try being near the land of Shinar. The kingdom of Egypt is very ancient, and was founded by Menes, one of the children of Ham, 2188 before Christ. In the Bible, he is called Misraim.

2. Egypt is bounded north by the Mediterranean Sea, east by the Red Sea, south by Nubia, and west by the desert, The Nile runs through the midst of Egypt, from the south to the north. This river overflows once a year, and thus fertilizes the country, for it very seldom rains in Egypt.

3. Menes, or Misraim, the first king of Egypt, turned aside the Nile from its original channel, and built the city of Memphis where the river had formerly flowed. He was so great a monarch, that the people worshipped him as a god after his death.

4. The history of Egypt is very obscure during a considerable time after the reign of Menes. From the year 2084 to the year 1825 before the Christian era, it was governed by a barbarous tribe from the deserts, whose rulers were called shepherd-kings. These kings were, afterwards driven from Egypt, by the renowned Sesostris. 5. An Ethiopian woman, named Nitocris, became queen of this country, in the year 1678 before the Christian era. Her brother had been murdered by the Egyptians, and she resolved to avenge him. For this purpose queen Nitocris built a palace under ground, and invited the murderers of her brother to a banquet. The subterranean hall where the banquet was prepared was brilliantly illuminated. The guests were the principal men in the kingdom.

6. The scene was magnificent, as they sat at the table. But suddenly a rushing and a roaring sound was heard overhead, and a deluge of water burst into the hall. Queen Nitocris had caused a river to flow through a secret passage, and thus drowned all the company at the banquet.

7. The most renowned monarch that ever reigned over Egypt was Sesostris. The date of his reign is not precisely known; but there is a carving in stone, lately found in Egypt among the ruins of an ancient city, which is more than three thousand years old, and supposed to be a portrait of him. It is doubtless the oldest portrait in existence. This king formed the design of conquering the world, and set out from Egypt with more than half a million of foot soldiers, twenty-four thousand horsemen, and twenty-seven thousand armed chariots.

8. His ambitious projects were partially successful. He made great conquests, and wherever he went he caused marble pillars to be erected, and inscriptions to be engraved on them, so that future ages might not forget his

renown.

9. The following was the inscription on most of the pillars:-SESOSTRIS, KING OF KINGS, HAS CONQUERED THIS TERRITORY BY HIS ARMS. But the marble pillars have long ago crumbled into dust, or been buried under the earth; and the history of Sesostris is so obscure, that some writers have even doubted whether he ever made any conquests at all.

10. But other writers assure us that he returned to Egypt after his wars, bringing with him a multitude of captives, and long trains of camels laden with treasure, and that he then built magnificent temples, and constructed canals and causeways.

11. When Sesostris went to worship in the temple, he rode in a chariot which was drawn by captive kings. They were harnessed like horses, four abreast; and their royal robes trailed in the dust as they tugged the heavy chariot along. But at length the proud Sesostris grew old and blind. He could no longer look around him, and see captive kings drawing his chariot, or kneeling at his footstool. He then became utterly miserable, and committed suicide.

QUESTIONS. 1. From whom are the natives of Africa descended? By whom and when was Egypt founded? What of Menes ?2. How is Egypt bounded? What of the Nile ? Does it often rain in Egypt ?- -3. Where and by whom was Memphis built? What was thought of Menes?- -4. What of the history of Egypt? What of the shepherd-kings? -5. What of Nitocris? How did she

revenge her brother's death ?-7. What can you tell of Sesostris ? What of his army?-9. What inscription was engraved on the marble pillars raised by Sesostris? Are the pillars still standing? What do some writers doubt ?-10. What do others say ?- -11. How was the chariot of Sesostris drawn? What was the fate of this despotic king?

CHAPTER XXXVII. AFRICA continued.-Egyptian Architecture and Sculpture.

1. THE ancient history of Egypt is so obscure, and yet so full of wonderful tales, that we might doubt it altogether, and believe it but the marvellous invention of fanciful story-tellers, were it not for the vast ruins and stupendous monuments still to be found in different parts of the country. These show that between three and four thousand years ago, this country was filled with millions of people, and that there were cities here of the most wonderful magnificence.