Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

Antiquities of Nations. 5
correfponded precifely with the number of genera-
tions in which they reigned. A circumtlance of
this furprifing unitormity, though fo oppofite to
the common inequahties of the natural couifeof
reigns, muil have aftbrded the highell gratifica-
tion to the puerile and fuperftitious flmcy of an
Egyptian.
Herodotus relates this curious hiftory very
circumilantially, and feems to have been no lefs
convinced of its verity than he v/as impreiled with
its awfulnefs and grandeur. The priefts of Mem-
phis gave him the lirongeft affurances that, agree-
able to this faithful and exad calculation, the
Egyptian empire had Lifted eleven thoufand three
hundred and forty years ; and how was it polllble
for a hiftorian of his charader to difbelieve a rela-
tion, however miraculous, which was folemnly
attefted by fuch unexceptionable men. The in-
fallible fervants of Jupiter had conduded him into
a large hall, where he faw with his own eyes the
l]:atues of all the Vulcanian high priefts, who had
been enumerated to him. Every one of thefe fa-
cred perfonages was introduced to him in the very
order in which they had filled the chair ; and,
what is a little remarkable, every one of them
was the fon of his immediate predecelTor in the pon-
tificate.
These were the fentiments which the Egypti-
ans entertained and profefied concerning their re-
mote antiquities. The extravagance of this palfion,
inftead of fubfiding through a feries of ages, was
conflantly rapidly increafmg, until the unfortunate
reign of Pfammeticbus. That wife monarch, and
his equally wife fubjecls, found themfelves under
a necelTity of acknowledging, that the Phrygians
had exilled before all other nations, and, of con-
A 3 fequence.