DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11636#0128
102
TRAVELS IN UPPER
given a description of the remains of that celebrated
city, and it is not possible, at present, to avoid re-
petitions. But, without mentioning some new ob-
servations with which the remains of ancient
Alexandria have furnished me, the curiosity of
those who may be disposed to read my book
would be little gratified, and their expectation
would be disappointed, if, in order to make them
acquainted with what still exists in regions of such
high renown, I should refer them to any other
books besides my own. Besides, I shall speak
only of objects which I have personally examined.
The latitude of Alexandria has been laid down,
by ancient astronomers, with sufficient accuracy.
Piolemy, who was himself an Egyptian, had placed
it, in his Geography, in, 31° of north latitude, and
in 3c0 50' 111 his Almageste. Eratosthenes, more
exact, fixed it at 310 1%', which comes extremely
near the observations of modern astronomers, to
whom the progress of the science, with the assist-
ance oi better instruments, procured superior ad-
vantages. It has been determined by Chazelle,
of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, to be in
300 11' 10". Its longitude is 470 56' 33".
The new city, or rather the town of Alexandria,
is built, the greatest part of it at least, on the brink
of the sea. Its houses, like all those of the Levant,
have
TRAVELS IN UPPER
given a description of the remains of that celebrated
city, and it is not possible, at present, to avoid re-
petitions. But, without mentioning some new ob-
servations with which the remains of ancient
Alexandria have furnished me, the curiosity of
those who may be disposed to read my book
would be little gratified, and their expectation
would be disappointed, if, in order to make them
acquainted with what still exists in regions of such
high renown, I should refer them to any other
books besides my own. Besides, I shall speak
only of objects which I have personally examined.
The latitude of Alexandria has been laid down,
by ancient astronomers, with sufficient accuracy.
Piolemy, who was himself an Egyptian, had placed
it, in his Geography, in, 31° of north latitude, and
in 3c0 50' 111 his Almageste. Eratosthenes, more
exact, fixed it at 310 1%', which comes extremely
near the observations of modern astronomers, to
whom the progress of the science, with the assist-
ance oi better instruments, procured superior ad-
vantages. It has been determined by Chazelle,
of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, to be in
300 11' 10". Its longitude is 470 56' 33".
The new city, or rather the town of Alexandria,
is built, the greatest part of it at least, on the brink
of the sea. Its houses, like all those of the Levant,
have