Poole, Reginald S.: The cities of Egypt (London, 1882)

ALEXANDRIA.

209

yet the conceit satisfied the king; and astronomy has
retained this curious memorial of the faithful pair.

At Alexandria, after the custom of travellers, we say
farewell to Egypt. At every other ancient site we have
learnt something of the marvellous history of the coun-
try, in itself most interesting, and touching in turn the
history of every great nation of the old world. Here at
Alexandria all is summed up, and Egypt passes away
from our sight where she completed her work and gave
her manifold knowledge to the world, more definite
through the skill of the scholars of the Museum, more
human through the faith of the fathers of the Church.
While other sites are Egyptian, Alexandria is in turn
Greek and Hebrew also, but most of all Christian, of the
family which knows no nationality but that of our uni-
versal humanity. Nowhere are we more sensible of the
dignity of ancient history, which takes us away from the
trifling events of our time and country to see within a
broader hori/.on the larger movements of nations as they
work out the Divine decrees.

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