ALEXANDRIA. 351 
Therefore, whatsoever may be the nature of the chap, 
VII. 
intelligence derived from any subsequent ex- ■ 
amination of those characters, it will be due in 
the first place to the individual who made 
known the circumstance of their existence ; for 
not only the Members of the French Institute, 
but all who were with our army in Egypt, and 
almost every traveller who has visited Alex- 
andria since the time of Pococke, did consider 
the Inscription as being entirely lost. 
As for the Column itself, the shaft is of much 
earlier antiquity than either the capital or the 
pedestal. A similar shaft, of the same kind of 
granite, and nearly of equal magnitude, has been 
of the Inscription on the g^reat pillar may be read : IT and are legible 
enough ; and by other remains at" characters, I can plainly perceit^ 
that the Inscription consisted of four lines, in Greek. With sulphur, 
an impression of these characters might be taken, and perhaps some- 
thing satisfactory discovered. Before we quit the country, 1 will cer- 
tainly endeavour to make the experiment. " 
The public will therefore perceive that all idea of attempting tUc 
discovery is due to Colonel Squire ; that he had the greatest share in 
its execution, and that even the device of the sulphur is due to him. 
The Consul Maillet, about fifty years before, had recommended wax 
fot the same purpose : " Ce quil y a de certain, c'est qii'au bos de 
son fitt, dti cote de I'ouest, ou trouve une inscription Grecque, dont je ne 
croix pas qti'on ail encore lirS de copie Le seul moyen de I'avoir, 
seroit, (i inon avis, d'en prendre Vempreinte sur de la cire molle." 
Description de VEgypt^, torn. 1. p. 180. hlaHaye, IT U>. 
