348 ALEXANDRIA. 
that of Diockiian, soon after the Inscription 
was again recognised '. When we had gratified 
our curiosity by a general survey of this sur- 
prising monument, and had gazed for some time 
in utter astonishment at the sight of a column 
of granite, whose shaft alone, of one entire mass, 
with a diameter of eight feet, measures sixty- 
three in height ^ Mr. Hamilton expressed a wish 
to find something remaining of the Inscription 
mentioned by Pococke. In search of this, we 
examined the four sides of the pedestal: the 
western side seemed to be corroded, as many 
authors have described it to be ; but not a trace 
of any existing inscription could be discerned. 
The author wishes to lay some stress upon this 
singular fact, that due merit may be attributed 
to those who have since so remarkably re- 
covered the characters of that Inscription ; after 
it had also baffled every research of the French, 
during their long residence in the country, as 
their own writers do acknowledged Mr. 
(1) Mr. HcaniltoH communicated this circumstance in a Letter to 
tlie autlior. 
(2) The height of the whole coiuinn, including; the capital, shaft, 
and pedestal, is eighty-eight feet six inches, as measured by the French 
engineers. 
(3) See particularly the " Rapport par Charles Norry," in the Ap- 
pendix to Peltier's edition of Denon'9, Tra\cls, [Land. 1802.) as it was 
read 
