DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11636#0037
AND LOWER EGYPT. II
say nothing of the extravagance of the comparison,
it may be observed, that it was hardly worth the
while to march so far as to the plains of Memphis
to hang with rapture over a nest of ants, so common
in other countries, Europe not excepted ; and that
a traveller exposes himself toridicule, when, attach-
ed solely to a favourite object, he follows too close-
ly the letter of the proverb, ne sutor ultra crepidanu
It is farther to be remarked, that few French
travellers have penetrated into Upper Egypt. No
one of them who in modern times have acquired
celebrity, prosecuted his researches beyond the
plain of Saccara, that is, beyond the vicinity of
Cairo. Savary himself, who has published two vo-
lumes on the subject of Upper Egypt, never tra-
velled a single foot in it; and the tone of assurance
with which he speaks of the country, and the de-
tail of his journey through it, as if he had really
performed it, are a stain on the reputation of that
elegant writer. 1 knew Savary well. T have seen
him at Alexandria, in the island of Candia, and
afterwards in France. The merited success of the
first volume of his Letters on Egypt, and he in-
tended to go no farther, as it contained the only
parts of that country which he had visited, actually
intoxicated him. He took it into his head to add
to it the history of a journey never undertaken,
and found himself reduced to the necessity of ex-
tracting
say nothing of the extravagance of the comparison,
it may be observed, that it was hardly worth the
while to march so far as to the plains of Memphis
to hang with rapture over a nest of ants, so common
in other countries, Europe not excepted ; and that
a traveller exposes himself toridicule, when, attach-
ed solely to a favourite object, he follows too close-
ly the letter of the proverb, ne sutor ultra crepidanu
It is farther to be remarked, that few French
travellers have penetrated into Upper Egypt. No
one of them who in modern times have acquired
celebrity, prosecuted his researches beyond the
plain of Saccara, that is, beyond the vicinity of
Cairo. Savary himself, who has published two vo-
lumes on the subject of Upper Egypt, never tra-
velled a single foot in it; and the tone of assurance
with which he speaks of the country, and the de-
tail of his journey through it, as if he had really
performed it, are a stain on the reputation of that
elegant writer. 1 knew Savary well. T have seen
him at Alexandria, in the island of Candia, and
afterwards in France. The merited success of the
first volume of his Letters on Egypt, and he in-
tended to go no farther, as it contained the only
parts of that country which he had visited, actually
intoxicated him. He took it into his head to add
to it the history of a journey never undertaken,
and found himself reduced to the necessity of ex-
tracting