42 The ancient Situation of Memphis &c, 



tion depending all along upon the keeping up thefe Mounds 

 and Ramparts ; and thereby fortifying itfelf againft the In- 

 croachments of the Nile. But after Alexandria was built and 

 became the chief Mart for Trade and Navigation, and alfo 

 the Abode of the E^jJ'p/i^// Kings; Memphis, bylofmg, in this 

 Manner, the Refidence of the Court, together with if s former 

 Commerce, would, in Proportion, lofe the many Families and 

 the numerous Retinue, that, in one Relation or other, de- 

 pended upon them both. 

 When the ^g ^j^g Inhabitants therefore, in a few Ages, for Want of 



Xv VI m p u r t s 



^^^'^^j^"/^'^^- Trade and Employment, might be fo gradually reduced and 

 ftro'cd'^^'^^'^i^poverifhed, as to be incapacitated, either to undergo the 

 Fatigue or the Expence of keeping up thefe Mounds and Ram- 

 parts ; it is very probable, that, at Length, they might be ne- 

 ceflitated, intirely to abandon both Them and their City. Mem- 

 phis being thus left, without an Inhabitant, naked and open, 

 to the Ravages and Devaftations of the Nile ; and the Danger, 

 to which it was expofed, for Want of thefe Ramparts, of being 

 piv allowed up, {^ArAxXv^^^oui,) beginning now to take Place ; the 

 Period of Time could not be long, before the whole Face and 

 Appearance of it would be fo greatly changed and altered, as 

 not to afford the leaft Trace or Footftep of it's ancient Gran- 

 deur and Magnificence, or even that fuch a City had ever been. 

 Thisattefted Neither am I fingular in this Opinion: It is confirmed by 

 i'Kl'" '^"' this Author himfelf // is very extraordinary, fays he, (p. 5 9.) 

 that the Situation of Memphis fiould not he well known, which 

 was Jo great and famous a City, and for fo long a Time the 

 Capital of ^.^'^'^t ; hut as many of the heft Materials of it might 

 he carried to Alexandria ; and afterwards when fuch large 

 Cities were huilt near it as Cairo and thofe ahout it, it is no 

 Wonder that all the Materials JJjould he carried away to Tlaces 

 ■ fo near and Jo welljrequented\ and the City heing in this man- 

 ner lei)elled, and the Nile o'uerjlowing the old Ruins, it may 

 eaftly he accounted Jor, how ^ e'^jery thing has heen huried or 

 covered over, as if no fuch Tlace had ever heen, Mr. Maillet 

 likewife, in his Defcription of Egypt, (p. 175-.) is of the fame 

 Opinion, though more concife : 7)e cette Memphis, autrefois ft 

 Jameufe ^ ft conjtderahle, a peine refiet-il affez de traces^ 

 pour pouvoir nous affurer de fa veritahle Situation. 



CHAP. 



