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and into its bosom poured her sanguinarv hordes. Its 

 cities were destroyed. Its temples and palaces de o- 

 lished. Its monuments, laid prostrate. Its thrones, 

 where once the golden sceptre swayed, erased. Its 

 subjects left to mingle with the dust. Its arts fled 

 Its science languished, and became extinct. And 

 now but little left to greet the eye, sa\e an extended 

 plain of mouldering ruins a scene of awe and desola- 

 tion. 



Thus, it remains an object of eager gaze to the 

 anxious traveller. The burden of the poet's strains. 

 The theme of historians and still the wonder of asto- 

 nished man. 



Such has been, and such is now, the delta of the 

 Nile, which has been considered, by almost every 

 writer, tha I can find, as exclusively the gift of that 

 almost peerless stream. 



While I revere the memory of the numerous au- 

 thors who have written on this subject, from Strabo to 

 the present time, 1 cannot help expres ing my sur- 

 prise, that they should have, almost uniformly, adopted 

 the same opinion, as to the formation of that delta, 

 whilst there existed so many facts, staring each of 

 them in the face, calculated at least to weaken or ren- 

 der doubtful their opinions, if not tantamount to an 

 absolute refutation of them. 



That I should presume to question the opinions of 

 men of such high antiquity, and established reputation, 

 may seem the result of obstinacy and scepticism ; op 

 an instance of extreme heresy. But I trunt and lioye. 



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