ALEXANDRIA. 345 
scholars amply qualified to satisfy the public ciiap. 
curiosity concerning their history. At the 
house of General Friant, we were afterwards 
shewn two statues of white marhle ; one of 
Marcus ^4ureliusy and the other of Septimius 
Severus, which are also now in England. 
The next morning, September the eleventh, 
another French officer attended us, in company 
with Mr. Hamilton, to the Obelisks, commonly 
called Cleopatra's Needles. One alone is now 
standing; the other, lying down, measures 
seven feet square at the base, and sixty-six feet 
in length. They are so well known, that it is 
not necessary to give a very particular de- 
scription of them*. They are covered with 
(2) After the English were in possession of Alexandria, a suliscrip- 
tion was opened among the officers of the army and navy, for the pur- 
pose of removing the cumbent Obelisk to Great Britain. With the 
money thus raised they purchased one of the vessels that Menou had 
sunk in the old port ol Alexandria .- this tliey raised, and prepared for 
its reception. The work went on rapidly ; the Obelisk was turned, 
and its lower surface was found to be in a high state of preservation- 
It was then moved, by means of machinery constructed for the pur- 
pose, towards the vessel prepared to receive it. Lord Cavan presided 
in this undertaking. A- naval officer. Captain Stejjhenson, who was 
present upon the occasion, brought over to England the plans pro- 
jected for conveying this splendid trophy of the success of our arms 
to the Metropolis of this country ; and there is every reason to believe 
the design would have been accomplished. Its interruption took place 
in consequence of an order preventing the sailors from assisting at the 
work. 
