AND LOWER EGYPT. 99 



Egypt farther embellished it by admirable establish- 

 ments, the loss of which must excite regret. Under 

 the reign of one of the Ptolemies, Sostrates, ano- 

 ther architect of Cnidus, constructed a pharos, 

 which the ancients reckoned among the seven 

 wonders of the universe. Another king founded an 

 immense library. Alexandria, in a word, became 

 the centre of science and riches: it was the spot 

 of the globe where commerce flourished to the 

 greatest extent. Joseph us assures us, that it con- 

 tributed more to the Roman treasury in a month, 

 than all the rest of Egypt did in a year. The use- 

 ful and the agreeable arts were there cultivated 

 with similar success. Luxury crept in, and soon 

 attained its full height ; lively and brilliant plea- 

 sures degenerated into licentiousness : fastidious- 

 ness in delicacies became proverbial ; morals were 

 corrupted, and Alexandria was undone. A ter- 

 rible example, but constantly thrown away upon 

 the nations. 



I shall not undertake to give a description of 

 that renowned city of Alexander. Many others, 

 without my aid, have endeavoured to execute that 

 task. Besides, details of this kind belong to the 

 province of History, and I must not forget that a 

 traveller is to give an account of what he has seen, 

 and not of what he has read. Monuments which 

 once promised to brave the attacks of time, have 



h 2 crumbled 



