Prolegomena to Ancient History. By John P. Mahaffy. (Longman.) —Professor
Mahaffy's volume consists of two parts, the first being "The Interpretation of Legends and Inscriptions," the second, "A Survey of Old Egyptian Literature." He is of the believing as opposed to the sceptical school of historians, the second essay of his " first part" treat- ing of "The Value of Legends in Critical History." He attacks with especial vigour Messrs. Max Muller and Cox and the "solar theory." According to this, as he says, "Any hero can play any part. If he is well spoken of he must be the Sun, if not, he is the Night. Whether he murders, or marries, or deserts a maiden or a widow, she is the Dawn." He is inclined to support the " meteorological " theory, by which we may understand the extraordinary as opposed to the ordinary phenomena of nature. But the second part of the volume is decidedly the most interesting. Here Professor Mahaffy occupies what, as far as English readers are concerned, is almost fresh ground. Most educated people have no further idea about the remains of ancient Egypt than that they tell us about a vast number of kings reigning over incredible periods and about certain religious beliefs. They have no idea of the vast amonnt of information which the deciphered hieroglyphics—using that word in its widest sense—supply about Egyptian life ; have no notion, for instance, that we are in possession of a distinct literature, romances, books of morality, &c. The Professor gives a sketch of what we have in this way, and this will be found even by readers who are not professed students to have no little interest. Of its positive value, from the Egyptologist's point of view, we do not profess to give an opinion.
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