5'4 Egypt ^-f gradually augmented 



Inundation therefore fliould be obftruded, by fome Means or 

 other, from doing it's Office, the like EfFe6ls muft be equally- 

 produced in all Parts. It does not feem probable therefore, 

 as this Gentleman afferts", that the Land of Eg)'pt fljould have 

 a gradual "Defcent from the main River to the Foot of the 

 Mountains^ on each Side. This we may rather fufped to be 

 a Deceptio Viftis, than a Matter of Fa£t. 

 The Intro- Por this Inequality in the Surface, could not be occafioned 



duaion of -^ . -^ ' ^ 



Canaiscouid(for theReafons juft now alledsed.) by the more general and 



not occahon ^ a • r \ a ■" j o ""■ 



any inequa- total Inundations 1 fuch as happened in the earlier Ages, when 



Jity in the . ^ '- o > •»* 



Strata. thc Nik was neither bounded nor confined by Mounds or 

 Canals ; and when the whole Land of E^pt was ^r^j^xs ts^ovl, one 

 continued Tlain, as Herodoti^s exprelTes it. Neither could this 

 Inequality be introduced by the partial or diitributive Inun- 

 dations, as we may call them; fuch as were made at and after 

 the Time oiSefoflris, by means of thefe Canals, together with 

 their refpefbive Banks and adjacent Inclofures. The contrary 

 would always follow, unlefs the Nile was entirely excluded; 

 which the Egyptians, from the great Fertility and Profit that 

 attended the Inundation, would never be induced to permit. 

 No fuch Declivity therefore, in the Strata, could follow from 

 the Introdu<5lion and Structure of the Canals themfelves; which, 

 (befides their civil and political Ufe ', in cantoning out this 



1 It is remarkiihle, that the Ground is lovveft, (Jloping, itfiould he ; othenfife there is no 

 Antitbefts ;) near all other Rivers which are rupplicd from Rivulets, but as no Water falls 

 into the Nile in it's PaflTage through this Country ; but, on the contrary, as it is nccefTary 

 that this River /hould overflow the Country, and the Water of it be conveyed by Canals to 

 all Parts, efpecially when the Waters abate, (6 it * feentcd v'tfible to me, that the Land 

 oi Egypt is lower at a Diftanse from the Nile, than it is near it ; and / imagined that in 

 mod Parts it appeared to have a gradual Dcfcent from the jfVi/<? to the Hills, p. 199. The 

 Nile need not be fo high overflowing by the Banks of the Canal, on the Suppofition that 

 the Ground is lower at a Diftance from the River, p. 2jo. Canals being made, it was 

 not a bad Nile though two Cubits lov.cr than the bid Nile of Herodotus, becaufc a lefs 

 Height made it to overflow in fome Meafure, as the Banks of the Canals were lower than 

 the Banks of the River, p. 2y2. As tliey have Dikes to keep the Water out of the Canals 

 'till the proper Time come to let it in, lo they have contrivances to keep it in fome Canals 

 after the Nile is fallen, as well as in certain Lakes when the Z\ri/t? grows lowj and from 

 them they let it out at Pleafure, on Lands that are higher (* zfhich wants to be explained,) 

 than the Channels of the Canals ; and Strabo takes notice of thefe Methods, (but the Place 

 is not quoted,) to hinder the Water from flowing in or going out when it is in. p. 201. 

 And again. There is great Reafon to think, that, contrary to what is generally obferved, 

 the plain Ground of Egypt is higheft towards the River, and that there is a gentle Defccnc 

 to the foot of the Hills: and if fo, when the Canals were once opened and the Water let 

 into them, it would fooner overflow the Banks of the Canals than thofe of the River, after 

 that the Canals were cut j though not fooner than before they were cut. But then the 

 Water would overflow lefs, fooner abate, drain off, and evaporate, by reafon of the greater 

 Outlet &CC. p. 2 JO. But the learned Author, in thefe, no lefs than in other Points, inDilpute be- 

 twixt us, has often exprejfed himfelf, withfo little Perfpicuity, that he iviU pardon me, if, at any 

 Time, I have miftaken his meaning. 



2 Avm eTt TKT« 7^ ^ivou A\}'j'7f]@' toZm. -mfla,! Tcaaa. aMiitirQf i^ a,vafxd^fuTQr yvyovi. Pi'meu Si riTtev 



Country 



