ubjects. They had some
particular ones digested by a former monarch, that composed part of what
the Egyptians called the sacred books. Thus every thing being settled by
ancient custom, they never sought to live in a different way from their
ancestors.

No slave nor foreigner was admitted into the immediate service of the
prince; such a post was too important to be intrusted to any persons,
except those who were the most distinguished by their birth, and had
received the most excellent education; to the end that, as they had the
liberty of approaching the king's person day and night, he might, from men
so qualified, hear nothing which was unbecoming the royal majesty; nor
have any sentiments instilled into him but such as were of a noble and
generous kind. For, adds Diodorus, it is very rarely seen that kings fly
out into any vicious excess, unless those who approach them approve their
irregularities, or serve as instruments to their passions.

The kings of Egypt freely permitted, not only the quality and proportion
of what they ate and drank to be prescribed them, (a thing customary in
Egypt, whose inhabitants were all sober, and whose air inspired
frugality,) but even that all their hours, and almost every action, should
be under the regulation of the laws.

In the morning at day break, when the head is clearest, and the thoughts
most unperplexed, they read the several letters they received; to form a
more just and distinct idea of the affairs which were to come under their
consideration that day.

As soon as they were dressed, they went to the daily sacrifice performed
in the temple; where, surrounded with their whole court, and the victims
placed before the altar, they assisted at the prayer pronounced aloud by
the high priest, in which he asked of the gods, health and all other
blessings for the king, because he governed his people with clemency and
justice, and made the laws of his kingdom the rule and standard of his
actions. The high priest entered into a long detail of his royal virtues;
observing, that he was religious to the gods, affable to men, moderate,
just, magnanimous, sincere; an enemy to falsehood; liberal; master of his
passions; punishing crimes with the utmost lenity, but boundless in
rewarding merit. He next spoke of the faults which kings might be guilty
of; but supposed at the same time that they never committed any, except by
surprise or ignorance; and loaded with imprecations such of their