AND LOWER EGYPT. I9 



waves roll by the very foot of the houses, give It 

 from afar a pleasing appearance. The French 

 merchants at Cairo had a country-house there, on 

 the very brink of the Nile, and to this they fre- 

 quently resorted for the purpose of breathing a 

 pure air, instead of those infectious exhalations 

 among which they habitually lived, and to enjoy 

 a respite from that turbulent existence which dis- 

 turbed their minds in the city. Gizah brings 

 back the recollection of mighty objects. Mem- 

 phis was in its vicinity, and it is still the nearest 

 place to the most valuable monuments which an- 

 cient Egypt has left of her glory and her power. 

 The pyramids are at the distance of about two or 

 three leagues from it, and they bear indiscrimi- 

 nately the name of the Pyramids of Memphis t or the 

 Pvr^muds of Gizoh» 



c 2 



