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The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous ... - Cd3wd.com

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96 SILVER TEXTURES, ETC., OF THE ANCIENTS.<br />

sort thither to collect some <strong>of</strong> the " droppings <strong>of</strong> Egyptian wis-<br />

dom." According to Diodorus, all trades ^^ed with each <strong>other</strong><br />

in improving their own particular branch, no pains being<br />

spared to bring each to perfection. To promote the more effec-<br />

tually this object, it was enacted that no artisan should follow<br />

any trade or emplopiient but that defined by law, <strong>and</strong> pia'sued<br />

by his ancestors. No tradesman was permitted to meddle<br />

with political affairs, or hold any civil <strong>of</strong>fice in the state, lest<br />

his thoughts should he distracted by the inconsistency <strong>of</strong> his<br />

pwsuits, or the jealousy <strong>and</strong> displeasure <strong>of</strong> the master in<br />

whose service he was employed. <strong>The</strong>y foresaw that without<br />

such a law constant interruptions would take place, in conse-<br />

quence <strong>of</strong> the necessity or desire <strong>of</strong> be<strong>com</strong>ing conspicuous in a<br />

public station ; that their proper occupations woidd be neglected,<br />

<strong>and</strong> many would be led by vanity <strong>and</strong> self-siijficiency to inter-<br />

fere in matters which were out <strong>of</strong> their sphere. <strong>The</strong>y consid-<br />

ered, moreover, that to pursue more than one avocation would<br />

be detrimental to their a\w\ interests, <strong>and</strong> those <strong>of</strong> the <strong>com</strong>mu-<br />

nity at large ; <strong>and</strong> that, when men, from a motive <strong>of</strong> avarice,<br />

engage in numerous branches <strong>of</strong> art, the general result is, that<br />

they are unable to excel in any. If any artisan interfered in<br />

political matters, or engaged in any employment <strong>other</strong> than the<br />

one to which he had been brought up, a severe punishment<br />

was immediately mflicted upon him.<br />

<strong>The</strong> eminent German hierologist. Dr. Lepsius, now employ-<br />

ed in Eg}^t by the Prussian government, after mentioning, in<br />

a recent letter, the many discoveries he had made <strong>of</strong> ancient<br />

ruins, tombs, &c., \\Tites as follows :<br />

" With the exception <strong>of</strong> about twelve, which belong to a later<br />

period, all these tombs were erected contemporaneously with, or<br />

soon after, the buildmg <strong>of</strong> the great p}Tamid, <strong>and</strong> consequently<br />

their dates throw an invaluable light on the study <strong>of</strong> human<br />

civihzation in the most remote period <strong>of</strong> antiquity.—<strong>The</strong> sculp-<br />

tures in reUef are surprisingly numerous, representing whole<br />

figures, some the size <strong>of</strong> Ufe, <strong>and</strong> <strong>other</strong>s <strong>of</strong> various dimensions.<br />

<strong>The</strong> paintings are on back grounds <strong>of</strong> the finest chalk. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

are numerous <strong>and</strong> beautiful beyond conception as fresh <strong>and</strong><br />

perfect as if flushed yesterday! <strong>The</strong> pictures <strong>and</strong> sculp-<br />

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