672 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER | 
ete Oo ane 
Cie a cnr re eee 
7 . ‘ 
C HA Pe XN 1. 
Egypt not the Gift of the Nile—Ancient Opinion refuted—Modern 
Opinion contrary to Proof and Experience. 
i is here we fhall difcufs a queftion often agitated, 
whether Egypt owed its exiftence to the Nile, and whe- 
ther it was formerly an arm of the fea, but in procefs of © 
time, being filled up by the quantity of mud which the 
Nile depofited in its inundation, it at length became firm 
land, above the furface of the waters? I believe this is 
the general opinion, as well of the books, as of the greateft 
part of travellers of the prefent age; it therefore merits ex- 
amination, whether it is founded in eae and obfervation, or 
whether it is to be ranked among the old and ill-fup- 
ported traditions fancifuliy now again brought into fa- 
fhion, 
EcypT is a valley bounded on the right and left by very 
rugged mountains ; it muft, therefore, occur to any one that 
I ~ _ the 
