xiv Τ Η Ε Ρ R Ε F A C Ε. 



Geographical Part, "whenever the prefent State of that 

 Country is compared "with the antient, 



I have not followed the fame Method^ in illufirating the 

 comparative Geography of thofe Farts of Syria, Egypt, 

 and Arabia Petr^ea, that fell under my Obfervations. 

 Whenever therefore I had Occafion to call in the Authority 

 of the Ly4ntients, I have always done it by way of Note, in 

 the exprefs Words of the (author. For ^ Books of this 

 Kind being in few Ψ erf ons Hands, theReference alone, with- 

 out the Words referred to, mufl frequently have excited a 

 Curiofity that could not be gratified, and confequently would 

 have been of little Service to the Reader. 



The fame Reafon may be urged for the Variety of Notes 

 and §i^otations , that are occafionally made ufe of, in the 

 Mifcellaneous Parts of thefe Obfervations For as it 

 was neceffary to produce fuch Evidence and ^^uthority, 

 fo the Rotations themfelves can hardly be thought fuper^ 

 fluous. 



Thus have I given a general Account of this Work, and 

 of the Affiβances J received in compiling it : a Work, which 

 will require the Reader s Candor and Indulgence. For, 

 notwithflanding every Sheet of it was looked over by feve- 

 ral Learned Gentlemen of my Acquaintance ; yet, upon re- 

 viewing, Ifindthatfome Errorsofthe Prefs', and, I fear, 

 many Slips and Inaccuracies of Stile have efcaped me. 



The Reader will be likewife plea fed to put a favourable 

 Conflruciion, upon the lefs entertaining Faragraphs, that 

 may too often occur in the Courfe of the GQo^raphic^l Ob- 

 fervations. The Nature of the Subject (which confifls chiefly 

 in the Enumeration of Places, Tribes, and their Di fiances 

 from each other) would not permit them to be otherwife; 

 and in This, we have both the Authority and Example of 

 Strabo, Ptolemy, and other antient Geographers. 



Tethow dry and tedious foever Difquifitions of this Kind 

 may appear to fome Ferfons, the curious, I hope, will 

 not be dijpleafed to find fever al difficult Ψ oints, both of the 

 antient and modern Geography , thus explained and il- 



luflrated 



