its evolution to that
which is visible in the case of the Greek and Roman columns.

The earliest Egyptian column appears to have been of a
strictly geometrical character. This developed into a column
resembling the Doric order. A second class of Egyptian
column was based upon plant forms, probably derived from the
practice of using reeds in the construction of mud huts. The
chief botanical form which has come down to us is that of
the lotus. A more advanced type of decoration utilised the
goddess Hathor for the support of the superincumbent weight
and has its analogy in the decadent caraytides of late Roman
times.

Owing to Mariette's friendship with the viceroy he was able to guard
his right to excavate with strict exclusiveness. He was accustomed to
allow other scholars the right to examine localities where he had been
the first one to make the researches, but he would not even allow the
famous Egyptologist, also his great friend, Heinrich Brugsch, to make
excavations in new places. After his death, conditions were somewhat
altered, although the general directorship of the excavations was still
given exclusively to Frenchmen. The successors of Mariette Bey were
Gaston Maspero, E. Grebault, J. de Morgan, and Victor Laret. But as time
went on, savants of other nationalities were allowed to explore, with
certain reservations. Maspero founded an archaeological mission in Cairo
in 1880, and placed at its head, in successive order, MM. Lebebure,
Grebault, and Bouriant. The first of all to translate complete Egyptian
books and entire inscriptions was Emanuel de Rouge, who exerted a great
influence upon an illustrious galaxy of French savants, who followed
more or less closely the example set by him. Among these translators we
may enumerate Mariette, Charles Deveria, Pierret, Maspero himself, and
Revillout, who has proved himself to be the greatest demotic scholar of
France.

England is also represented by scholars of note, among whom may be
mentioned Dr. Samuel Birch (1813--85). He was a scholar of recognised
profundity and also of remarkable versatility. One of the most important
editorial tasks of Doctor Birch was a series known as "The Records
of the Past," which consisted of translations from Egyptian and
Assyrio-Babylonian records. Doctor Birch himself contributed several
volumes to this series. He had also the added distinction of being the
first translator of