Reprint Of Scarce, Or Curious, Books On Freemasonry. "The Life Of Sethos."

While this and the like hymns were repeating , the priests ( in robes of linen , with chaplets of lotus on their heads , and sandals of the plant papyrus on their feet ) were continually offering sacrifices upon three triangular altars placed before the triple statue . These holy men , worn away with austere fasting , _ which had continued from the instant the queen ' s distemper begun , and faintingunder the cruel scourgings with which they accompanied

^ their invocations , were hardly able , notwithstanding their great number , to put up the prayers the people demanded of them , or which . tliey offered of their own accord . But what avail temples , and all the vows offered in them , against the irrevocable _ decrees of fate ! The queen , however ready to conform to all the prescriptions of her physiciansdeclined dail The most powerful

, y . medicines , though applied even before she was reduced to extremity , seemed to have no more effect upon her than common remedies ; and the physicians , who had been less apprehensive of any extraordinary event than of that insensible decay they perceived in her , never let fall the least word of hone . Convinced of her own fain , she rasnlvrvl n . t Insf . tn nrmmilf . + ! , n - vuu „„ iu l

. . - _ .... , ^ __ . , * . „ v ^ . ^ u .. u .. " . V most ancient oracle in the world , which was in the neighbourhood of Memphis , with regard to her son . It was the oracle of Latona , the nurse of Horus , at Butos , a city lying between the Sebennitic and Polbitinic gulph , opposite to which was the then floating island Chemnis * And this it was which gave the Greeks a notion of their island of Delos floating till the birth of Apollothe son of Latona . The priests of most ancient oracle in the world , which was in the neighbourhood of Memphis , with regard to her son . It was the oracle of Latona , the nurse of Horus , at Butos , a city lying between the Sebennitic and Polbitinic gulph , opposite to which was the then floating island Chemnis * And this it was which gave the Greeks a notion of their island of Delos floating till the birth of Apollothe son of Latona . The priests of most ancient oracle in the world , which was in the neighbourhood of Memphis , with regard to her son . It was the oracle of Latona , the nurse of Horus , at Butos , a city lying between the Sebennitic and Polbitinic gulph , opposite to which was the then floating island Chemnis * And this it was which gave the Greeks a notion of their island of Delos floating till the birth of Apollothe son of Latona . The priests of

, the oracle , informed of the queen ' s sickness , had anticipated her deputation , and made great preparations for obtaining the goddess ' s answer . They offered up their supplications to her in a vast temple , dug under that which appeared . In that above the sacrifices were offered , and the , the oracle , informed of the queen ' s sickness , had anticipated her deputation , and made great preparations for obtaining the goddess ' s answer . They offered up their supplications to her in a vast temple , dug under that which appeared . In that above the sacrifices were offered , and the , the oracle , informed of the queen ' s sickness , had anticipated her deputation , and made great preparations for obtaining the goddess ' s answer . They offered up their supplications to her in a vast temple , dug under that which appeared . In that above the sacrifices were offered , and the

ceremonies performed , in the sight of all the people ; but to the mysteries celebrated in the subterranean templenone were admitted but those who ceremonies performed , in the sight of all the people ; but to the mysteries celebrated in the subterranean templenone were admitted but those who

, wore initiated . There it was that so many human victims were sacrificed , particularly upon such occasions as this , and the gods entreated to accept of other young persons in exchange for a prince or princess greatly beloved . There are few nations known but what may be reproached with the same shameful barbarity ; but the Egyptians , more superstitious than other nations , have , in former days , carried it so far as to sacrifice every , wore initiated . There it was that so many human victims were sacrificed , particularly upon such occasions as this , and the gods entreated to accept of other young persons in exchange for a prince or princess greatly beloved . There are few nations known but what may be reproached with the same shameful barbarity ; but the Egyptians , more superstitious than other nations , have , in former days , carried it so far as to sacrifice every

foreigner at the tomb of Osiris , in the city of Heliopolis . This tomb was called Bush-is ; and fable has related it as of a king of Egypt , a transgressor of the laws of hospitality . However , t Amosis , one of the ancestors of Sesostris at Thebes , had the courage and authority to abolish this bloody custom in every city . In the room of those human victims were then substituted images of waxsince so much made use of in ic foreigner at the tomb of Osiris , in the city of Heliopolis . This tomb was called Bush-is ; and fable has related it as of a king of Egypt , a transgressor of the laws of hospitality . However ,+ Amosis , one of the ancestors of Sesostris at Thebes , had the courage and authority to abolish this bloody custom in every city . In the room of those human victims were then substituted images of waxsince so much made use of in ic

, mag superstitions . , mag superstitions . The priests deputed to consult the oracle being arrived , after one day ' s journeying , at Butos , with the noble offerings the queen had sent , went the same evening into the temple . All the people having conducted them thither , were obliged to attend without ; and they entered into that part of the temple adjoining to the chapel in the superior temple , of

which Herodotus makes mention , and which was hewn out of one single square stone , the inside whereof was sixty foot every way . After having passed a good part of the night in this place , they received the answer of the oracle , and were let out privately by another door , and made the best of their way for Memphis . The queen , who counted every moment of their journey , and her life , waited their return with an impatience that added to the ardour of her