“At first he (i.e., Sin) got to Egypt, and did sow
  Gardens of gods, which every year did grow
  Fresh and fine deities.  They were at great cost,
  Who for a god clearly a sallet lost. 
  Ah, what a thing is man devoid of grace,
  Adoring garlic with an humble face,
  Begging his food of that which he may eat,
  Starving the while he worshippeth his meat! 
  Who makes a root his god, how low is he,
  If God and man be severed infinitely! 
  What wretchedness can give him any room,
  Whose house is foul, while he adores his broom?”]

The epithets which the Egyptians applied to their gods also bear valuable testimony concerning the ideas which they held about God.  We have already said that the “gods” are only forms, manifestations, and phases of R[=a], the Sun-god, who was himself the type and symbol of God, and it is evident from the nature of these epithets that they were only applied to the “gods” because they represented some qualify or attribute which they would have applied to God had it been their custom to address Him.  Let us take as examples the epithets which are applied to H[=a]pi the god of the Nile.  The beautiful hymn [Footnote:  The whole hymn has been published by Maspero in Hymns au Nil, Paris, 1868.] to this god opens as follows:—­

“Homage to thee, O H[=a]pi!  Thou comest forth in this land, and dost come in peace to make Egypt to live, O thou hidden one, thou guide of the darkness whensoever it is thy pleasure to be its guide.  Thou waterest the fields which R[=a] hath created, thou makest all animals to live, thou makest the land to drink without ceasing; thou descendest the path of heaven, thou art the friend of meat and drink, thou art the giver of the grain, and thou makest every place of work to flourish, O Ptah! ...  If thou wert to be overcome in heaven the gods would fall down headlong, and mankind would perish.  Thou makest the whole earth to be opened (or ploughed up) by the cattle, and prince and peasant lie down to rest....  His disposition (or form) is that of Khnemu; when he shineth upon the earth there is rejoicing, for all people are glad, the mighty man (?) receiveth his meat, and every tooth hath food to consume.”

After praising him for what he does for mankind and beasts, and for making the herb to grow for the use of all men, the text says:—­

“He cannot be figured in stone; he is not to be seen in the sculptured images upon which men place the united crowns of the South and the North furnished with uraei; neither works nor offerings can be made to him; and he cannot be made to come forth from his secret place.  The place where he liveth is unknown; he is not to be found in inscribed shrines; there existeth no habitation which can contain him; and thou canst not conceive his form in thy heart.”

First we notice that Hapi is addressed by the names