Reprint Of Scarce, Orcurious , Books On Freemasonry .

death of virtuous persons Avas a matter of SOITOAV to the smviving , it was to them the entrance into peace , a happiness , and a triumph . The queen ' s chariot was folloAved by the priests . The high priest of Memphis , who saw to present the queen to the judges , was carried next to the chariot , stretched out at length in an open coffin , like a corpse , elad in white , and his head and face covered with a white veil . AH the other priests , clad and veiled in the same mannerleaning with one hand on an augur ' s

, wand , curbed at the top , and holding in the other a ring or circle of gold , to which hung a sort of Tau , marched on foot in two single lines of five hundred each , and as far distant from one another as the breadth of the roads Avould allow . In the middle between these two lines , at certain distances , were carried standards , on which Avere represented the several deities , or the symbols of the deities of Egypt , as the Apis of Memphis ,

the Colossus of Abyddus , the Eagle of Thebes , the Sparhawk of Tanis , the Anubia of Cynopolis , the Vase of Canope , the Goat of Mendez , the Wolf of Hermontis , the Lamb of Sais ; and so of the rest . For there were priests out of all the cities of Egypt at the funerals of their kings , even though they were actually in Avar Avith one another . And the class ' of priestswith those of the labourers and traderswere never involved in

, , the differences of the states . On the other hand , the death of kings was a means of reconciling the priests of different cities , who seemed to have very hot disputes concerning the various , and oftentimes contrary , deities they adored . Our historians speaking of Egypt * have remarked , that those kings , who had many cities of different Avorship in their dominions , - were glad to keep up this spirit of dissension among the priests ; lest , if

they should unite , their influence , which was very great over the vulgar , might set them up above their kings . To conclude , the whole procession was closed by a great number of baggage waggons , which kept off tho people that folloAved . They frequently passed through cities , some greater , some less . Tho number of them , as well on this road , as everywhere else , had given occasion to th . o opinion of the old , that there were more cities in Egyjrt alone ,

than in all the world besides . In these cities it Avas that the stages Avere marked out at almost equal distances ; and * near every one of them was the house destined for their entertainment ; from Avhich they marched out again to take then stations at set times . The queen ' s chariot was placed under tents , which were erected for that end at every stage , Avhere it Avas guarded by other priests , not belonging to the procession . This chariot , by Avhich the Avhole procession Avas ruled , never moved but in tho night

season , and but three hours together , during Avhich time it advanced about two leagues ; and then , resting four hours , resumed the march again till daylight , and so lay by , Avaiting the return of the evening . - The Avhole procession being arrived , Avas ranged in order upon the plain , to have a free passage for the queen ' s chariot , and tho people that had folloAved the procession behind the Avaggons . They then advanced to the brink of the lake Charon t and there wore placed on each side of the

. chariot on a spacious plain , on the right and on the left . And the priests remained ranged behind tho chariot in a straight Hue . At the approach of this awful " tribunal , composed of judges , AVIIO were revered as the gods themselves , the high priest Avho Avas to be the queen ' s advocate , and all