and receives a pension from the state, if he have no private fortune, to allow him the repose his failing powers require.
Up to eighty years of age, he is still considered fit for work and may be employed in a post under Government. But at eighty he is compelled to give up his place or office and to go on the retired list, in order to make room for younger and more vigorous men.
The two periods of twenty and eighty are celebrated by rejoicings and festivals, more or less imposing according to the social status of the individual. At the former period, he is congratulated on becoming fit for public life, at the latter period he is again congratulated on gaining exemption from work.
He may anticipate his majority by a year or two, by passing a rigorous examination in hieroglyphics; by making some scientific discovery; by inventing some ingenious machine; by executing some great work of art, or by showing a certain proficiency in musical oratory.
On attaining his majority by the lapse of the required number of years, or in any of the ways adverted to, he has to appear before a magistrate, and assume the name he is thenceforth to bear.
Under this system it is impossible that any one can have a name he dislikes, as he might easily have, if his name were bestowed on him in his infancy by others. The same rule is applied to the female portion of the community; and they too can anticipate their majority in the same way as the males, though this very rarely, if ever, happens.
The names selected by the young men are usually those of some heroes of antiquity, or of some cele-
