Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick.

  • James Bonwick
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    102/474 (page 88)
    made in the character of the former ; since goodness was as much a part of the original deity from whom both were derived, as was the power with which he had created the world. And if, as sometimes happens, Amun-re is repre- sented making offerings to Osiris, it will be recollected that one attribute might be permitted to show respect to the other, without derogating from its own dignity.” F. Lenormant says : “In the sanctuaries of Egypt, they divided the properties of Nature, and consequently of Divinity, into seven abstract qualities characterized each by an emblem, and which are matter, cohesion, fluxion, coagulation, accumulation, station, and division.” Sellon identifies the theology with the Indian, saying, “ If we substitute Osiris for Brahma, Horus for Vishnu, Typhon for Siva, and Isis for the Sacti, or female power, the narra- tive agrees in every respect.” It must be conceded that the old faith had died out in Egypt, as in Greece and Rome, before Christianity or Mahometanism came to replace it. Apuleius gives a re- markable passage from the Asclepian dialogue ;— “ It is not lawful that you shall be ignorant that the time will come when it may seem that the Egyptians have in vain, with a pious mind and sedulous religion, paid attention to Divinity ; and all their holy veneration shall become void, and of no effect. For Divinity shall return back from earth to heaven. Egypt shall be forsaken, and the land which was the seat of Divinity shall be destitute of religion, and deprived of the presence of the gods. O Egypt! Egypt! fables shall alone remain of thy religion, and those such as will be incredible to posterity ; words alone shall be engraven on stones, narrating thy pious deeds— the only monuments that will attest thy piety.” The absence of images in the very early periods has been repeatedly noticed. Mariette Bey writes : “ The com-