THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6 9S 



to wafte without profit, which muft have been the cafe, fince 

 it is Co at this day: obferving likewile, that the fuperabun- 

 dance of water in the Nile did harm, and that the neigh- 

 bouring fandy plains of Libya needed nothing but a judi- 

 cious di'tribution of that water, to make it equal to the 

 land of Egypt in fertility, and furpafs it in the variety of 

 natural productions, applied themfelves very early to dig- 

 ging large lakes*, that, preferving a degree of level fumcient, 

 all the year long watered the dry deferts of Libya like fo 

 many fruitful mowers. Geometry, architecture, and all the 

 mechanic arts of thofe times, were employed to accomplifh 

 thofe defigns. Thefe canals and vaft works communicated 

 one with another to imprifon the water, and fet it again at 

 liberty at proper times. 



We may be fatisfied this was obferved attentively all the 

 time of the dynafties, or reigns of the Egyptian prints. Af- 

 ter the acceffion of the Ptolemies, who were {hungers, the 

 multitude of inhabitants had greatly decreaied. There was 

 no occafion for works to water lands that were not peopled; 

 fo far as they were neceiFary for cities, gardens, and plea- 

 fure -grounds, they were always kept up. The larger and 

 more extenfive conduits, dykes, and flukes, though they 

 were not ufed, were protected by their own folidity and 

 ftrength from fudden ruin. Egypt, now confined within its 

 ancient narrow valley, had water enough to keep it in cul- 

 ture, and make it flill the granary of the inhabited world. 



When 



* We know that thefe lakes were dug, and in ufe as early as Mofes's time. Exod. chap vii. 

 ver. 19. chap. viii. ver. 5. 



