Topography of Thebes, and general view of Egypt. Being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataract and Wadee Samneh ... with remarks on the manners and customs of the ancient Egyptians. And the productions of the country / by I.G. Wilkinson [sic].

  • Wilkinson, John Gardner, 1797-1875.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Topography of Thebes, and general view of Egypt. Being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataract and Wadee Samneh ... with remarks on the manners and customs of the ancient Egyptians. And the productions of the country / by I.G. Wilkinson [sic]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/674
    “ O ^Egypte, iEgypte .... solas supererunt fabulae, et aeque incredibiles posteris .... solaque supererunt verba lapidibus incisa. Et inhabitant ^Sgyptum Scythus, aut, Indus, aut aliquis tabs.”—Lat. transl. of Mercur. Trismegistus’ Dialogue with Asclepius, It may be generally observed that the first people who arrived at an advanced state in the arts of civilization were early encouragers of agriculture, and possessed countries whose riches consisted in the produce of the soiL And that independent of the general taste for industry which is necessarily matured in a well-cultivated country, the number of its inhabitants speedily increases, and opulence and power succeed in proportion as their condition is improved. But the state of the hunter and of the shepherd differ widely from the agriculturist. In the former the wants of each member of society depend entirely upon his individual exertions; and since no time can be spared for industrious employment at home, civilization can make little or no progress, and arts remain totally unknown. The shepherd indeed possesses some advantages over the hunter, but still he has neither the means nor the inclination to arise