Ancient Egypt. By George Rawlinson, M.A. (T. Fisher Unwin.)— This
volume is one of a series which has more than once been noticed in our columns, "The Story of the Nations." Something more, perhaps, might have been said about Egyptian literature, a subject in which recent discoveries have not been sufficiently popularised. But we can appreciate the difficulty which the author must have had is making his materials fit into the space at his command, and cannot but praise the result at which he has arrived. After two preliminary chapters, dealing respectively with "The Land" (a most vivid and picturesque sketch) and "The People," we have one on " The Dawn of History," and another on "The Pyramid-Builders." After this the narrative is what may be described as continuous. We venture to say that many readers will now realise for the first time that Egypt has a con- tinuous history, quite as mach as Greece and Rome have, in some respects more certain than theirs, and certainly going back to a vastly earlier period. In the chapter on "Abraham in Egypt," Professor Rawlinson has been able to add little or nothing to the Bible account, and he is brief in his references to Joseph. The Pharaoh of Joseph he is inclined to identify with Apetia, the last of the Shepherd-Kings. The subjeot of the Exodus is more fully treated. There is a peculiar interest, again, in what is said of the relation between the Priest-Kings and Solomon. To most readers, in fart, the points of contrast between Egyptian and Hebrew history will seem especially worthy of attention. Among the latter chapters, the most interesting is that which deals with the revival of a native Egyptian Kingdom under Nefaa-rut and his successors. Professor Rawlinson has made a valuable addition to a valuable series.
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