This fact accounts for the reverence in which he held the Precepts of
Ptah-hetep, Kaqemna, Herutataf, Amenemhāt I, Ani, Tuauf, Amen-hetep, and
other sages. To him, as to all Africans, the Other World was a very real
thing, and death and the Last Judgment were common subjects of his daily
thoughts. The great antiquity of this characteristic of the Egyptian is
proved by a passage in a Book of Precepts, which was written by a king
of the ninth or tenth dynasty for his son, who reigned under the name of
Merikarā. The royal writer in it reminds his son that the Chiefs [of
Osiris] who judge sinners perform their duty with merciless justice on
the Day of Judgment. It is useless to assume that length of years will
be accepted by them as a plea of justification. With them the lifetime
of a man is only regarded as a moment. After death these Chiefs must be
faced, and the only things that they will consider will be his works.
Life in the Other World is for ever, and only the reckless fool forgets
this fact. The man who has led a life free from lies and deceit shall
live after death like a god.

The reader who wishes to continue his studies of Egyptian Literature
will find abundant material in the list of works given on pp. 256-8.

E.A. WALLIS BUDGE.

BRITISH MUSEUM,
_April_ 17, 1914.




CONTENTS