this last could, therefore, be sold at a low price; it
offered all the brilliancy of the former, and its weight alone
betrayed its inferiority; by which means, whatever was novel, or
pleasing from its external appearance, was placed within reach of all
classes, or, at least, the possessor had the satisfaction of seeming
to partake in each fashionable novelty.

[Illustration: IMITATION OF REAL STONES.]

Such inventions, and successful endeavors to imitate costly ornaments
by humbler materials, not only show the progress of art among the
Egyptians, but strongly argue the great advancement they had made in
the customs of civilized life; since it is certain, that until society
has arrived at a high degree of luxury and refinement, artificial
wants of this nature are not created, and the poorer classes do not
yet feel the desire of imitating the rich, in the adoption of objects
dependent on taste or accidental caprice.

Glass bugles and beads were much used by the Egyptians for necklaces,
and for a sort of network, with which they covered the wrappers and
cartonage of mummies. They were arranged so as to form, by their
varied hues, numerous devices or figures, in the manner of our bead
purses; and women sometimes amused themselves by stringing them for
ornamental purposes, as at the present day.

A far more numerous class were the potters; and all the processes of
mixing the clay, and of turning, baking and polishing the vases are
represented in the tombs of Thebes and Beni Hassan, of which we have
already spoken.

They frequently kneaded the clay with their feet, and after it had
been properly worked up, they formed it into a mass of convenient size
with the hand, and placed it on the wheel, which was of very simple
construction, and generally turned with the hand. The various forms of
the vases were made out by the finger during the revolution; the
handles, if they had any, were afterwards affixed to them; and the
devices and other ornamental parts were traced with a wooden or metal
instrument, previous to their being baked. They were then suffered to
dry, and for this purpose were placed on planks of wood; they were
afterwards arranged with great care in trays, and carried, by means of
the usual yoke, borne on men's shoulders, to the oven.

The Egyptians displayed much taste in their gold, silver, porcelain,
and glass vases, but when made of earthenware, for ordinary purposes,
they were frequently devoid of ele