Ixii INTRODUCTION. 



cd upon the examples that Italy alone can furnifh, was net 

 giving ancient architects fair play. AVhat was to be 

 learned from the firft proportions of their plans and eleva- 

 tions feemed to have remained untouched in Egypt ; after 

 having confidered thefe, I propofed to live in retirement on 

 my native patrimony, with a fair Hock of unexceptionable 

 materials upon this fubject, to ferve for a pleafant and ufe- 

 ful amufement in my old age. I hope ftill thefe will not be 

 loft to the public, unlefs the encouragement be in propor- 

 tion to what my labours have already had. 



■%■ 



I now received, however, a letter very unexpectedly by 



way of Alexandria, which, if it did not overturn, at leaft 



fhook thefe refolutions. The Comte de Buffon, Monf. Guys 



of Marfeilles, and feveral others well known in the literary 



world, had ventured to ftate to the minifter, and through 



him to the king of France, Louis XV. how very much it was 



to be lamented, that after a man had been found who was 



likely to fucceed in removing that opprobrium of travellers 



and geographers, by discovering the fources of the Nile, one 



moil unlucky accident, at a moil unlucky time, mould fruf- 



trate the moft promifing endeavours. That prince, diftin- 



guifhed for every good quality of the heart, for benevolence, 



beneficence, and a defire of promoting and protecting 



learning, ordered a moveable quadrant of his own military 



academy at Marfeilles, as the neareft and moft convenient 



port of embarkation, to be taken down and fen? to me at 



Alexandria. 



With this I received a letter from Mr Ruffel, which in- 

 formed me that cuironcmcrs had begun to cOol in the {'an- 

 guine expectations of difcevcring the precife quantity of 



the 



