D'Athanasi, Giovanni; Salt, Henry [Editor]: A brief account of the researches and discoveries in Upper Egypt: To which is added a detailed catalogue of Mr. Salts collection of Egyptian antiquities (London, 1836)

_.H tha mn >

copts. 143

Between the village of Naggadi and Thebes
• there is a church dedicated to the Archangel
F^ttiWljIl Michael, called Abou-Seffain, which signifies the
: 1 father of the two swords. On St. Michael's Day

'vfelnftl Copts and Arabs all indiscriminately assemble in
-4 ^ \: one spot, and engage in horse races and sacrifices
of animals in honour of this day. St. Michael
inspires them with such veneration and fear that
ufaiiwDjieyi they swear by his name, which is never done in

Lower Egypt.
The Copts generally practice the art of pen-

..... .manship, and are almost all in the service of

government. As they are better practiced in
arithmetic than others they effect considerable
thefts, without being in the least suspected. They
are all, without exception, impressed with the
expectation of a better future state; they are
daily looking for the arrival of their deliverers
from Abyssinia, who they expect will liberate
them from the yoke of infidels, and restore them
to the kingdom of Egypt. Those who enjoy easy

fwrieMWiffli

the::, i

I LI

v circumstances were formerly the priests who had

,fcQ0* considerable revenues. At length, however, their

Hotkff^ reign is passed, the people have discovered their

> v hypocrisy and their abuses ;—they have become

^00'0^' intelligent and clear-sighted, and have greatly