lxii INTRODUCTION. 



ed upon the examples that Italy alone can furnifh, was not 

 giving ancient architects fair play. What was to be 

 learned from the firft proportions of their plans and eleva- 

 tions feemed to have remained untouched in Egypt ; after 

 having confidered thefe, I propofed to live in retirement on 

 my native patrimony, with a fair ilock of unexceptionable 

 materials upon this fubject, to ferve for a pleafant and ufe- 

 ful amufement in my old age. I hope Hill thefe will not be 

 loft to the public, unlefs the encouragement be in propor- 

 tion to what my labours have .already had. 



I now received, however, a letter very unexpectedly by 

 way of Alexandria, which, if it did not overturn, at leaft 

 fhook thefe refolutions. The Comte de BufFon, Monf. Guys 

 of Marfeilles, and feveral others well known in the literary 

 world, had ventured to Hate to the minifter, and through 

 him to the king of France, Louis XV. how very much it was 

 to be lamented, that after a man had been found who was 

 likely to fucceed in removing that opprobrium of travellers 

 and geographers, by difcovering the fources of the Nile, one 

 moft unlucky accident, at a moft unlucky time, mould frus- 

 trate the moll promifing endeavours. That prince, diftin- 

 guifhed for every good quality of the heart, for benevolence, 

 beneficence, and a defire of promoting and protecting 

 learning, ordered a moveable quadrant of his own military 

 academy at Marfeilles, as the neareft and moft convenient 

 port of embarkation, to be taken down and fent to me at 

 Alexandria.. 



With this I received a letter from Mr RufTel, which in- 

 formed me that aftronomers had begun to cool in the fan- 

 guine expectations of difcovenng the precife quantity of 

 4 the 



