AND LOWER EGYPT. IOI 



CHAP. VIII. 



Modern Alexandria — Its inhabitants — Jews — Spirit 

 of revenge — Assassination of the Consul of Alex- 

 andria, and of a Dutchman — Language — Ruins. 



I must advertise the reader, that having sojourned 

 oftener than once at Alexandria, I shall present 

 ray observations in a regular series, though made 

 at different eras. I shall quit therefore, for a few 

 moments, the form of the relation, and shall de- 

 scribe, by a single stroke, what I saw there at se- 

 veral intervals, and without restricting myself to 

 the order of the dates of my several remarks. I 

 shall observe the same rule, which appeared to me 

 more natural, and more commodious to the public, 

 when I have to speak of any other object which I 

 may have visited at different times. 



" To write on the subject of the city of Alex- 

 <c andria minutely, after so many great personages," 

 Mys an excellent observer who travelled in Egypt 

 in the reign of Francis I. '* would be only to say 

 " the same thing over again *." Since the era at 

 which Beilon wrote, many authors, among whom 

 may be reckoned more than one great personage, have 



* Beilon, Observ. book ii. ch. 19. 



h 3 given 



