Indies. 
Chap. II of the E a s 
Yet, upon mature Deliberation on what was fuggefted 
to him by the ableft Seamen of thofe Times, Ptolemy was 
concerned, that two Things were wanting, to render this 
capacious Port of his perfectly fafe, and eafy of Accefs , viz. 
a fort of Mole, which might defend it from Winds ; and 
a Watch-tower, that might ffiew the true Entrance of the 
Port at Sea , and for both thefe Inconveniencies he found 
effectual Remedies. The Eland Pharus lying three Quar- 
ters of a Mile diftant from the City, he determined to build 
a Watch' tower thereon, and to run a Caufeway from the 
City to the Eland, which would fecure the Ships in the 
Port from the Fury of the Winds : But his Endeavours, 
in this refpeft, were fo often crofted by Wars, and other 
Accidents, that it was at the very Clofe of his Reign thefe 
noble Defigns were completed ; but then they had this 
Advantage, that they were abfolutely perfefil in their 
Kinds ; fo that they were efteemed for many Ages after,- 
among the Wonders of the World. 
The Watch-tower, or Light-houfe, was a large fquare 
Building, compofed of fine, white Marble, and the Height 
of one hundred and thirty-five Feet, on the Top of which 
Fires were conftantly maintained, for the Direction of 
Ships upon the Coaft. The Expence of this Tower 
amounted to eight hundred Alexandrian Talents, or up- 
wards of three hundred and thirty thoufand Pounds of our 
Money. The Architect who built it, was SoJlratus of Cni- 
dus, who bafely endeavoured to ufurp the Honour of it 
with Pofterky, to himfelf, by this fraudulent Device : The 
Infcription ordered to be fet on it, being, King Ptolemy, 
to the Gods the Saviours, for the Benefit of thofe who pafs by 
Sea *, inftead of Ptolemy's Name, he carefully ingraved his 
own, in the folia Marble ; and then filling up the Hollow 
of the engraved Letters with Mortar, wrote upon it what 
was directed : So the Infcription which was firft read, was 
according as it was ordered, and truly abfcribedthe Work 
to King Ptolemy , its proper Founder ; but, in Procefs of 
Time, the Mortar being worn off, the Infcription then 
appeared to be thus, Softratus, the Cnidian, Son of Dexi- 
phanes, to the Gods the Saviours , for the Benefit of thofe 
who pafs by Sea ; which, being in lafting Letters, deeply 
Ingraved into the Marble Stones, lafted as long as the 
Tower itfelf. This Tower has been demohffied for Ages 
pall a . 
As for the Mole, or Caufeway carried through the Sea, 
and by which the liland of Pharus was joined to the Con- 
tinent, it was called in Greek , the Heptafiadium , or Road 
of feven Stadia, becaufe that was the Length of it. This 
Ilupendous Work, no way inferior to the celebrated 
Light-houfe, was performed by Hexiphanes , the Father of 
Softratus , about the fame time that SoJlratus finilhed the 
Tower •, and feems to have been the more difficult Under- 
taking of the two. They, being both very famous Ar- 
biters, were both employed by Ptolemy Soter , in the 
Works which he had projected, for the beautifying, adorn- 
ing, and {Lengthening the City of Alexandria : The Father 
having undertaken Heptafiadium , at the fame time that his 
Son did the Tower, they finifhed both thefe Works at the 
fame Time •, that is, about the Time that Ptolemy Soter 
affociated his Son Philadelphia. Thofe who attribute the 
making of the Heptafiadium to Cleopatra , follow Ammianus 
Marcellinus , whofe Relation concerning it cannot be true ; 
for it contradifils Cafar s Commentaries, and many other 
Authors, that are better to be credited in this Matter. 
Thus, with infinite Induftry and Care, as well as at a 
vaft Expence, this wife and powerful Monarch fecured to 
his Capital two excellent Ports, that were equally valuable 
for their Extent, their Safety, and the Commodioufnefs of 
them. Neither is this Account to be at all doubted, from 
what modern Travellers have faid, as to the Difficulty and 
Danger of the little Port at Alexandria , becaufe, without 
queftion, it is very much altered from what.it was, by the 
Ruin of the Watch-tower, and many other Buildings, 
which have been demoliffied, and the Materials thrown into 
it j and by the Sholes oceafioned by the Lodging of Sand 
and Mud in thefe Ruins : So that the Embaraffments and 
Difficulties, with which it is now attended, are not fo pro- 
a Strabo, libJxvn. V tin. lb. xxxvi. 12. b Strabo, lib.xv ii. Aths 
Julio Ca-fare. Ammian. Marcell, lib.xx ii. c. 16. Dion. CaJJius, lib. xlii. 
T 
perly chargeable on the Port itfelf, as bn the Ignorances 
Malice, and Lazinefs, of its prefen t PoffeiTors; by which I 
mean the Mohammedans in general, who, frnce it has been 
in their Hands, have taken as much Pains to ruin and de- 
molifh it, as if the Deftrubtion of fuch a noble Work was 
likely to raife their Fame as high, as that of thofe, who 
eretfled it. 
5 . But Ptolemy , knowing v/ell that neither Government 
nor Commerce could iiounffi where Learning was not en- 
couraged ; and being defirous to execute, as far as he was 
able, the feveral Projehts formed by his Mailer, in favour 
of this fingjp City j he ere 6 ted, for the Service of the 
Sciences, as great, as beautiful, and as expenfive a Build- 
ing, as that of the Pharus , which rendered the Port of 
Alexandria at lead; equal, if not fuperior, to any in the 
W orld. This large and elegant Structure, was called the 
Mufeum , furnifhed with every thing that could make it 
commodious, or pleafant, to thofe who were to dwell in it, 
Here he placed the learned Men, whom the Fame of his 
many Virtues, his Love of Learning, and his fine Tafte 
in almoft every Branch of it, drew to Alexandria , from all 
Parts. The Mufeum flood in that Part of Alexandria 
•/ 
which was called Bruchium , and very near the Royal Pa- 
lace ; where the Philofophers walked, converfed together, 
read their Leftures, .and were fplendidly entertained, in all 
refpeds, at the public Expence b . 
Here alfo, for their particular Conveniency, he founded 
that famous Library, the Reputation of which will laid, as 
long as there are Books : For the fupplying of this great 
Repofitory of Learning, he exerted all his Power, and 
difpenfed no fmall Part of his Treafure, Lizing every Fo- 
reigner’s Books, as foon as he came to Alexandria ; and, 
canting them to be tranfmitted to the Mufeum, they were 
fairly copied by the Scribes, whom he maintained for this 
Purpofe, the Original fafely laid up in the Library, and 
the Copies returned, with a proper Gratuity, to the Owners 
of the Books, Befides this Library, there was another, 
which was called its Daughter, and of which we ffiall pre- 
fently have Occafion to fpeak. 
At prefent, we will confine ourfelves to this , and, hav- 
ing given the Hiftory of its Rife, we will alfo fay fome- 
what of the Manner, in which it was deftroyed. This un- 
lucky Accident happened when Julius Cafar was at Alex- 
andria, and carried on a War there againft the Egyptians , 
when a Fire that happened in the Royal Quarter of that 
City, burnt down the bed Part of the Palace, and with it 
the Library, and in it four hundred thoufand Volumes ; 
which was fuch a Lofs to the learned World, as could 
hardly be repaired c . The learned Men, who lived in the 
Mufeum , were treated with the utmoft Generofity and 
Refpefil ; and had for their Prefident, a Perfon equally di- 
ftinguifhed in point of Quality and Literature *, fo that he 
might feem alike worthy of being at the Head of the 
King’s Council, and the Superior of fuch an Affembly <5f 
Men of Letters. The Dignity and Reputation of this So- 
ciety preferved it in all Changes and Revolutions of Go- 
vernment, as long as a Tafte for Learning remained un- 
extinguilhed, the Roman Emperors being no lefs careful, 
in the Choice of thofe whom they appointed Prefidencs of 
this Mufeum, than the Egyptian Princes themfelves. 
6 . The laid Branch of Alexander's Policy extended to 
Religion ; and this alfo Ptolemy took care to comply with 
in a mold extraordinary Manner : He gave out, that he 
had a Vifton, while he was employed in the in larging and 
adorning Alexandria , of a very beautiful young Man in a 
flowing Robe, and of divine Afpehd, who admoniffied 
him, if he defired the Safety and Well-being of this City, 
about which he took fo much Pains, to caufe his Image to 
be tranfported from Pontus. At firft, the King pretended 
not to mind this Dream •, but, foon after, the fame young 
Man appeared again, but in a much worfe Humour •, fa 
that Ptolemy found himfelf obliged to inquire out this pew 
Deity, who proved to be Serapis that was worlhipped at 
Sinope , whither Embafladors were immediately difpatchvd 
to procure this Image from the King of that Country. 
But three Tears being fpent in fruitlefs Solicitations, a Fa- 
uetts, lib. 1. p- 22, Antmian, Marcell. lib. *xii. c , 16. '« Plutarch, in 
mane 
