AND LOWER EGYPT. 213 



those who live at the bottom of the parched rocks 

 of Upper Egypt, the most ferocious barbarians on 

 the globe ; but, planted on a soil fertile and smil- 

 ing, whose freshness aud copious productions 

 temper the ardour of the climate and the dryness of 

 the atmosphere, their manners are softened, their 

 character has lost its asperity : a change to be 

 ascribed to the happy dispositions of nature, and to 

 the influence of agriculture, which is, still more 

 than commerce, the first instructor of nations, and 

 the most direct method to draw them from a state 

 of barbarism, and to stimulate them to a rapid and 

 assured progress towards civilization. 



p 3 



