THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 695 
to wafte without profit, which.muft have been the cafe, fince 
it is fo at this day: obferving likewife, that the fuperabun- 
dance of water in the Nile did harm, and that the neigh- 
bouring fandy plains of Libya needed nothing but a judi- 
cious diftribution of that water, to make it equal to the 
land of Egypt in fertility, and furpafs it in the. variety of 
natural productions, applied themfelves very early to dig- 
ging large lakes*, that, preferving a degree of level fufficient, 
all the year long watered the dry deferts of Libya like fo 
many fruitful fhowers. Geometry, architecture, and all the 
mechanic arts of thofe times, were employed to accomp! ith 
thofe defigns. Thefe canals and vaft works communicated 
one with another to imprifon the water, and fet it again at. 
liberty at proper times.. 
We may be fatisfied this was obferved attentively all the: 
time of the dynafties, or reigrns of the Egyptian princes. Af- 
ter the acceffion of the Ptolemies, who were ftrangers, the 
multitude of inhabitants had greatly decreafed. There was 
no occafion for works to water lands that were not peopled; 
fo far as they were neceflary for cities, gardens, and plea- 
' fure-grounds, they were always kept up. The larger and. 
more extenfive conduits, dykes, and {luices, though they 
were not ufed, were protected by their own folidity and 
ftrength from fudden ruin. Egypt, now confined within its 
ancient narrow valley, had water enough to keep it in cul- 
_ture, and. make it fill the granary of the inhabited world. 
J WHEN. 
cd 
* We know that thefe lakes were dug, and in ufe as early as Mofes’s time. Exod. chap vii, 
yer. 19, chap, viil. ver. 5. 
