This book is an exceptional labour that made the author's life worth living. Comparatively speaking, "A Book of the Beginnings" was written in the dark, "The Natural Genesis" was written in the twilight, whereas "Ancient Egypt" has been written in the light of day. It may have been a Million years ago That Light was kindled in the Old Dark Land With which the illumined Scrolls are all aglow, That Egypt gave us with her mummied hand: This was the secret of that subtle smile Inscrutable upon the Sphinx's face, Now told from sea to sea, from isle to isle; The revelation of the Old Dark Race; Theirs was the wisdom of the Bee and Bird, Ant, Tortoise, Beaver, working human-wise; The ancient darkness spake with Egypt's Word; Hers was the primal message of the skies: The Heavens are telling nightly of her glory, And for all time Earth echoes her great story To all lovers of the truth the writer commends the verifiable truths that wait for recognition in these pages. Truth is all-potent with its silent power If only whispered, never heard aloud, But working secretly, almost unseen, Save in some excommunicated Book; 'Tis as the lightning with its errand done Before you hear the thunder.
About the Author: Gerald Massey (29 May 1828 - 29 October 1907) was an English poet and self-educated Egyptologist. He was born near Tring, Hertfordshire in England. He was attracted by the movement known as Christian Socialism, into which he threw himself with whole-hearted vigour, and so became associated with Frederick Denison Maurice and Charles Kingsley. He became interested in Egyptology and the similarities that exist between ancient Egyptian mythology and the Gospel stories. He studied the extensive Egyptian records housed in the British Museum, and eventually taught himself to decipher the hieroglyphics. Massey's first public appearance as a writer was in connection with a journal called the Spirit of Freedom, of which he became editor. When he was only twenty-two he published his first volume of poems, Voices of Freedom and Lyrics of Love. These he followed in rapid succession with The Ballad of Babe Christabel (1854), War Waits (1855), Havelock's March (1860), and A Tale of Eternity (1869). He also published works dealing with Spiritualism, the study of Shakespeare's sonnets, and theological speculation. It is generally understood that he was the original of George Eliot's Felix Holt. Massey's poetry has a certain rough and vigorous element of sincerity and strength which easily accounts for its popularity at the time of its production. He treated the theme of Sir Richard Grenville before Tennyson thought of using it, with much force and vitality. Indeed, Tennyson's own praise of Massey's work is still its best eulogy, as he found in him "a poet of fine lyrical impulse, and of a rich half-Oriental imagination." The inspiration of his poetry is essentially British; he was a patriot to the core. His poem "The Merry, Merry May" was set to music in a popular song by composer Christabel Baxendale. Concerning Egyptology, Massey first published The Book of the Beginnings, followed by The Natural Genesis. His most prolific work is Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World, published shortly before his death, which draws comparisons between the Judeo-Christian religion and the Egyptian religion. One of the more sensational aspects of Massey's writings were the parallels he drew between Jesus and the Egyptian god Horus. These comparisons are primarily contained in his book The Natural Genesis. Massey's writings on this subject have influenced various later authors such as Alvin Boyd Kuhn, Tom Harpur, and D. M. Murdock.