DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11636#0125
and lower egypt. 99
Egypt farther embellished it by admirable establish-
ments, the loss of which must excite regret. Under,
the reign of one of the Ptolemies, Sostrates, ano-
ther architect of Cnidus, constructed a pharos,
which the ancisnts reckoned among; the seven
wonders of the universe. Another king founded an
immense library. Alexandria, in a word, became
the centre of science and riches: it was the spot
of the globe where commerce flourished to the
greatest extent. Josephus assures us, that it con-
tributed more to the Roman treasury in a month,
than all the rest of Egypt did in a year. The use-
ful and the agreeable arts were there cultivated
with similar success. Luxury crept in, and soon
attained its full height; lively and brilliant plea-
suns degenerated into licentiousness: fastidious-
ness in delicacies became proverbial ; morals were
corrupted, and Alexandria was undone. A ter-
rible example, but constantly thrown away upon
the nations.
I shall not undertake to give a description of.
that renowned city of Alexander. Many others,
without my aid, have endeavoured to execute that
task. Besides, details of this kind belong to the
province of History, and I must not forget that a
traveller is to give an account of what he has seen,
and not of what he has read. Monuments which
once promised to brave the attacks of time, have
h z crumbled
Egypt farther embellished it by admirable establish-
ments, the loss of which must excite regret. Under,
the reign of one of the Ptolemies, Sostrates, ano-
ther architect of Cnidus, constructed a pharos,
which the ancisnts reckoned among; the seven
wonders of the universe. Another king founded an
immense library. Alexandria, in a word, became
the centre of science and riches: it was the spot
of the globe where commerce flourished to the
greatest extent. Josephus assures us, that it con-
tributed more to the Roman treasury in a month,
than all the rest of Egypt did in a year. The use-
ful and the agreeable arts were there cultivated
with similar success. Luxury crept in, and soon
attained its full height; lively and brilliant plea-
suns degenerated into licentiousness: fastidious-
ness in delicacies became proverbial ; morals were
corrupted, and Alexandria was undone. A ter-
rible example, but constantly thrown away upon
the nations.
I shall not undertake to give a description of.
that renowned city of Alexander. Many others,
without my aid, have endeavoured to execute that
task. Besides, details of this kind belong to the
province of History, and I must not forget that a
traveller is to give an account of what he has seen,
and not of what he has read. Monuments which
once promised to brave the attacks of time, have
h z crumbled