ABSTRACT
The same wealth formerlv existed on the banks of the Nile; but Egypt was more ~efined, and never displayed her opulence with so much ostentation. Pharaoh and his nobles loved, and still love, elegance and perfection rather than rich ornaments and furniture. They wear little, and their garments are of simple white linen, but the quality is so light and fine that the form and colour of the body are visible through it, and contact with it is a caress to the limbs. On the contrary, the Assyrians seek for heavy, stiff materials, shaggy and loaded with fringes, overweighted with many-coloured designs and embroideries. Their garments envelopthem completely from neck to ankle, but they drape badly, and encircle the bust and hips almost without folds. Even the women seem to prefer a style of dress which enlarges them and conceals their natural shape as much as possible; the wadded cases in which they imprison themselves give them a stiff, awkward appearance, which contrasts most unfavourably with the supple grace and easy movements of the Egyptians.
