ritual ends. Yet, no doubt, the lay Egyptian had a
private religion of his own as well as his share in the great public
acts he witnessed. Though the gods of Egypt are nearly all good, the
evil power Set was much worshipped, and would be approached in
private as well as in the public acts depicted on the monuments, by
all who had anything to fear from him--that is to say, by all. Every
one had to treat with kindness and respect the animal species sacred
in his nome, and other sacred animals. The belief in magic was
strong; hidden powers had to be reckoned with on manifold occasions;
sickness was imputed to the agency of evil spirits, and treated by
exorcism, by persons duly trained and learned in such arts. Lucky and
unlucky days, and days suitable or unsuitable for particular
undertakings, filled the calendar; the belief in amulets and charms
was universal. Such things we expect to find among the people, even
where religious thought has risen highest.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE OTHER LIFE

Most of our knowledge about ancient Egypt is drawn from the tombs. No
other nation ever bestowed so much care on the dead as the Egyptians
did, nor thought of the other world so much. The living had to
prepare for his further existence after death, and the dead claimed
from his successors on earth elaborate offices of piety. It is in
this part of the religion that there is most growth, and this part of
it in its ultimate form is best known.

1. Treatment of the Dead.--The doctrine of the other world takes its
rise with the Egyptians in the belief common to all early races,
which was described above (chapter iii.). The spirit still lives when
the body dies, and it comes back to the body, and is affected by the
treatment the body receives. To care for the dead is the first duty
of the living, and a man must marry in order to have offspring who
will pay him the necessary attention after his death. Various things
are buried with the corpse for the use of the spirit, and offerings
are made to it from time to time afterwards. This is no more than the
common primitive belief, but the Egyptians carried it out more fully
in practice than any other people. They sought to make the body
incorruptible, embalming it and restoring to it all its organs, so
that the spirit should be able to discharge every function of life.
They placed the mummy if possible in such a situation that it should
never be disturbed to the end of time; the grave they called