Magic was a science in which the Egyptians excelled. Its attainment was esteemed the highest exertion of human intellect. Some imagined that the invention of magic exceeded human invention, and they pretended that the angel who fell in love with the antediluvian women taught it, and that the principles thereof were preserved by Ham after the Deluge, and that he communicated them to his son Mizraim; but others ascribed the invention to Hermes. Without either admitting or denying these assertions, we can have no hesitation in stating that much of our superstition may be traced back to Egyptian religion and customs, and that the singular belief of the Egyptians was general, and long anterior to the time Jacob and his sons went down to that country. The Egyptian priests, taking advantage of the people's credulity, taught that the sun, moon, and whole host of heaven were endowed with intelligence, and exerted an influence over the destinies of men; and they (the priests) pretended to work miracles, and obtain oracles and omens. They also laid claim to the power of interpreting dreams. The Egyptians believed that the souls of men went into other bodies at death,--such as had been virtuous going into exalted bodies, but the vicious passing into mean reptiles and other contemptible creatures. After remaining in a state of punishment for a certain number of years, they were supposed to pass into more exalted beings. Praise was not bestowed indiscriminately upon every person who died, however exalted his position. Characters were given by judges, after inquiry into the life and conduct of the deceased. The judges sat on the opposite side of a lake; and while they crossed the lake, he who sat at the helm was called Charon, which gave rise to the fable among the Greeks, that Charon conducted the souls of deceased persons into the infernal regions. CHAPTER IV. Babylon--The Chaldeans were Priests, Philosophers, Astronomers, Astrologers, and Soothsayers--Downfall of Babylon predicted--Worship of the Medes and Persians--Devils confined in an Egg--Sacred Fire--The Gaures--Births and Deaths in Early Times--A narrow Bridge--An immense Tree--Creation of Prophets--A Stone to which Abraham tied his Camel--Adam and Eve's Trysting Place--Black Art--Ways of discovering whether a supposed Criminal was Guilty or Innocent--Looking into Futurity--Canaanites, Syrians, and Arabians--Strange Fables--Abraham breaking Heathen Idols--Worship of the Egyptian Thorn--Altars--Religion of the Carthagenians and Tyrians--Supremacy of the Gods.