400 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



" Compaflionate, O ftranger ! a People go- 

 " verned by terror, becaufe the voice of reafon is 

 ** not heard among them. I flattered myfelf, on 

 " thy arrival, vvich the hope that thou wert def- 

 " tined to found, and to extend her empire, by 

 ** introducing the Arts of Egypt; and that I (hould 

 ** behold the accomplifhment of an ancient oracle 

 " univerfally received among us, by which a def- 

 ** tiny the moft fublime is affigned to this city; 

 " that it's temples fliall rear their heads above the 

 ** tops of the forefts ; that it fhall affemble, within 

 " it's precinds, the men of all Nations; that the 

 ** ignorant (liould refort hither for inftruftion, the 

 •* miferable for confolation ; and that there the 

 ** Gods fhould communicate themfelves to men, 

 •' as in highly favoured Egypt. But, ah, thefe 

 " happy times are ftill removed to an awful dif- 

 " tance.'* 



The King thus addreffed Cephas and myfelf: 

 ** O my friends, avail yourfelves, without a mo- 

 ** ment's delay, of the fuccour which Omf. brings 

 " you." At the fame time he gave orders to pre- 

 pare a barge for us, provided with excellent rowers. 

 He prefented us with two alhen half-pikes, mount- 

 ed with fteel by his own hand, and two ingots of 

 gold, the firfl fruits of his commerce. He next 

 employed fome of his confidential fervants, to con- 

 du(5t us to the territory of the Veneti. ** They 



" are '' 



