bore the fame name. At the top of this to kept a fire, to light fuch fhips as failed by nig thofe dangerous coafts, which were full of fa fhelves; from whence all other towers, defig the fame ufe, have been called, as Pharo di M &c. The famous architect Softratus built it by of Ptolemy Philadelphus, who expended eigley dred talents upon it*. 'Twas reckoned one of ven wonders of the world. Some have com that Prince, for permitting the architect to name in the infcription which was fixed tower instead of his own t. It was very fhdaja plain, according to the manner of the an Softratus Cnidius Dexiphanis F. diis fervatoril navigantibus. i. e. Softratus the Cnidian, Dexiphanes, to the protecting Deities, for th of fea-faring people. But certainly Ptolemy have very much undervalued that kind of imm ty which Princes are generally very fond of,, to that his name fhould not be fo much as mentio De Scri- the infcription of an edifice fo capable of imme zing him. What we read in Lucian concerning matter, deprives Ptolemy of a modefty, which P706 deed would be very ill placed here. This a informs us that Softratus, in order that the whole ry of that noble structure might be afcribed to felf, caufed the infcription with his own name carved in the marble, which he afterwards cov with lime, and thereon put the King's name. Jime foon mouldered away; and by that means tead of procuring the architect the honour with w he had flattered himfelf; ferved only to difcove future ages his mean fraud, and ridiculous vanity bende Hit RICHES failed not to bring into this city, as ufually do in all places, luxury and licentiousness that the Alexandrian voluptuoufnefs became a Eight hundred thousand gis, quod in ea permiferit, & Crowns.. trati Cnidii architecti ftruc Pho Try J. & F verb *. In this city arts and sciences were also induftriously cultivated; witness that ftately edifice, furnamed the Mufæum, where the literati ufed to meet, and were maintained at the publick expence ; and the famous library, which was augmented confiderably by Ptolemy Philadelphus, and which, by the magnificence of the Kings his fucceffors, at laft contained feven hundred thoufand volumes. In Cæfar's Plut. in Cæf. wars with the Alexandrians, part of this library, (plac'd in the Bruchion,) which confifted of four P. 731. hundred thousand volumes, was unhappily confumed tranquill. by fire. * Ne Alexandrinis quidem permittenda deliciis, Quintil. A quarter or divifion of the city of Alexandria. Seneca.de anim. c.9. PART. E GYPT was ever confidered by all the ancients, as the most renowned school for wisdom and politicks, and the fource from whence moft arts and sciences were derived. This kingdom beftowed its nobleft labours and fineft arts on the improving mankind; and Greece was fo fenfible of this, that its most illuftrious men, as Homer, Pythagoras, Plato; even its great legiflators, Lycurgus and Solon, with many more whom it is needless to mention, travelled into Egypt, there to complete their ftudies, and draw from that fountain whatever was moft rare and valuable in every kind of learning. God himself has given this kingdom a glorious teftimony, when Acts 7.22. praifing Mofes, he fays of him, that he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. To give fome idea of the manners and cuftoms of Egypt, I fhall confine myfelf principally to these particulars: Its Kings and government; priests and religion; foldiers and war; fciences, arts and trades. THE reader must not be furprized, if he fometimes finds, in the cuftoms I take notice of, a kind of contradiction This circundance is owing, either |