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the Romans regarded it as second only in magnificence 

 and importance to their own capital. One-fourth of its 

 area was covered with palaces, temples, and public build- 

 ings, whilst its harbours were crowded with fleets, laden 

 with the rich products of the East, to be distributed 

 through the various nations of Europe. 



Alexandria fell into the hands of the Arabs A.D. 640. 

 Amrou, in his report to the Caliph Omar, states that it 

 then contained four thousand palaces, four thousand 

 baths, four hundred theatres or public buildings, and 

 twelve thousand shops, (Gibbon). Its decadence has 

 been dated from that period. It would appear, however, 

 from the statement of Bishop Arculf, Avho travelled in 

 Egypt about the end of the seventh century, that the 

 commercial prosperity and political importance of this 

 great city were not then so greatly reduced as Ave are led 

 by recent historians to believe. Bishop Arculf describes it 

 as " a city famous throughout the whole world. It ex- 

 tends to a great length from east to west, so that he 

 (Arculf), who began to enter the city at nine o'clock in 

 the morning (liord tertid) in the month of October, and 

 proceeding throiigh the whole length of the city, hardly 

 reached the other side before dark." 



Benjamin of Tudela, in the twelfth century, describes 

 Alexandria as " an extremely strong and handsome city," 

 to which people flocked from all parts of the world to 

 study the Aristotelian pliilosophy." " The streets are 

 straight, and some," he states, " are of such extent that 

 the eye cannot overlook them at once." " The city," he 

 adds, " is very mercantile and full of bustle, and aff'ords 

 an excellent market to all nations. People from all (yhris- 

 tian kingdoms resort to it, and every nation has its own 

 fonticcho (or hostelry) there." Four centuries afterwards 

 our learned and observant countryman, George Sandys, 

 visited Alexandria. After dwelling on its ancient glories. 



