PREFACE. 
Without pretending to any extraordinary fources 
of information, the writer hopes, that what is here 
faid will afford fome little fatisfadion to thofe who 
wifh for the lateft information concerning that coun- 
try. He arrogates not to himfelf the praife of aug- 
menting greatly the fum of knowlege already to be 
found in books ; but very widely difperfed, and 
within the reach of comparatively few perfons. 
Innumerable books have been written on Egypt, 
but none of them, in our language, can pretend 
to a popular plan. Thofe of Pococke and Norden 
are moil known to ourfelves — valuable works for all 
that concerns the antiquities, and they are by no 
means fuperfeded. The form and price, however, 
at this time keep them out of the hands of the 
greater number.. 
Niebuhr's writings require not an additional tef- 
timony of their value ; but the profeffed objed of 
his voyage was Arabia ; and the account of Egypt 
is only incidental. 
Volney 
