I am Balthasar the Egyptian." The last words were spoken quietly, but with so much dignity that both listeners bowed to the speaker.
"There are many distinctions I might claim for my race," he continued; "but I will content myself with one.

History began with us.

We were the first to perpetuate events by records kept.

So we have no traditions; and instead of poetry, we offer you certainty.

On the facades of palaces and temples, on obelisks, on the inner walls of tombs, we wrote the names of our kings, and what they did; and to the delicate papyri we intrusted the wisdom of our philosophers and the secrets of our religion--all the secrets but one, whereof I will presently speak.