lowers were in their glory. The
peach-trees,--it was late in February,--well-divided about the long,
broad paths, were in full splendor of blossom, dotting the whole view
with huge clusters of pink flowers delightful to the eye. The walks were
clean, nicely cared for, and the shrubbery admirably trimmed, though
there was no attempt at Chinese grotesqueness in shape and figures.
Nature was permitted to follow her own sweet will as to form and
luxuriousness of growth, filling the air with a mingled perfume of
roses, heliotrope, and lemon-verbena. As we left the grounds each was
presented with a bouquet by the disinterested (?) gardener.

The exhibition of Egyptian antiquities in the Cairo Museum is the most
extensive and complete collection in existence, affording historic data
of priceless value to the antiquarian. Here we have tangible history
taking us back four thousand five hundred years before the coming of
Christ, representing not only the art and culture, but also the religion
of those remote periods, even to the days of Menes, the first recorded
king. A wooden statue over four thousand years old, recovered from
Memphis, launches one's imagination upon a busy train of thought. Here
were curious tables, papyrus, bronze images, mummies, sculptures from
stone, objects relating to domestic life, arms, rings, combs, vases, and
many other articles which were in use four thousand years ago. By the
Boulak Museum it is easily proved that the glory of Egyptian art
belonged to the age of Cheops, its decadence to that of Rameses II. The
collection, as we have intimated, throws a light upon Egyptian life and
history for nearly five thousand years before the Christian era, but it
is only a dim light. There can be but little consecutive reading of
these isolated mementos. They afford us information as to generalities
only, yet add link after link to a chain connecting those long past
centuries with the present time.

The Mosque of Amer, some twelve centuries in age, though little more
than a ruin, is still of considerable interest to the traveler. One
enters the walls of an oblong court, the east end being formed of a
gallery with columns inclosing the sanctuary. The north and south sides
are inclosed by piazzas with many noble columns. There are two hundred
and fifty of these, formed of single stones of granite and porphyry,
which are known to have come from Memphis and Heliopolis. The whole
deserted temple constitutes the mos