culist from Sais, who wrote a book upon the diseases of the visual
organs. The fate of this valuable work exactly agrees with the course
of the narrative. The papyrus scroll of the Sais oculist, which a short
time ago existed only in the imagination of the author and readers of
"An Egyptian Princess," is now an established fact. When I succeeded in
bringing the manuscript home, I felt like the man who had dreamed of a
treasure, and when he went out to ride found it in his path.

A reply to Monsieur Jules Soury's criticism of "An Egyptian Princess" in
the Revue des deux Mondes, Vol. VII, January 1875, might appropriately
be introduced into this preface, but would scarcely be possible without
entering more deeply into the ever-disputed question, which will be
answered elsewhere, whether the historical romance is ever justifiable.
Yet I cannot refrain from informing Monsieur Soury here that "An
Egyptian Princess" detained me from no other work. I wrote it in my
sick-room, before entering upon my academic career, and while composing
it, found not only comfort and pleasure, but an opportunity to give dead
scientific material a living interest for myself and others.

Monsieur Soury says romance is the mortal enemy of history; but this
sentence may have no more justice than the one with which I think myself
justified in replying: Landscape painting is the mortal enemy of botany.
The historical romance must be enjoyed like any other work of art.
No one reads it to study history; but many, the author hopes, may be
aroused by his work to make investigations of their own, for which the
notes point out the way. Already several persons of excellent mental
powers have been attracted to earnest Egyptological researches by
"An Egyptian Princess." In the presence of such experiences, although
Monsieur Soury's clever statements appear to contain much that is true,
I need not apply his remark that "historical romances injure the cause
of science" to the present volume.

Leipzig, April 19, 1875.

GEORG EBERS.

PREFACE TO THE FIFTH GERMAN EDITION.

Again a new edition of "An Egyptian Princess" has been required, and
again I write a special preface because the printing has progressed so
rapidly as unfortunately to render it impossible for me to correct
some errors to which my attention was directed by the kindness of
the well-known botanist, Professor Paul Ascherson of Berlin, who has
travelled through Eg