liquids of various colours, rolls of linen, scales, surgical instruments, several aged and very respectable persons in long robes, giving directions to men, who are measuring and weighing different substances; I cannot say what they are.

Harriot.-Do you observe that large chest, covered with a cloth, decorated with Egyptian characters? may I ask, Sir, does that contain the body of the deceased Patriarch?

Ex-Difficult as you thought your lesson, young ladies, and though you could not execute it at sight, maternal instruction, aided by practice, has enabled you to perform it with great

correctness.

Mrs. N.-Gratitude to him who lent them to me, demands every possible attention to their improvement. Your lesson, Sir, has taught me to remember, that I may soon lose my pupils.

Amelia.-Do not talk of it now, Mamma, perhaps as Mr. Davenport has introduced us into the surgery, he will favour us with a lesson on the mode of embalming in Egypt.

Harriot.-O dear! I should like

that!

Ex-It will afford me much pleasure to add to the stock of knowledge which the young ladies have already acquired, though I have no expectation that they intend to practice the art.

The young ladies with uplifted hands, immediately said, "O no, Sir! But we

should be highly gratified, if would

you

inform us how the Egyptians performed

it."

Ex.-I will do that immediately. Embalming dead bodies among the the Egyptians, was as follows. When a man died, his body was carried to the artificers who made coffins; they made a coffin proportioned to its stature, to the dead person's quality, and to the price; for there was a great diversity in the prices. The upper part of the coffin represented the person, who was to be enclosed in it. A man of condition was distinguished by the

figure on the cover of the coffin; there were generally added suitable paintings and embellishments.

Amelia.-If we may judge of their skill by the mummies in the British Museum, I must say, I think it was not very great. painted and ornamented, (as it is termed) with glass beads; however, though I do not admire their performances, yet I suppose they were pretty well paid for disfiguring those receptacles of the dead.

Faces gilt, bodies

Ex.-The embalmer's prices were different; the highest was a talent, twenty mine was moderate, the lowest price was small. The Egyptian talent is supposed to be worth about £300.

A dissector with a very sharp Ethiopian stone, made the incision on the left side, and hurried away instantly, because the relations of the deceased, who were present, took up stones, and pursued him as a wicked wretch.

Harriot.-This was certainly play

ing the hypocrite, at the very time they professed affection for the deceased.

Mrs. N.-That, my dear, is no uncommon circumstance at the present day. When your aunt Williamson died, what lamentation her nephew made! But when the spendthrift discovered that his name was not mentioned in her will, he expressed himself very unkindly, and did not suppress his dis