DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26300#0016
VI
PREFACE.
miferies and horrors of war. It is not improbable,
that their hopes of fuccefs in this atrocious and daring
enterprize were encouraged by the reports of certain
travellers of their own nation. Thefe men had gone
through the land with the fentiments of robbers and
fpies. They faw in its wealth an objedt of plunder, and
in its weaknefs and divitions the opportunities of eafy
acquifition. To minds occupied with fuch profpedfs,
the face of a country would appear little interefting :
the moft intelligent of them looked with difguft on
the faireft features of Egypt. Volney afcended the
river from Rofetto to Cairo, and thus he defcribes
the Delta. “ The fcenery of the country offers lit-
“ tie variety. It has ftill a few palm-trees, which
“ hand thinner as you advance—villages built with
“ mud walls, and of a ruinous appearance—a bound-
“ lefs flat, which, according to the different feafons, is a
“ frefh water fea, a miry fen, a green carpet, or a dufty
“ field—and on every fide a diftant horizon loaded with
“ vapoursb.” But although the beauties of the country
failed of making an impreflion, its various produce both
b “ Quant au tableau de la campagne, il varie peu ; ce font toujours des
“ palmiers ifoles ou reunis, plus rares a mefure que l’on avance; des vil-
“ lages batis en terre et d’un afpecft mine, une plaine fans bornes, qui, felon
“ les faifons, eft une mer d’eau douce, un marais fangeux, un tapis de ver-
“ dure, ou un champ de pouffiere ; de toutes parts, un horizon lointain,
“ vapoureux, ou les yeux fe fatiguent et s’ennuient.” Tom. i. p. io.
PREFACE.
miferies and horrors of war. It is not improbable,
that their hopes of fuccefs in this atrocious and daring
enterprize were encouraged by the reports of certain
travellers of their own nation. Thefe men had gone
through the land with the fentiments of robbers and
fpies. They faw in its wealth an objedt of plunder, and
in its weaknefs and divitions the opportunities of eafy
acquifition. To minds occupied with fuch profpedfs,
the face of a country would appear little interefting :
the moft intelligent of them looked with difguft on
the faireft features of Egypt. Volney afcended the
river from Rofetto to Cairo, and thus he defcribes
the Delta. “ The fcenery of the country offers lit-
“ tie variety. It has ftill a few palm-trees, which
“ hand thinner as you advance—villages built with
“ mud walls, and of a ruinous appearance—a bound-
“ lefs flat, which, according to the different feafons, is a
“ frefh water fea, a miry fen, a green carpet, or a dufty
“ field—and on every fide a diftant horizon loaded with
“ vapoursb.” But although the beauties of the country
failed of making an impreflion, its various produce both
b “ Quant au tableau de la campagne, il varie peu ; ce font toujours des
“ palmiers ifoles ou reunis, plus rares a mefure que l’on avance; des vil-
“ lages batis en terre et d’un afpecft mine, une plaine fans bornes, qui, felon
“ les faifons, eft une mer d’eau douce, un marais fangeux, un tapis de ver-
“ dure, ou un champ de pouffiere ; de toutes parts, un horizon lointain,
“ vapoureux, ou les yeux fe fatiguent et s’ennuient.” Tom. i. p. io.