THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ,457 



The Ptolemies, the wifeft princes that ever fat upon the 

 throne of Egypt, applied with the utmoft care and attention 

 to cultivate the trade of India, to keep up perfect and friend- 

 ly underftanding with every country that fupplied any 

 branch of it, and, inftead of difturbing it either in Alia, Ara- 

 bia, or Ethiopia, as their predeceilbrs had done, they ufed 

 their utmoft efforts to encourage it in all quarters. 



Ptolemy I. was then reigning in Alexandria, the foun- 

 dation of whofe greatnefs he not only laid, but lived to fee 

 it arrive at the greateft perfection. It was his conftant fay- 

 ing, that the true glory of a king was not in being rich 

 himfelf, but making his fubjects fo. He, therefore, opened 

 his ports to all trading nations, encouraged Grangers of 

 every language, protected caravans, and a free navigation 

 by fea, by which, in a few years, he made Alexandria the 

 great ftore-houfe of merchandize, from India, Arabia, and 

 Ethiopia. He did Hill further to infure the duration of his 

 kingdom, at the fame time that he fhewed the utmoft dif- 

 intereftcdnefs for the future happinefs of his people. He 

 educated his fon, Ptolemy Philadelphus, with the utmoft 

 care, and the happy genius of that prince had anfwered 

 his father's utmoft expectations ; and, when he arrived at the 

 age of governing, the father, worn out by the fatigue of 

 long wars, furrendered the kingdom to his fon. 



Ptolemy had been a foldier from his infancy, and con- 

 fequently kept up a proper military force, that made him 

 every where refpected in thefe warlike and unfettled times. 

 He had a fleet of two hundred ffiips of war conftantly ready 

 in the port of Alexandria, the only part for which he had 

 apprehenfions. All behind him was wifely governed, whilft 

 Vol. I. 3 M it 



