many plainnesses of speech the old Egyptian resembled the modern
Oriental, or our own forefathers, more than ourselves in this age of
squeamishness as yet unparalleled in the world. To avoid offence a few
little modifications of words have been made; but rather than give a
false impression by tampering with any of the narrative, I have omitted
the sequel of the last tale and given only an outline of it. The diction
adopted has been the oldest that could be used without affectation when
dealing with the early times. It has been purposely modified in the
later tales; and in the last--which is of Ptolemaic authorship--a
modern style has been followed as more compatible with the later tone of
the narrative.

For the illustrations Mr. Tristram Ellis's familiarity with Egypt has
been of good account in his life-like scenes here used. For each
drawing I have searched for the material among the monuments and
remains of the age in question. The details of the dresses, the
architecture, and the utensils, are all in accord with the period of
each tale. In the tale of Setnau two different styles are introduced.
Ahura is probably of the time of Amenhotep III., whereas Setnau is a
son of Ramessu II.; and the change of fashion between the two
different dynasties has been followed as distinctive of the two
persons, one a _ka_ or double of the deceased, the other a living man.
To the reader who starts with the current idea that all Egyptians were
alike, this continual change from one period to another may seem
almost fanciful. But it rests on such certain authority that we may
hope that this little volume may have its use as an object-lesson in
practical archaeology.

The use and abuse of notes is a matter of dispute. To be constantly
interrupted in reading by some needless and elementary explanation is