country are the catacombs, or the an cient repofitories, in which the bodies of the earliest generations were lodged, and where, by the virtue of the gums which embalmed them, they yet remain without corruption."

I know not, faid Raffelas, what pleasure the fight of the catacombs can afford; but, fince nothing else of fered, I am refolved to view them, and fhall place this with many other things which I have done, because I would do fomething."

They hired a guard of horsemen, and the next day vifited the catacombs. When they were about to defcend into the fepulchral caves Pekuah, faid the princefs, we are now again invading the habitations of the dead; I know that you will stay be hind; let me find you fafe when I return." ,, No, I will no be left, an

fwered Pekuah; I will go down between you and the prince. "

They then all defcended, and ro ved with wonder through the labyrinth of fubterraneous paffages, whe. re the bodies were laid in rows on either fide.

CHAP.

"

CHAP. XLVIII.

IMLAC DISCOURSES ON THE NATURE OF THE SOUL.

WHAT reafon, faid the prince,

can be given, why the Egyptians fhould thus expenfively preferve those carcaffes which fome nations' confumě with fire, others lay to mingle with the earth, and all agree to remove from their fight, as foon as decent rites can be performed?"

وو

The original of ancient customs, faid Imlac, is commonly unknown; for the practice often continues when the caufe has ceased; and concerning fuperftitious ceremonies it is vain to conjecture; for what reafon did not dictate, reason cannot explain. I have long belie

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believed that the practice of embal ming arofe only from tenderness to the remains of relations or friends, and to this opinion I am more inclined, because it seems impoffible that this care fhould have been general: had all the dead been embalmed, their repofitories muft in time have been more fpacious than the dwellings of the living. I fuppofe only the rich or honourable were fecured from corruption, and the reft left to the course of nature.

"

But it is commonly fuppofed that the Egyptians believed the foul to live as long as the body continued undiffolved, and therefore tried this method of eluding death."

Could the wife Egyptians, faid Nekayah, think fo grofsly of the foul? If the foul could once furvive its fepa-' ration, what could it afterwards receive or fuffer from the body?".

"

The Egyptians would doubtless think erroneously, faid the aftronomer, in the darkness of heathenifm, and the first dawn of philofophy. The nature of the foul is ftill difputed amidst all our opportunities of clearer knowledge: fome yet fay, that it may be material, who, nevertheless, believe it to be immortal,

Some, anfwered Imlac, have indeed faid that the foul is material, but I can fcarcely believe that any man has thought it, who knew how to think, for all the conclufions of reafon enforce the immateriality of mind, and all the notices of fenfe and inveftigations of fcience concur to prove the unconscious nefs of matter.

"

It was never fuppofed that cogi tation is inherent in matter, or that every particle is a thinking being. Yet, if any part of matter be devoid of thought, what part can we fuppofe to $ 3

think?