THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 649 
and philofophy, which fpread itfelf from this to enlighten 
other nations, we are now full of uncertainty, fearching in 
a defert for the place of its exiftence; fuch is the miferable 
inftability of all human excellence. Nothing but confufion 
has followed this inquiry, becaufe they who were engaged 
in it rather fubftituted vain fyftematical prejudices of their 
own, than fet themfelves to confider thofe lights which were 
immediately before them. | 
Tue Jefuits, and a French writer, who is a conftant cham- 
_ pion of their errors, have fixed the peninfula of Gojam to be 
the Meroé of the ancients. M. le Grande (the compiler al- 
luded to) having in vain endeavoured to anfwer the objec- 
tions againft Gojam being Meroé, at laft declares, in a kind 
of literary paflion, that the ancients have fpoken fo differ- 
ently about Meroé, that Gojam is as likely to be the place as 
any other. 
I wave a proper efteem for the merit of M. le Grande, 
where he forms his conjectures from his own opinion, andI 
have alfo a due deference to that learned Order the Jefuits; it 
is to their labours, that learning in general, and geography 
in particular, has been more indebted than to thofe of any o- 
ther fet of men whatever. Yet ftill I can never believe, either 
that Gojam is Meroé, or that there is any difficulty in finding 
its true fituation, or that the ancients have written confufedly 
about it. On the contrary, I find it defcribed by its latitude, 
its diftance from places known, the produce of its foil, co- 
lour of its inhabitants, and feveral other circumftances 
which peculiarly belong to it, with greater accuracy and 
precifion than many other difputed fituations. 
Vou. III. 4N I sHALL 
