COPTS. 191 Wliy their numbers are now so few, is easily explained. At the iirst announcement of the Christian religion, all the Copts might not have become converts to it, but perhaps divided themselves among many other nations, and were thus lost among their masses. Such as did embrace Christianity were diminished, and driven from their homes by the cruellest persecutions, martyrdoms, and executions, when they did not die of starvation and miseries, or on their flight to the deserts, or in their places of hiding and refuge in the caves and catacombs of the Lydian and Arabian hills, all round Avliich, even to this day, the marks of smoke tind many skeletons plainly tell of tlieir having died a miserable death. And faster still did their numbers melt away before Islamism, which then appeared. Here, death or conversion was the sole choice ; and though, perhaps, many did in some way manage to remain true to Christianity, still the greater number certainly went over to the newer doctrines, as the glory of mai-tyrdom had somewhat faded, and was no more so ardently sought after. The calendar was almost tilled with the ancient heroic martyrs, and no place remained for the new. But now one sees among the Arabs a style of features that has nothing in common with the general sharp Arab features, but possesses all the characteristics of the Copts, and there can be no doubt that the possessors of these descend from Coptish families, who, from compulsion or interest, have embraced Mahomedanism. To the remainder of tlie Copts, after these persecutions, a short space of rest was, indeed, allowed ; but ere long burst out the devouring crusades, and certain it is, that, after each new victory of the Christians, the infuriated Turks vented their disapl)ointed rage on the poor Cojjts. 15y all this, as well as from after miseries and oppression enougli to decrease any people, must this formerly so important population liave become thus reduced, even though one does not take into consideration that, large as Egypt's former population was (in its flourishing times six or seven millions), yet that the war with Persia, in which religious fury not only sacriflced thousands of men, but also destroyed all temples, c, and the wars with Rome, Greece, vKthiopia, and other nations, must and did reduce the numbers of its ])opulation to the lowert ebb.

Even now the government do not allow the Copts to bear arms, nor are they employed as soldiers. Under the French they 1"