102 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



given a description of the remains of that celebrated 

 city, and it is not possible, at present, to avoid re- 

 petitions. But, without mentioning some new ob- 

 servations with which the remains of ancient 

 Alexandria have furnished me, the curiosity of 

 those who may be disposed to read my book 

 would be little gratified, and their expectation 

 would be disappointed, if, in order to make them 

 acquainted with what still exists in regions of such 

 high renown, I should refer them to any other 

 books besides my own. Besides, I shall speak 

 only of objects which I have personally examined. 



The latitude of Alexandria has been laid down, 

 by ancient astronomers, with sufficient accuracy. 

 P-olemy, who was himself an Egyptian, had placed 

 it, in his Geography, in 31° of north latitude, and 

 in ,30° 50' in his Almageste. Eratosthenes, more 

 exact, fixed it at 31 12', which comes extremely 

 n ar the observations of modern astronomers, to 

 whom the progress of the science, with the assist- 

 ance of better instruments, procured superior ad- 

 vantages. It has been determined by Chazelle, 

 of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, to be in 

 30 11' 20". Its longitude is 47 56' 33^. 



The new city, or rather the town of Alexandria, 

 is built, the greatest part of it at least, on the brink 

 of the sea. Its houses, like all those of the Levant, 



have 



