Despite his defective comprehension of fractions, the Egyptian
was able to work out problems of relative complexity; for
example, he could determine the answer of such a problem as this:
a number together with its fifth part makes 21; what is the
number? The process by which the Egyptian solved this problem
seems very cumbersome to any one for whom a rudimentary knowledge
of algebra makes it simple, yet the method which we employ
differs only in that we are enabled, thanks to our hypothetical
x, to make a short cut, and the essential fact must not be
overlooked that the Egyptian reached a correct solution of the
problem. With all due desire to give credit, however, the fact
remains that the Egyptian was but a crude mathematician. Here, as
elsewhere, it is impossible to admire him for any high
development of theoretical science. First, last, and all the
time, he was practical, and there is nothing to show that the
thought of science for its own sake, for the mere love of
knowing, ever entered his head.

In general, then, we must admit that the Egyptian had not
progressed far in the hard way of abstract thinking. He
worshipped everything about him because he feared the result of
failing to do so. He embalmed the dead lest the spirit of the
neglected one might come to torment him. Eye-minded as he was, he
came to have an artistic sense, to love decorative effects. But
he let these always take precedence over his sense of truth; as,
for example, when he modified his lists of kings at Abydos to fit
the space which the architect had left to be filled; he had no
historical sense to show to him that truth should take precedence
over mere decoration. And everywhere he lived in the same