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given satisfaction； to another the frequently occurring remembrances of athletic sports； in a third； perhaps； sweet memories of bygone classical studies have been awakened。
The last time we dined in pany it was decided that we should proffer to you； in humble acknowledgment of our respect and thanks； our united most hearty good wishes for your happiness； contentment and general well…being； with the hope that you may be spared to enrich your fellow…creatures and ing generations with the fair products of your fertile mind。
We beg you； dear sir； to believe us；
Yours faithfully；
A。 Damek； Crawford； C。 Horstek；
German； Scotchman； Englishman；
S。 Jordan； E。 Poesetzlin； L。 Stark；
Frenchman； Swiss； Hungarian；
Electrical Engineers。
This； I think； was a very satisfactory letter for an author to receive。
Chapter 11 EGYPT
Leave for Egypt — Reincarnation — Boulak Museum — Excavations — Removal of mummies — Nofertari — Adventure in tomb — Mr。 Brownrigg’s danger on Pyramid — Cyprus — Article on “Fiction” — “Jess” — Home by long sea — “Cleopatra” — “Colonel Quaritch； V。C。” — Press attacks — Publishing arrangements — Lang’s advice — “Cleopatra” dedicated to H。 R。 H。‘s mother — Her death — Savile Club — Thomas Hardy — H。 R。 H。 weary of writing novels — Lang’s encouragement — Allan Quatermain and Umslopogaas — Winston Churchill’s approval — Letters from W。 E。 Henley — “Maiwa’s Revenge” — “Beatrice” — Collaboration with Lang in “The World’s Desire” — Letters from Lang — “The Song of the Bow。”
After “She” had been fairly launched； and the proofs of “Jess” passed for press； I started； in January 1887； on a journey to Egypt。 From a boy ancient Egypt had fascinated me； and I had read everything concerning it on which I could lay hands。 Now I was possessed by a great desire to see it for myself； and to write a romance on the subject of “Cleopatra；” a sufficiently ambitious project。
A friend of mine who is a mystic of the first water amused me very much not long ago by forwarding to me a list of my previous incarnations； or rather of three of them； which had been revealed to him in some mysterious way。 Two of these were Egyptian； one as a noble in the time of Pepi II who lived somewhere about 4000 B。C。； and the second as one of the minor Pharaohs。 In the third； according to him； I was a Norseman of the seventh century； who was one of the first to sail to the Nile； whence he returned but to die in sight of his old home。 After that； saith the prophet； I slumbered for twelve hundred years until my present life。
I cannot say that I have been converted to my friend’s perfectly sincere beliefs； since the reincarnation business seems to me to be quite insusceptible of proof。 If it could be proved； how much more interesting it would make our lives。 But that； I think； will never happen； even if it be true that we return again to these glimpses of the moon； which； like everything else； is possible。
Still it is a fact that some men have a strong affinity for certain lands and periods of history； which； of course； may be explained by the circumstance that their direct ancestors dwelt in those lands and at those periods。 Thus I love the Norse people of the saga and presaga times。 But then I have good reason to believe that my forefathers were Danes。 I am； however； unable to trace any Egyptian ancestor — if such existed at all it is too long ago。
However these things may be； with the old Norse and the old Egyptians I am at home。 I can enter into their thoughts and feelings； I can even understand their theologies。 I have a respect for Thor and Odin； I venerate Isis； and always feel inclined to bow to the moon！
Whatever the reason； I seem to myself to understand the Norse folk of anywhere about 800 A。D。 and the Egyptians from Menes down to the Ptolemaic period； much better than I understand the people of the age in which I live。 They are more familiar to me。 They interest me much more。 For instance； I positively loathe the Georgian period； about which I can never even bring myself to read。 On the other hand； I have the greatest sympathy with savages； Zulus for instance； with whom I always got on extremely well。 Perhaps my mystical friend has left a savage incarnation out of his list。
For these reasons I know well that I could never be a success as a modern novelist。 I can see the whole thing； it goes on under my eyes； and as a magistrate and in other ways I am continually in touch with it。 I could write of it also if I could bring myself to the task。 I would undertake to produce a naturalistic novel that would sell — why should I not do so with my experience？ But the subject bores me too much。 The naturalism I would not mind； but if it is to be truthful it is impossible and； to say the least； unedifying。 The petty social conditions are what bore me。 I know this is not right； but it is a failing in myself； since under all conditions human nature is the same and the true artist should be able to present it with equal power。 But we are as we are made。 Even the great Shakespeare； I observe； sought distant scenes and far…off events for his tragedies； seeking； I presume； to escape the trammels of his time。
To return from this dissertation。 I went to Egypt seeking knowledge and a holiday。 The knoe of it； for when the mind is open and desirous； it absorbs things as a dry sponge does water。 I had an introduction to Brugsch Bey； who was then； I think； the head of the Boulak Museum。 He took me round that heavenly place。 He showed me the mummies of Seti； Rameses； and the rest； and oh！ with what veneration did I look upon them。 He told me； trembling with emotion； of the discovery； then recent； of the great Deir…el…Behari cache of Pharaohs and their treasures。 He said when he got to the bottom of that well and entered the long passage where for tens of centuries had slept the mighty dead； huddled together there to save them from the wicked hands of robbers or enemies； and by the light of torches had read a few of the names upon the coffins； that he nearly fainted with joy； as well he might。 Also he described to me how； when the royal bodies were borne from this resting…place and shipped for conveyance to Cairo； there to find a new tomb in the glass cases of a museum； the fellaheen women ran along the banks wailing because their ancient kings were being taken from among them。 They cast dust upon their hair； still dressed in a hundred plaits； as was that of those far…off mothers of theirs who had wailed when these Pharaohs were borne with solemn pomp to the homes they called eternal。 Poor kings！ who dreamed not of the glass cases of the Cairo Museum； and the gibes of tourists who find the awful majesty of their whithered brows a matter for jest and smiles。 Often I wonder how we dare to meddle with these hallowed relics； especially now in my age。 Then I did not think so much of it； indeed I have taken a hand at the business myself。
On that same visit I saw the excavation of some very early burials in the shadow of the pyramids of Ghizeh； so early that the process of mummification was not then practised。 The skeletons lay upon their sides in the prenatal position。 The learned gentleman in charge of the excavation read to me the inscription in the little ante…chamber of one of these tombs。
If I remember right； it ran as follows： “Here A。 B。 ＇I forget the name of the deceased＇； priest of the Pyramid of Khufu； sleeps in Osiris awaiting the resurrection。 He passed all his long life in righteousness and peace。”
That； at any rate； was the sense of it； and I bethought me that such an epitaph would have been equally fitting to； let us say； the dean of a cathedral in the present century。 Well； perhaps a day will e when Westminster Abbey and our other sacred burying…places will be ransacked in like manner； and the relics of our kings and great ones exposed in the museum of some race unknown of a different faith to ours。 I may add that in Egypt even an identity of faith does not protect the dead； since the Christian bishops； down to those of the eighth or ninth century； have been disinterred； for I have seen many of their broidered vestments in public and private collections。 The idea seems to be that if only you have