.

These tombs are situated at about a mile's distance from the boat landing on the Nile, at certain stages of the water's height. These tombs are very conspicuous from the river and the plain, are all excavated in the rock, and all nearly on the same level. Beginning his description from the southern end the author finds a group of tombs without sculpture; the second tomb, being connected by a doorway with the first, has an arch-shaped portico, decorated with two polygonal columns; it appeared also to have been decorated with two columns with circular bases.

Passing two or three others he came to what he called the third of the principal group, which contained an injured figure and a pit for mummies. In the fourth tomb he found representations of figures wrestling, an ox, gazelles, a sportsman, and a long tablet of hieroglyphics before the great man of the place. In the fifth tomb he found no paintings, but the architecture in good condition. Here two injured but elegant columns, formed, as it were, of four light stems of trees bound together, with lotus-bud shaped capitals, support a graceful pediment. The sixth contained a pit for mummies but the paintings were not distinguishable. The eighth

and ninth tombs are not worth investigating, but in the tenth a a pretty ornament of the blue and crimson lotus and some offerings still appear. The eleventh not worth entering; but in the twelfth are a few figures, drawing along a shrine, and others presenting offerings of geese, etc. Among the figures the great man of the place is usually traceable. How this tomb had formerly been decorated is shown by the fragments of columns still adhering to the roof. Passing two very small tombs, he came to the fifteenth, which he found to possess very remarkable architecture; three rows of three columns each, with lotus-bud capitals supporting pediments and one extra column, on the right side, constituted its decorations. The sixteenth, called the wrestler's tomb, from the principal subject in it, was decorated with six columns, of which two only remained. On one of the shafts two of the green bands are seen, and on the right-hand corner agricultural scenes and boats. The arched roofed granaries with windows are curious; and there were white cattle with black spots, droves of other cattle now much injured and offerings of fish, fruits and flowers to the great man of the place. Wrestlers in every possible position appear upon the east side and a long inscription in hieroglyphics. The north side is conspicuous for its representations of trades - - glass blowers, goldsmiths, blowing the fire for the process of gold-melting, washing, weighing and preparing the gold for the jewelers, who are manufacturing ornaments near the man blowing the furnace; but owing to the partial defacement, it was difficult to make out the whole meaning. There appeared also hunting scenes of various kinds of animals. There are white deer with brown spots; a man with two dogs in a leash; sportsmen killing wild oxen with bows and arrows; birds in a tree over a group of gazelles; men catching the wild ox with the lasso and gazelles with the noose. The great man of the place is seated with his wife under a canopy. Another sportsman is killing deer; and there is a long thin net with gazelles caught in it. A group of women jumping, tumbling, dancing and exhibiting their agility in throwing their bodies-into the most extraordinary attitudes is quite spirited and interesting. Others playing at ball, throwing up sometimes three in succession, and one group playing the game mounted on the backs of others; all appear full of life. Then there are men dancing on one leg, making Egyptian pirouettes and other feats of gymnastics.

The general subject of this representation and the names of animals, birds, etc., are inscribed in hieroglyphics.

Then there are carpenters sawing, upholsterers veneering and making furniture; potters and other trades, very much defaced. Agricultural scenes and pictures of the papyrus plant occur on the west side. Over a little door on the southern side is a man receiving the bastinado. The punishment of males by means of the bastinado was not very different from what may now be seen in that country when the Katschef or Turkish revenue officer collects his payments; and it is said that the village Sheakhs are often willing to escape payment of a part of their dues by undergoing a punishment, which, under the present regime, they consider rather more of an honor than a disgrace to them. The old Egyptian sufferer is here represented lying on his belly, one man holding his two feet and another each arm, whilst the executioner, holding with his two hands a stick from two to three feet long, is on the point of striking his seat. A woman is represented seated on her heels, a fashion, it is said, still common in the East and Spain, with one hand to her breast, whilst a similar executioner is giving her blows on her back.

Nothing was found in the seventeenth tomb, but the eighteenth had been decorated with two columns of which fragments only remain. Here also are men receiving the bastinado, various trades appearing on the east side and lively wrestling. On the north side are women playing at ball and various trades and hunting scenes. In the nineteenth tomb nothing appears, but in the twentieth, or small tomb, there are hieroglyphics round the door. On the way to the northern group (some of which were found to have porticos, decorated with columns, the shafts and capitals of which appeared obviously the original of the Doric column and the friezes also in the Doric style) we passed several little tombs of no interest.

In this primitive Doric style is the portico to the twenty-first tomb, which has its door ornamented with well executed hieroglyphics. This leads into a tomb, which had once been possessed of four columns, and having a slightly arched roof. The great man of the place with his associates is amusing himself with the chase. In his boat, on the east side, he is netting wild fowl, chiefly geese. The Nile is represented by waving lines with fish and hippopotami in it. All round this sepulchre there is a long hieroglyphic inscription. On the north side, under two rows of animals, is the presentation of thirty-seven strangers of a race called MesStem to Nefotph, the great man of the place. This was once believed to signify the presentation of Joseph's brethren to Pharaoh,

but is now so defaced as to be scarcely recognizable; but with close attention their Asiatic costume, light-yellow complexion, peculiar features and beards are believed to be distinguishable. The scribe presents the people to the great man. Two of the strangers pres

ent their offerings of a wild goat and a gazelle. These are followed by four men armed either with bows, clubs or spears; then follow two men, one with a spear, the other with a club, their two children apparently very comfortably packed in a gayly-decorated pannier, their heads only visible; then a boy with a spear. Following are four women in long dresses, and after them a donkey, with its head stooping, as though weary with its load, which, however, seems very light. A man follows having the seven-stringed lyre with the plectrum, which indicates that the ancient Egyptians were fond of music; and after him a sportsman with his bow, arrow, quiver and a club. The men have sandals and the women's boots present quite a modern appearance. In the lowest row the cattle are beautifully drawn.

"Under the group," says the author, "the nomen and praenomen of King Osirtasen, who reigned about 2,000 years B. C., may be seen in the inscription of hieroglyphics, which surrounds the sepulchre."

In the twenty-second tomb are portrayed hunting scenes, sportsmen with their bows, a long line of gazelles, some as if having only one horn; a lion is putting his paw on one. Below these subjects appear droves of cattle and men catching the wild ox with the lasso, agricultural scenes and trades much defaced. A better and clearer representation than that before mentioned is seen here of goldsmiths at work, blowing the fire, making a variety of vases and weighing them. Wrestlers appear on the east side and a boat carrying the mummy of the deceased. On this side, too, in the little sanctuary, traces of three sculptured figures appear. On the west side are agricultural subjects, potters, ropemakers, women playing on harps, and fishing scenes. On the south side are representations of rich gifts to the great man of the place and his wife. The portico of this sepulchre is somewhat of a counterpart of the last described; and the tomb was also decorated with that peculiar kind of column which has been called the origin of the Doric order, resting on a circular basis. A beautifully arched roof also is here which still retains its decorations. The admiration of the art lovers is always excited and interested by the contem