Mysticism and its Results | Page 5

of man, the
soul could not enter into her everlasting repose unless the body were

preserved, occasioned the singular custom of embalming the corpses of
the departed to preserve them from decay, and of treasuring them up in
the shape of {21} mummies in shaft-like passages and mortuary
chambers. Through this belief, the priests, who, as judges of the dead,
possessed the power of giving up the bodies of the sinful to corruption,
and by this means occasioning the transmigration of their souls into the
bodies of animals, obtained immense authority. Notwithstanding the
magnificence of their architectural productions, and the vast technical
skill and dexterity in sculpture and mechanical appliances which they
display, the Egyptians have produced but little in literature or the
sciences; and even this little was locked up from the people in the
mysterious hieroglyphical writing, which was understood by the priests
alone.[19] The following translation is a quotation from a Latin work:
"Among the ancient Egyptians, from whom we learn the rudiments of
speech, besides the three common kinds of letters, other descriptions of
characters are used which have been generally consecrated to their
peculiar mysteries. In a dissertation on this subject, that celebrated
antiquarian (conditor stromatum), Clement, of Alexandria, teaches in
his writings, thus: 'Those who are taught Egyptian, first, indeed, learn
the grammar and chirography called letter-writing, that is, which is apt
for ordinary correspondence; secondly, however, that used by the
priests, called sacred writing, to commemorate sacred things; the last
also, hieroglyphic, meaning sacred sculpture, one of the first elements
of which is {22} cyriologism, meaning, properly speaking, enunciating
truth by one or another symbol, or in other words, portraying the
meaning by significant emblems.' With Clement agrees the Arabian,
Abenephi, who uses this language: (This Arabic writing is preserved in
the Vatican library, but not as yet printed: it is often quoted by
Athanasius Kircher, in his Treatise on the Pamphilian Obelisk, whence
these and other matters stated by us have been taken.) 'But there were
four kinds of writing among the Egyptians: First, that in use among the
populace and the ignorant; secondly, that in vogue among the
philosophers and the educated; thirdly, one compounded of letters and
symbols, without drawn figures or representations of things; the fourth
was confined solely to the priesthood, the figures or letters of which
were those of birds, by which they represented the sacred things of
Deity.' From which last testimony we learn that erudite Egyptians used

a peculiar and different system of writing from that of the populace,
and it was for the purpose of teaching their peculiar doctrines. For
example, they show that this writing consisted of symbols, partly of
opinions and ideas, partly of historic fables accommodated to a more
secret method of teaching. But Clement, of Alexandria, went further. In
book v. of Antiquities (stromata, 'foundation of things'), he says: 'All
who controlled theological matters, Barbarian as well as Greek, have
concealed their principles, hiding the truth in enigmas, signs, symbols,
as {23} well as allegories, and also in tropes, and have handed them
down in various symbols and methods.'"[20] This passage led
subsequently to the brilliant discoveries of Champollion.
Who, then, were the "erudite Egyptians" who used a peculiar system of
writing" for the purpose of teaching their peculiar doctrines?" Who
were {24} these "magi," "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians"?
Nowhere do we find Pharaoh in the midst of his troubles calling for a
priest. It is always for the wise men, magicians, and sorcerers. Were
they not the priests?--were they not those who controlled the
mysteries--who practised divination? When Moses and Aaron cast
down their rods, the magicians of Egypt "also did in like manner with
their enchantments," and the result was the same.[21] When Moses
smote the waters that they became blood, the acuteness of the priests,
or magi, in their mysteries taught them a lesson whereby they were able
to do the same.[22] When the frogs came up on Pharaoh and on all his
people, and on all his servants, and covered the land of Egypt, we learn
"the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs
upon the land of Egypt."[23] If the ancient Egyptians were like their
descendants, it is singular the magi could not accomplish the next
plague, that is, of lice. But here their power ended. The magi originated
in Media. According to oriental custom, to them was intrusted the
preservation of scientific knowledge, and the performance of the holy
exercises of Religion. Afterward, in a special sense, the magi were a
caste of priests of the Medes and Persians, deriving the name of Pehlvi;
Mag, or Mog, generally signifies in that language, a priest. They are
expressly mentioned by Herodotus as a Median tribe. Zoroaster was not
their founder, {25} but was