Thebes sunk and fell to decay, upon removing the Court to Memphis, |Memphis.| a great and eminent City, built by Uchoreus, as Diodorus Siculus, Lib. 1. relates, but Sandys says ’twas built by Ogdoo, and call’d Memphis after the Name of his Daughter, compress’d, as they feign, by Nilus in the likeness of a Bull. Hereupon this became the Regal City, and Strength and Glory of all Egypt, being exceeding Populous, and adorn’d with a world of Antiquities. It was particularly famous for the Temple of Apis, the Subterranean Vaults or Burying-Places, and the Pyramids or stately Sepulchres of the Kings, erected within a few Miles of it.

The God most esteem’d by the Egyptians, and ador’d at Memphis, |The God Apis.| was Apis, a coal-black Ox, with a white Mark on his Forehead, the figure of an Eagle on his Back, and having Hair on his Tail of two kinds. When this God happen’d to die, none valu’d their Hair, tho’, as Lucian says, they had as good as Nisus, but shav’d it all off in token of their Grief. Also Diodorus Siculus, Lib. 1. cap. 6. says, They were then as much concern’d, as at the Death of their own Children, and laid out in the Burial of this God, as much, if not more than all their Goods were worth; for when Apis thro’ old Age dy’d at Memphis, in the Reign of Ptolomeus Lagus, his Keeper not only spent all the Provision he had heap’d up, in burying him, but also borrow’d of Ptolomy 50 Talents of Silver for the same purpose. Nay even in our Time, says the same Author, some of the Keepers of these Sacred Creatures, have lavish’d away no less than 100 Talents, in maintaining them whilst alive. After the pompous Funeral of Apis was over, those Priests that had the charge of the Matter, sought out another Calf, which they substituted in its stead, with the same Marks as the former; and this pass’d for a great Miracle among them, but certainly it was not difficult for evil Spirits, who might take pleasure in deceiving these People, to represent to a Cow, when she went to Bull, an Ox with those Marks, as Jacob made the Goats and Sheep of the same colours, by placing speckl’d Rods before the Eyes of the Dams at the Time of their Coition. Thus, having found an Ox to their Mind, an end was immediately put to all further Mourning and Lamentation, and the young God was led by the Priests thro’ the City of Nilopolis, fed 40 Days, and afterwards put into a Barge, in a golden Cabbin, transported to Memphis, and plac’d in Vulcan’s Grove. For the Adoration of this Ox, they give this Reason, viz. That the Soul of Osiris pass’d into the Ox Apis, and consequently into all the rest that were successively substituted in his stead: |Sepulchre of Osiris.| But some say, the Members of Osiris, kill’d by Typhon, were thrown by Isis into an Ox made of Wood, and cover’d with Ox-Hides (from whence the City of Busiris took its Name;) and this, as it is reported, she did, because, as she was in search of her Husband, a very handsome Bull appear’d to her, which she believ’d to be him, and whom she afterwards caus’d to be Honour’d in Egypt, under the Figure of that Animal. Many other Things are fabulously reported of Apis, which would be too tedious to relate in particular; therefore I need only consider whether the Adoration and Worship of that Creature, came first in use from being the Sepulchre of Osiris, |Of Mycerinus’s Daughter.| or from the Account Herodotus in his Euterpe gives of the Daughter of Mycerinus, bury’d in like manner, which we shall here relate, viz. That one of the Egyptian Kings, Mycerinus by Name, seeing himself depriv’d of Heirs by the Death of his Daughter and only Child, spar’d nothing whereby he might express how sensibly he was touch’d with this Loss, and consequently indeavour’d to immortalize her Memory, by the most superb and sumptuous Structure he could possibly devise. Instead therefore of a Monument he order’d a Palace to be erected for her, with a great Hall in the midst of it, adorn’d with abundance of Figures and Statues, all glittering with precious Stones. After this, he caus’d her Corps to be deposited in a Coffin of incorruptible Wood, fashion’d after the likeness of an Ox, which was cover’d all over with Plates of Gold, and had a purple Mantle cast over it. The Figure of this Ox was kneeling, having a Sun of Massy Gold between his Horns, and being enlightn’d by a Lamp hanging before him, whose Flames were fed with a most odoriferous Oil. Round about the Hall stood Perfuming-Pans and Censers, which continually threw up clouds of sweet Scents and Perfumes. In another Parlour adjoyning to this, stood about 20 great Images, partly naked and carv’d in Wood, which as the Priests report were the Concubines of Mycerinus. But some there are who speak otherwise of this Ox and those Figures, viz. That Mycerinus falling in Love with his Daughter ravish’d her, who thereupon hanging herself for Grief, her Father bury’d her in this Ox, and the Servants who betray’d the Daughter, and slew the Mother, were represented by these Images, as having been accessary to such Wickedness. This Sepulchral Story, Porus has very well delineated in Porcachius, after the manner you’ll find represented in this first Plate. But to return to the City Memphis, said to have been in circuit about 20 Miles; Greaves tells us, there is not now so much as the Ruines of any such Place to be seen, altho’ Monsieur Thevenot affirms, those pretty near the Mummies, enclining towards the Nile, are doubtless the Ruines of that City, whose Inhabitants, even at this Day, in imitation of their Ancestors, bury their Dead without the Gates, and consequently make use of the Plain for a Burying-Place. Yet Sandys avers, ’tis not likely they should carry their Dead so far, when they have as convenient a place belonging to their City, and this is also agreeable to what some of the Ancients write, viz. |Subterranean Caves.| That on these Subterranean Caves the City Memphis, and several other Places thereabouts were built, as on so many Vaults or Arches. Without doubt they bury’d in both places, tho’ cheifly in the Plains of Egypt and Libya, where, in Caves and Grots under Ground, are said to be about 40 Sepulchres of their Kings. In these they were very curious, sparing no cost, but roofing them over like so many great Halls, and dividing them into several Apartments, with Passages out of one into the other, alotting also to each Family or Person, one suitable to his Quality and Expense he had been at in making them. These were like those Hypogea of the Greeks, or Cryptæ of the Romans, p. 95, 96. and are thus describ’d by Sandys, p. 103. Not far above Memphis, near the brow of the Libyan Desarts, and straitning of the Mountains, are the Sepulchres or Graves of the antient Egyptians, who have been there from the first inhabiting that Country, and who coveted that place of Burial, as suppos’d to contain the Body of Osiris. When discover’d, they are to be seen after this manner: By the removal of a certain square Stone (which is very close fitted, and cover’d over with Sand for privacy sake) a descent appears like the narrow mouth of a Well, with holes on each side of the Wall to descend by, yet which are so troublesome, that many, says Sandys, who go thither on purpose to see them, refuse to go down into them. Some of these are near 10 Fathom deep, leading into long Vaults, hewn out of Rocks, with Pillars of the same, and which seem to have belong’d to particular Families: Under every Arch lye the Bodies that have been Embalm’d, &c. Here also are several Pyramids and Obelisks to be seen, adorn’d with Hieroglyphical Inscriptions, which set forth the Riches and Power of those Kings; but these we shall more particularly treat of in another place, and therefore here only represent to you the Ichnography and Schenography of the antient Burial-Places of the Egyptians, near the Pyramids, out of which the Mummies are brought, with a Prospect of Memphis, Babylon, Cairo, &c. The Scituation and Disposition of these, I presume, will appear very plainly describ’d in this second Plate, taken out of Johannes Nardius, at the end of his Lucretius, with the Mistakes amended.

A. The Ruines of the antient City of Memphis.

B. The City of Babylon, now Grand Cairo.

C. The River Nile flowing from South to North.

D. A carv’d Stone the Cover of the Well.

E. The Well or Passage thro’ which they descended into the arch’d Chamber.

F. A Stone-Coffin carv’d with Hieroglyphicks, containing another of Wood mark’d G. which that it may be the better seen, is shown in another place, having an Image standing thereon, and some Tutelar Gods. At the Well or Passage E. a Servant holding by a Rope, descends with his Master upon his Shoulders, whom having set down at the bottom of the Well, he creeps upon his Belly through a Foramen at H. and then enters into a magnificent arch’d Chamber, in the middle of which is plac’d a Marble-Tomb, F. having a Mummy in it. Out of this, many Passages lead into other Chambers, which are so numerous and intricate, the way out is almost as difficult to find, as that of a Labyrinth.

From Memphis, the Court of the Egyptian Kings is said to have remov’d to Alexandria, and afterwards to Cairo; |Babylon.| but in respect that Babylon, now Cairo, lies opposite to Memphis, as is seen at Letter B, and this second Plate thereby better describ’d, I will begin with that first. This, in opposition to the great City of Babylon in Chaldæa, built by Semiramis, was also for distinction sake call’d the Egyptian Babylon: It is said to have been founded by Cambyses the Persian Monarch, the first that made this Kingdom stoop to the Yoke of a Foreign Power, and was by him peopled with some Babylonians or Chaldæans transplanted thither. It stood at some distance towards the South of Cairo, where now appear nothing hardly but great Mountains of Ruines, among which many of the Christian Temples and Monasteries lye in rubbish. The Castle hereof serv’d long after for a Garrison of three Legions, appointed to defend this Country in the Time of the Romans. Adjoyning to this Castle are Store-Houses, |Granaries of Joseph.| suppos’d to be of the Granaries of Joseph, which, as they say, he built, and therein laid up Corn against the ensuing Famine. In all they were seven, but now three only are standing, which are also employ’d to the same use: From hence, for the space of 20 Miles up the River, there are nothing but Ruines.

From the Ruines of this City, Babylon, Old Cairo was rais’d, being heretofore a most stately City, but now in a manner desolate, having been alter’d several Times, as the Conquerors or Lords of the Country thought fit. At length a more convenient and pleasant place of Abode was pitch’d upon, when about half a League off the Old, |New Cairo.| they built New Cairo, which for a long Time has been, and at present is, the chief City or Metropolis of all Egypt. The Italians call it Alcairo, and others, by way of Excellency, Grand Cairo. It is scituate on the East side of Nile, in a very pleasant Plain, at the foot of the rocky Mountain Muccat, winding therewith, and representing the form of a Crescent. It stretches, says Sandys, p. 92. South and North, with the adjoyning Suburbs, five Italian Miles, and is in breadth scarce one and a half where it is broadest; but as to the bigness or circumference of this City, Authors differ very much, because some will have it consist of four Parts, viz. Old Cairo, New Cairo, Boulac and Charafat, which, if we compare with London, the City of Westminster and Borough of Southwark, we shall find it at least three times bigger. For it is said, the parts of Cairo, together with its Suburbs, are 10 or 12 Leagues in length, 7 or 8 in breadth, and 25 or 30 in circuit, and yet is this City so exceeding Populous, that the People pass to and fro in throngs, altho’ the Women, according to the Custom of that Country, seldom or never appear abroad. Once in seven Years ’tis visited with a terrible Pestilence, insomuch that 1000 or 1500 have dy’d in a Day, nevertheless, if not above 300000 die within the Year, the City is reckon’d to be in good Health, and there is hardly any miss of the Deceas’d. There are said to be in it 18000 Streets, 23000 Mosques, and 200000 Houses, besides several Markets, Exchanges, Hospitals, and other magnificent Structures. Every Street is known by its Name, and fortify’d with a great Gate at each end, which at Night, to prevent Tumults and Uproars, are lock’d up with wooden Locks, and open’d with a Key of the same; for here all the Locks and Keys, even of the City Gates themselves, which are plated with Iron, are made only of Wood. The number of Men, which every Night guard this City, is 28000. There is a Canal or Khalis, as they call it, which runs the whole length of the City, and conveys thro’ it Water from the Nile. At the South end it is fortify’d with a stately Castle (the Palace of the Mamaluke Sultans) scituate on the top of a Mountain, overlooking the City and a great part of the Country. It is so large it seems a City of it self, environ’d with high Walls, divided into Partitions, and enter’d by Doors of Iron, and has within it spacious Courts, which in Time past were the places of Exercise. Now the Ruines of those antient Buildings only show how sumptuous they have formerly been, for there are Pillars of solid Marble yet standing, of so immense a Magnitude, that how they came thither is not the least to be wonder’d at. ’Tis not therefore without reason that this City was nam’d Grand Cairo, which is reported in great measure to be encompass’d with a Wall, and in which, says Thevenot, there are so many curious Things to be seen, that a very large Book might be fill’d with the relation of them. Among some of the extraordinary Things to be seen at Cairo, |The Hatching of Chickens.| is the artificial way of Hatching Chickens, upon which the aforesaid Author well observes, it might be thought a Fable to relate that Chickens are to be hatch’d without Hens sitting upon the Eggs, and yet a greater to say, that Chickens are sold by the Bushel, nevertheless they are both true. To effect this, they put their Eggs into Ovens, and heat them with a temperate warmth, which imitates so well the natural heat, that Chickens are form’d and hatch’d in them; but for the particular manner of this, I must refer you to Thevenot in his Travels, p. 144. where it is to be found more plainly describ’d. To Cairo are brought, over Land by the Caravan from Mecca, all sorts of Perfumes, Aromatics, precious Stones and Gums, |Drugs brought by the Caravan.| such as Olibanum, Frankinsence, Mastic, Myrrh, Amber and Opobalsamum, also Indian Stuffs, Indico, and other rich and valuable Commodities. The Caravan consists of many Thousands of Pilgrims, that Travel yearly to Mecca, out of Devotion and for Traffic. That City is distant from Cairo 40 easie Days Journey, separated by a Wilderness of Sand, that lies in drifts, and is often dangerous to the Traveller, when mov’d by the Wind, thro’ which he is guided in many places by the Stars only, as Ships are in the Ocean. The whole Caravan has above 1000 Horses, Mules and Asses, and 500 Camels. These are the Ships of Arabia, and their Seas are the Desarts. The City of Mecca, Capital of Arabia Fælix, lying near the Red Sea, is a Place of great Traffic, not only by reason of the Indian Caravans, that repair thither yearly with their Commodities, but also of the Country adjoyning, whose precious Productions have procur’d it the Name of Happy. From hence they go to Medina Talnabi, or the City of the Prophet, where in a little Chappel, lighted by 3000 Lamps that burn there perpetually, lye Mahomet, Omer and Haly, in plain Tombs of the antique Fashion, cut out like Lozenges. That of Mahomet (not hanging in the Air as is reported) is cover’d with green, having on the side a Carbuncle as big as an Egg, which yields a marvellous Lustre. These meet again the rest of the Caravan at the place appointed, as Sandys, p. 97. tells us, who gives the foregoing Account.

Five Miles North-East of the City Cairo, lyes a Village call’d El Matharia, |Matarea.| where, in a Garden, is preserv’d the Balsam Plant as a great Rarity: |The Balsam Plant.| Some falsly attribute the natural Production of it to this Country, and some to other Places, tho’, truly speaking, ’tis brought from Mecca in Arabia Fælix, beyond the Red Sea, by the Turkish Pilgrims when they go to visit Mahomet’s Tomb, and so has been cultivated in several Places, and renew’d by the same means whenever it dy’d. Thus the Balsam Plant grew and prosper’d in Judæa, as is attested by Theophrastus, Pliny, Justin, and many more; nay by Galen also, who purposely travel’d into Palæstin to see and learn the Virtues of this Balsam of Syria; likewise from the Story of Cleopatra, who obtain’d some Plants of Balsam from Herod the Great, to transplant in Egypt. Yet that this Plant was not in Judæa before the Time of Solomon, that great Collector of Vegetable Rarities, appears from the Account of Josephus, who relates how the Queen of Sheba, a part of Arabia, brought, among other Presents to that King, some Plants of the Balsam-Tree, as one of the most valuable Things in her Country; whereby it appears it was not an original Native Plant of Judæa, and others affirm also that it had not its natural Growth there, utterly denying it was peculiar to that Country, or only to be seen in two Gardens about Jericho. We are to rely chiefly on the Credit and Authority of Joannes Veslingius and Prosper Alpinus, who rightly conclude the natural and original Place of this Plant to be in Arabia, about Mecca and Medina, where it still plentifully grows, and Mountains abound therewith. From hence it has been carefully transported, by the Basha’s of Grand Cairo, to the Garden of Matarea, where, when ever it dies, it is renew’d from those parts of Arabia where it grew, from whence the Grand Signior yearly receives a Present of Balsam from the Xeriff of Mecca, still call’d by the Arabians Balessan, and whence ’tis suppos’d the Greek Apellative Balsam arose. The Shrub, which produces this Liquor, is about two Cubits high, with few Leaves, like to those of Rue, always green, and somewhat inclining to white, yet which fall not off in Winter. The Wood is gummy, cleaving to the Fingers, and outwardly of a reddish colour, with Branches of the same that are long, streight, slender and odoriferous, with a few Leaves disorderly plac’d, sometimes three, five or seven together, after the manner of the Mastic-Tree: It bears a few small white Flowers, like Acatia or the Egyptian Thorn, which are of a pleasant scent, but fade in a little Time. After the Blossoms follow yellow fine scented Seeds, inclos’d in a reddish black Bladder, very sweet, and containing a yellowish Liquor like Honey: They are bitterish and a little tart on the Tongue, and of the same shape and bigness with the Fruit of the Turpentine-Tree, in the middle thick, and at the ends pointed. The Juice call’d Opobalsamum, drops in the Summer-Time from the slit of the insected Bark, which no sooner comes into the Air but it turns whitish, afterwards green, then of a gold colour, and lastly becomes paler. When ’tis first dropp’d ’tis clear, but instantly turns thick and cloudy, and when old grows like Turpentine. ’Tis at first of so strong a Smell, that in many it causes the Head-Ach, and in some a sudden bleeding at the Nose; but this strong and sharp Savour at length changes into a pleasant Scent, which in old Balsam is so weak that you can hardly discover any Smell at all.

There is another sort of Balsam brought from Cairo, in Flasks and Leather-Bottles, which is very odoriferous, yet not the pure Liquor or Gum issuing from the Bark of the aforesaid Tree, but drawn out of the Wood and green Branches by boyling. Another sort is press’d out of the Seeds, and many times sold for the right, tho’ not so strong scented nor so bitter in Taste. There is no Medicine more generally us’d by the Egyptians than the True Balsam, which they esteem a kind of Panacea for all Diseases, both external and internal, curing therewith divers sorts of Wounds, as also the bitings of venomous Creatures. They use it moreover as a Preservative against the Plague, and to drive away Agues or Fevers that proceed from Putrifaction. The Seeds and green Branches, are likewise us’d against all Distempers that the Balsam it self is: The same Virtue is ascrib’d to the Wood; but the Balsam, term’d by the Greeks, Opobalsamum, is the strongest, the Seed or Carpobalsamum more gentle, and the Wood or Xylobalsamum the weakest of all. But the chief Use of the Balsam for our Purpose, is preserving the dead Bodies of Kings and Princes; from which Quality, and on account of its Analogy with Embalming, the Art it self deriv’d its Name from it, as we shall show hereafter, when we come to speak of its Etymology: Its other Virtues, which are very many, together with a more general Description of it, the manner of extracting the Liquor, and the true signs of its Goodness when unsophisticated, I intend to treat of more fully in my Pharmacopœia, in the Chapter of Balsams, &c. therefore shall here only insert the Draft of this Plant, which is very scarce, taken out of Prosper Alpinus de Plantis Ægyptiacis, and represented in our third Plate.

We come next, according to the Method propos’d, to speak of Alexandria, |Alexandria.| so call’d from Alexander the Great, who built this City upon a Promontory, thrusting it self into the Sea, by which on the one side, and the Lake Mareotis on the other, it is exceeding well defended. Here Alexander built himself a large and stately Palace of admirable Workmanship, and all the succeeding Kings of Egypt so enlarg’d and beautify’d this City, some with Ports and Arsenals, and others with magnificent Temples, and such like rich Donations, that it was then judg’d by many to be second, if not the first City of the World; being exceeding Populous, and plentifully provided with all sorts of Provisions and other Necessaries. Diodorus Siculus tells us, when he was there, he was inform’d by those that kept the Rolls of the Inhabitants Names, that there were above 300000 Freemen, and the King receiv’d above 6000 Talents yearly Revenue. This City Alexander peopl’d with Greeks, immediately upon his Conquest of Egypt, and some of his Successors had their Residence here for 900 Years. This was the Metropolis of Egypt before Grand Cairo was built; but Alexandria is now so ruinous, says Thevenot, that many Strangers ask where it is even when they are in the middle of it, yet are there such fair remains among the Ruines, as shew it to have been a wonderful Place. One of the finest Things, now to be seen there, are the Walls, which, tho’ ruin’d, are so Magnificent, one must needs confess they have been matchless. These Walls are strengthn’d with stately ranks of Pillars, and have 118 great square Towers, with a little one betwixt every two, nay, they are so neatly contriv’d, that there are stately Casemates underneath, which may serve for Galleries and Walks: In each Tower there is a large square Hall, the Vault whereof is supported by great Pillars of Thebaic Stone; there are a great many Chambers above, and over all a large Platform, above 20 Paces square. In short, all these Towers are so many Palaces, able to contain 200 Men each. The Walls are several Foot thick, and have every-where Port-holes in them, and formerly encompass’d the antient Town, fortify’d by such Towers. Next to the Walls, the finest piece of Antiquity that has withstood the rage of Time, is the Pillar of Pompey, |Pompey’s Pillar.| scituate about 200 Paces from the City, upon an Eminence or little Hill, whereby it is seen at a great distance: This Pillar stands on a square Pedestal seven or eight Foot high, and each Face about 14 Foot over; the Pedestal is fix’d on a square Base about half a Foot high and 20 broad, made of several Stones cemented together. The Body of the Pillar consists only of one Stone, which some believe to be of Granit; but Thevenot and others affirm, ’tis a sort of Cement, which, in process of Time, grew into Stone, or else was cast on the spot, for ’tis aver’d for truth, the Ancients had the Secret of casting Stones. But others absolutely deny this Stone was so made, affirming the antient Egyptians got these Pillars and Obelisks, that are to be seen at so many places in Italy, at Saide, where they pretend many have been cut out and brought by Water down the Nile: If this be true, what extraordinary Barks or Water Carriages must they have had, to bring so great a weight, and in so large a bulk, as was that of this Pillar, nay, what Engins to raise it on its Pedestal? Thevenot says, No Artificer could be found that would undertake to remove it to another place, and that it is 120 Foot high, but Le Bruyn, who measur’d it, found it to be but 90, yet as much as six Men could grasp round, which, according to his Calculation is 38 Feet. On the top is a fine Chapiter, proportionable to the bigness of the Pillar, but made of a distinct piece of Stone. ’Tis said Julius Cæsar erected this Pillar in memory of the Victory he obtain’d over Pompey.

At some Paces distant is Cæsar’s Palace, but all ruin’d, says Thevenot, except some Pillars of Porphiry that are now entire and standing, yet the Frontispiece is still pretty sound, being a very lovely piece of Architecture. About 80 Paces wide of Pompey’s Pillar is a Khalis or Canal of the Nile, dug by the antient Egyptians to bring Water to Alexandria, which has no other to drink. This, when the Nile swells and breaks down a Bank, fills the Cisterns that are purposely made under the City, and which are very magnificent and spacious; for Alexandria is all hollow underneath, being an entire Cistern, whose Vaults are supported by several fair Marble-Pillars, and upon these Arches the Houses are built. Now this Water of the Nile, so convey’d by the Khalis under the Town, is by Wheels, with Earthen Pitchers or Buckets, drawn up into the private Cisterns of each House. There are likewise to be seen at Alexandria two very stately Obelisks of Theban Marble, intermix’d or speckl’d with Veins of various colours: One of these remains entire, but so sunk into the Earth, that it appears without a Pedestal. The other is quite bury’d in the Ground, except the Pedestal only, which is about 10 Foot high; each of these are of one entire Stone, 100 Foot in height and eight in breadth, suppos’d to be larger than those at Rome, and mark’d with such like Hieroglyphical Figures.

Near these Pillars or Obelisks are the Ruins of Cleopatra’s Palace, by whose stately Chambers or Apartments, in some part remaining entire, it may reasonably be conjectur’d, it was a very superb and magnificent Building, as likewise by some remains, still to be seen on the Sea-side, of a Gallery supported by many fair Pillars, and running outwards to the Mouth of the Harbour, so that any one might embark there from the Palace. Thevenot tells us, in his Travels to the Levant, p. 125. that this City abounds with Marble, Porphiry and Thebaic Stone or Granit, as also that among the Ruins, there are several very curious Stones to be found, such as Agats, Garnets, Emeralds, &c. like to Medals, some engrav’d with Heads, others with Idols, and some with Beasts, all being different from each other, and serving heretofore for Talismen or Charms. These are so excellently well wrought, that certainly nothing now-a-days can come up to them, whereby it appears either their Engravers were wonderful Artists, or else they had the Art of casting, or at least of softning Stones; for tho’ some of these are so small one can hardly finger them, yet are they nevertheless all engrav’d or otherwise wrought to perfection.

This City of Alexandria was likewise very famous for its Academies or Colleges, endow’d with large Revenues, and planted with such Persons as were eminent in Liberal Sciences, who were drawn thither by Rewards, and cherish’d by Favours, thro’ which means Alexandria became the Parnassus of the Muses, and the School of all good Literature. The chiefest and most memorable Place of all these was the Serapion, |The Serapion.| or Temple of the God Serapis, for sumptuous Workmanship and magnificent Building inferior to none but the Roman Capitol. It had a curious Portico of a Mile in length, whereto adjoyn’d a Court of Justice and a Grove: In this last, the Followers of Aristotle’s Doctrine had a peculiar School, whereof the Alexandrians, as Eusebius and Nicephorus write, would needs impose the Charge on Bishop Anatolius, for his extraordinary Knowledge in all Arts. St. Mark the Evangelist was here first Divinity-Professor, whose Successor erected a School for Theology, wherein, for the advancement of the Christian Religion, several of the most learn’d Men were appointed Readers, who scholastically handled the main and fundamental Points only: Among these was Pantænus, who read both Divinity and Philosophy to all such as came to hear him, which, as it is conceiv’d, gave the first hint to the instituting of Universities throughout the rest of Christendom, insomuch that, from so small a beginning, the Schools of Alexandria became so great and eminent, that Nazianzen gave them the Title of Παντοίας παιδεύσεως ἐργαστήριον, The Shops or Workhouses of all Learning. Here also St Jerom, St. Basil, St. Gregory and others were educated, and Philo-Judæus likewise became eminent, for in this Academy the Jews had a flourishing and populous Synagogue; but what greatly encreas’d the glory of this Assembly, was that most wonderful Library of Ptolemy Philadelphus, |Library of Ptolemy.| Son of Ptolemeus Lagus, the second of that Name of the Line of the Egyptian Kings, first establish’d by him, and afterwards augmented and enrich’d by his Successors; for this King being an exceeding Lover of all Arts and Sciences, he, with great Labour and much Expence, made a Collection of all manner of Books, as well in Divinity as in all Arts, Sciences, History, and the like, some of which he obtain’d from Greece and other places, but the Pentateuch, and the rest of the Old Testament, he procur’d from Judæa. Then wrote this King to Eleazer the High Priest, to send him six out of every Tribe to Translate this Book for the common Use. These Ptolemy receiv’d at Alexandria with exceeding great civility, and erected several convenient Mansions for them, wherein every one was by himself to Translate the Holy Law, which they so perform’d, according to the Testimonies of Josephus, Clemens Alexandrinus, Eusebius Nicephorus, St. Austin, and other learned Writers, that they not only us’d the same Sense, but the very same Words also, yet that certainly not without the special Grace and Assistance of the Holy Spirit. Now this is the Translation which bears the Name of Septuagint to this very Day. |The Septuagint.| Moreover, this King sent to the Chaldeans, Romans and other Nations for Books, all which he likewise commanded to be Translated into the Greek Tongue. One Phalerius Demetrius, a Learned Athenian Exile, was Keeper of this Library, which amounted, as Agellius, Ammianus Marcellinus and Diodorus Siculus alledge, to 700000 Volumes, and was afterwards from Time to Time very much augmented by the succeeding Kings, ’till at length this invaluable Treasure of Manuscripts (for then the Art of Printing was not so much as thought of) was burn’d in the Civil Wars between Pompey and Cæsar, in the 183 Olympiad, after it had continu’d about 124 Years. This Cæsar ever after accounted the greatest of his Misfortunes, that he, who was so great a Lover of Arts and Sciences, should be Cause of the destruction of so incomparable and unparalel’d a Library.