They were, however, of metal, and show that skill was necessary in their construction. Especially is the carved work on them evidence of the progress of art.

Moses is command

Let us consider their wind instruments. ed to "make two trumpets of silver, of one piece," in Numbers x. 2, and we read of trumpets being blown repeatedly; showing that they were a common instrument, and that the people were familiar with their use. Representations of trumpets are found in the tombs at Thebes. They are "about one foot and a half long, of very simple form, apparently of brass." It was used either alone, or with other instruments," and when the trumpeter blew upon it," he held it in both hands." It was apparently of one piece. Pipes, also, are found in the tombs, both single and double; and flutes, also, are shown to have been in use at this period. They are found in a representation "sculptured in a tomb behind the Great Pyramid, seventeen hundred years before Christ, about the time of Jacob." They were very long, so that the players were compelled to extend their arms at full length to play upon them. The pipes which have been found, are from nine to thirteen inches long. Wind instruments, then, had been invented, and were in common use in the days of Moses. It is not improbable, that Jubal's "organ" was similar to these pipes.

When Laban overtook Jacob, who had fled from him with his wives, his father-in-law asks why he thus secretly departed, and deprived him of the privilege of sending him away "with mirth and with songs, with tabret and harp." (Gen. xxxi. 27.) And earlier still, Jubal, before the flood, is said to have invented the "harp," as well as "organ." Let us see if stringed instruments were not in use at the time, and before the time of Moses.

Harps are found represented of the most costly materials, as well as of the most simple kind, and many "were richly ornamented with brilliant colors and fancy figures." A very great variety of harps is found, varying both in form, size, and number of the strings. They are found with as few as four, and as many as twenty-two strings, and higher than the head of the player. They are tastefully painted, with the lotus, and other flowers," or with fancy pictures. Those for the royal family, or the minstrels who played in their presence, were "fitted up in the most splendid manner," and "adorned with the head or bust of the monarch himself." Harps are found

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represented in the sculptures near the pyramids of Geezeh, at least thirty-five hundred years old. Harps of fourteen, and lyres of seventeen strings were used at least fifteen hundred and seventy years before Christ, in the reign of Amasis or Amosis, the "king who knew not Joseph." And so dry are the tombs, and thus so fitted to preserve substances, that harps were discovered at Thebes in 1823, so well preserved that the strings, which were of catgut, upon being struck, emitted sound! "Echo of a former age! Some appear as if they were made of tortoise shell; some were raised upon a stand when played. They had the means of tightening the strings by means of thumb screws, or something nearly resembling them, showing that the art was not in its infancy when Jacob went into Egypt. Some of their harps were triangular in shape, and others very nearly resembling the guitar; the neck and body were slightly curved.

دو

The lyre was "not less varied in form and the number of its chords than the harp. Some of the lyres were highly ornamented, some were struck with a plectrum, others with the fingers, and sometimes they struck the chords with the left hand, while they used the plectrum with the right." In the figures which are conjectured to be Jacob and his family coming into Egypt mentioned before, one has a lyre, showing that it existed in its glory at that period.-The individual is represented as playing both with his fingers and the plectrum.

The Egyptian guitar has but three chords, and there are representations of persons playing upon it at the same time that they dance. They also often played upon cymbals, or the tambourine while dancing; and in their social, festive music they accompanied their instrumental music with their voice. There is a beautiful representation at Alabastron of a blind minstrel playing upon his harp accompanied by a choir of blind singers. When Miriam went out to celebrate the overthrow of Pharaoh there was dancing as well as song. And so also when Jephthah's daughter went out to meet her father it was with "timbrels and dances." There are representations, in the tombs, of dances, one as old as the fifteenth century before Christ. The women are represented as dancing to the music of the "tabret," or tambourine, which they play at the same time. The royal family were not permitted to dance, it was thought undignified; but they were permitted to see dancing. They could look, without being degraded, upon

that which would degrade them were they to do it themselves. And they could applaud the "pirouette," with as much rapture at an Egyptian festive party in the time of Moses, as it can now be applauded in any Thespian temple. Specimens of this kind of dance are given in the sculpture 3500 years old. The Egyptians danced not only at their festive meetings, but also at the temples as a religious service. How much the sacred dance differed from the common festive dance it is not now easy to determine, but as far as the sculptures aid us in forming an opinion, there could be but little difference.

So fully is the Mosaic account of the culture of music, and the instruments used in its performance, confirmed by the silent yet conclusive declarations of the Egyptian monuments. Moses mentions nothing relating to this science which was not well understood from fifteen hundred to two thousand years before Christ. Musical instruments most perfect of their kind, and of exquisite workmanship existed in those days; they accompanied them with the voice, and not unfrequently with the dance. Such is the monumental testimony.

We turn now to a consideration of the ability of the ancients to manufacture vessels, — sacred, and domestic utensils, — of metals as described by Moses. We read of a serpent of "brass," (Num. xxi. 9,) of a "brazen altar," (Ex. xxxix. 39,) of rings overlaid with brass, (Ex. xxxviii. 6,) of rings made of brass, (Ex. xxxviii. 5,) of net work of brass, (Ex. xxxviii. 4,) of casting sockets of brass, (Ex. xxvi. 37,) of a laver of brass, (Ex. xxx. 18,) and of brazen censers, (Num. xvi. 39.) We also read of work in gold; of the ark overlaid with pure gold, (Ex. xxv. 11,) of a mercy seat of pure gold, (Ex. xxv. 17,) of dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls or, as the two last should be rendered, cups and cans, of pure gold, (Ex. xxv. 29,) of a candlestick of pure gold, (Ex. xxv. 31,) of snuff dishes of pure gold, (Ex. xxv. 38,) of a plate pure gold with an engraving upon it as the engraving of a signet of Holiness to the Lord, (Ex. xxviii. 36,) of a golden crown to the border of the table of shew-bread, (Ex. xxv. 25,) of a golden bell, (Ex. xxviii. 34,) of a golden chain for the neck, (Gen. xli. 42,) of golden ear-rings, (Ex. xxxii. 2,) of a golden calf, (Ex. xxxii. 20.) We read also of work in silver; of chargers of silver, of bowls of silver, (Num. vii. 84,) of trumpets of silver, (Num. x. 2,) of sockets of silver, (Ex. xxvi. 19,) of hooks of silver, (Ex. xxxviii. 29,) and of Joseph's

of

silver cup, (Gen. xliv. 2.) We read also of earthen vessels, (Lev. vi. 28.)

That all these articles were made at this early period by the Egyptians is demonstratively proved by the monuments that remain. They had drinking cups and vases of "hard stones, alabaster, glass, ivory, bone, porcelain, bronze, silver, or gold," and also of "glazed pottery or common earthenware." Many of their vases would do "honor to the skill of the Greek artist." Many are found in the tombs, and some of the most elegant are of the age of Moses. Their forms are elegant, the materials of which they were made rich, and some of silver were inlaid with gold. Gold and silver cups were often beautifully engraved, and set with precious stones. The handles of the cup were often composed of some animal's head, and their eyes were often made of emerald, or amethyst. Gold, in rings, composed part of the treasures of the kings. Names were frequently engraven upon alabaster vessels, and one is preserved in Alnwick castle on which is the name of the queen. Rings were worn by the ladies on their hands and in their ears; and necklaces of various patterns, and rich materials, are found represented among the paintings. Bronze vessels are also found of such perfect workmanship as to "excite admiration.". They emit rich sonorous sounds when struck, and admit of the finest polish. Knives and daggers are found made of it of so excellent a character, that they are elastic like steel. Some of their vases were supported on images of beasts with an elegantly wrought cover of the figure of some animal, or monster; others were supported by representations of slaves, or captives, who hold them on their shoulders. Some were ornamented with the head of the ibex, or the gazelle. Many of them were made of the richest materials, inlaid with precious stones. Earthen utensils for the kitchen are also found in the tombs in a good state of preservation; and in representations of their cuisine are the various implements for cooking. Seething, or boiling and roasting, seem to have been the more common methods of cooking meat. And there are, also, representations of catching the blood of the slaughtered animal in a vessel for the purpose of cookery, which abundantly illustrates the urgency and frequency of Moses' commands to abstain from it entirely. The art of cooking was well understood, if we may judge from representations in the sculptures, and it ceases to be a wonder how Rebecca could make the kid's meat "veni

son." In the sculptures of the kitchen as we see persons carrying bread upon their heads from one department of the work to the other, we are reminded of Pharaoh's chief baker with three white baskets on his head.

But to return to metal dishes and furniture. Golden drinking cups are also found represented quite frequently, as well as silver and glass, bronze and earthen ware. Joseph's "silver cup was put in Benjamin's bag, when he left Egypt to return with his brethren to his father; and golden spoons are found probably not unlike those which were used to offer incense in at the tabernacle. The ladies' toilet was also furnished with a great variety of boxes and bottles of the precious metals, curiously ornamented and inlaid, to preserve ointments, paints, perfumes, and all the secrets of the Egyptian beauties' art. The carved work, the representations of gods, and monsters, and natural objects upon very many of these articles show a high degree of skill in working metals; abundantly sufficient to make all the instruments, and furniture of the tabernacle, and ornaments of the people, of which we read in the books of Moses. The elegance with which this work is done shows, also, that the furniture of the sacred abode was not of so coarse and inelegant, a character as we have been often led to suppose. On the contrary, we have evidence that richness and elegance were both combined in them. And the figures of the gods and monsters which the Egyptians worshipped, which are engraven upon their vases, cups, and dishes, illustrate the urgency of the command not to engrave the likeness of anything which was to receive homage among the Irsaelites.

We read also in the Mosaic history of the linen curtains for the tabernacle, and the fine twined linen, (Ex. xxv. 4; xxvi. 1.) We read of fringes on the borders of garments, and ribands of blue, (Num. xiii. 38.) We read of spinning "blue and purple and scarlet," and goat's hair, (Ex. xxxvi. 25, 26.) We read of cords for the curtains, and of garments of " cunning work, embroidered of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, and the curious girdle," which were worn by Aaron and the priests.

If we turn from the sacred history to the testimony of the tombs, the sculptures, and paintings, and relics, we shall find that the Egyptians of that age were capable of manufacturing cloth which deserves the name of fine, and "cunning." Mr. Wilkinson says, "the quality of some linen in my possession is