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INTRODUCTION.

France, or any other foreign country, possess the means
of throwing some light upon the character and history of
the ancient Egyptians, induced him to enter that field
which, though exceeding far in interest all others of re-
mote antiquarian research, has proved fatal to several of
those persons who were the most enterprising and zealous
in the cause they had espoused.

The removal, in the year 1816, from Thebes to Alex-
andria, of the colossal head of the younger Memnon, was
Mr. Salt's first great undertaking, in which he was joined
by that eminent traveller Mr. Burckhardt. To the kind-
ness and liberality of Mr. Salt is this country indebted
for the knowledge of Belzoni; for at this period Belzoni,
a man of great mechanical ingenuity, had failed in an
undertaking of watering, by an hydraulic machine, the
gardens of the Seraglio of Mahommed Ali: this placed
Belzoni in much distress, but Messrs. Salt and Burck-
hardt, fully aware of his mechanical resources, and feeling
compassion for his misfortunes, instantly took him into
their employ for the removal of the previously alluded to
head, which now adorns the Egyptian Gallery at the
British Museum. Mr. Salt also engaged that he should
excavate, and further provided him with the means of
purchasing antiquities on his (Mr. Salt's) account.

The collection that was at this period formed, was sent
to this country ; it consisted principally of large statues,
and was ultimately purchased by the Trustees of the Bri-