X 



THE PREFACE. 



Egypt, (which the worthy Gentleman, above-mentioned, is pre- 

 paring for thePrefs ; afmall Part of it only having been printed, 

 fome Years ago, by the Son of the celebrated Dr. Edii/. Tocock ;) 

 acquaints us, that, u^n. Hej. 5-96. (when the Nile rofe no higher 

 than II. Cubits and 11. Digits, which occafioned a great Fa- 

 mine in Egypt ;) there came an Embaffiidor from Ethiopia, who 

 brought Letters fignifying the Death of their Metropolitan^ 

 and requcfting a Succeffor; wherein it was mentioned, that 

 thev had had but little Rain in Ethiopia, and therefore the 

 Egyptians were to expert a low Nile. 



4.33. 1. II. <^ Stippl. p 30. add. The fame Author derives 

 the Name of the Nile or Nil j^i, from the Verb Jb Nal, which 

 fignifies to give, to he flow, to be liberal Sec. According to 

 which Etymology, the Nil will fignify The munificent Giver 

 of good Things. Tradl. 11. Chap. i. 



4.39. 1.4. Stippl. p. 44.. ^dd this Note, from Al Mafudi, as 

 quoted hj Macrizi. It is the Opinion of Philofophers and Natu- 

 ralifts, that the Nile once covered it's Country, and that it fpread 

 itfelf from the Upper Egypt, (i.e. Said or Thehais) to the Lower. 

 — And that, upon the Waters retiring, Jfbme Places of it be- 

 gan to be inhabited ; 'till at Length, the Water continuing to 

 flow off by little and little, the Land was filled with Cities 

 and Dwellings. He alludes to Arijl. Meteorol. 1. 1 . c. 1 4. 



441. 1. 34. Suppl. p. 44. 1.7. ^dd. Jf Eg/pt fliould not re- 

 ceive a fufficient Quantity of Moifture from the gradual In- 

 creafe and Rifing of the Nile, and the Water retire from it 

 afterwards, by the Beginning of Seed Time ; the Country would 

 be intirely ruined, and the Inhabitants would perifli with 

 Hunger. Macrizi s Account of the Nile. 



5-9. 1. 38 ^ To the RxcQTipta. from Kalkafendas, de Nilo & 

 Kilometro, (where he had acquainted us, that the Nile, from 

 ./^.Hej.i'^. to ^ Hej. 700. had rifen {gradually) from 14. to \6. 

 or 17. Cubits;) add. As for our Time, conlmutsKalkafendas, 

 {viz. y^.Hej. 8o5. i e. A. D. 1438. ) the Soil is raifed by the 

 falling of the Mud, that is brought down with the Water ; and 

 the Bridges, {that were formerly huilt over the Canals, when 

 the Nile did not rife Jo high,) are broken down or covered, 

 {hy the augmented Impetuo/ity or Height of the Stream ;) and the 

 Nile, by the Appointment of the moft high God, is reduced to 



thefe 



