Poole, Reginald S.: The cities of Egypt (London, 1882)

2S

CITIES OF EGYPT.

think of them as the only nation of the times before
later Judaism and Christianity who had a vital belief in
the future state. To the Egyptian all he did 'on earth
was sure to bring him happiness or misery hereafter.
He was to be judged according to his actions, acquitted
or condemned by the unerring test of truth. This noble
doctrine became in a measure corrupted by a system of
elaborate prayers and incantations, which would sub-
stitute the paid acts of the priesthood and magical rites
for a life led by the dictates of conscience or, as the
Egyptians would say, the heart. Still the sense of the
importance of the hereafter was never lost. Closely
bound up with this feeling was the desire to preserve
the body. It may be doubted if they believed it would
rise, but it must repose deep beneath the sepulchral
chapel, that there, on each festival, the kinsfolk might
resort to say the prayers for the dead. The chapel was
necessary for the soul's welfare, and the mummy con-
nected the worship there with the identity of the
deceased. Moreover, the estates were taxed for the
services of the chapel, and thus the mummy became a
kind of title-deed, securing the estates to his descend-
ants so long as the dues were paid to the priests who