while the husbandmen broil in the fields, bedewing the earth with the fweat of their brow, the rich pass their time in voluptuousflumbers, amidst cooling airs, and the balfamic exhalations of plants. The utmost ambition of a Turk, who is not in place, is to live agreeably, and wholly free from cares; but the Beys, on the contrary, preyed upon by fear, placed at the head of a republic impoverished by their devaftations, dazzle for a moment, then difappear, cut off by the fword of their colleagues, or the poison of their flaves.

Egypt has for numerous ages, been inundated, which has prodigiously raised the foil; this fact is attested by obelisks, buried fifteen or twenty feet, and porticos that have half disappeared. Their ancient cities, built on artificial mounts, and the mounds they raised, fhewed the Egyptians dreaded the high inundations. At prefent the land is fo much higher that the waters feldom rise so as to injure agriculture. When they are under fixteen cubits a famine is threatened, and the years of abundance are those of between eighteen and two-and-twenty cubits. When the waters exceed this, they lay too

long

long on the ground, and prevent its being fown; which, however, feldom happens. On the contrary, inundations below the medium often leave the high lands fruitless. Were the canals opened, the mounds repaired, and the great refervoirs filled, they might water a much larger extent of country, and procure harvests infinitely more abundant.

It would be poffible to enfure a regular inundation to Egypt, and a never-failing fertility; but this must be by conquering Ethiopia, or forming a treaty with its inhabitants, by which they might be permitted to confine the waters of the Nile, where they disperse themselves over the fands that lie to the weft.

“In the year 1106, when Elmeftanfor was Sultan of Egypt, the inundation totally failed. The Sultan fent Michael, patriarch of the Jacobines, with magnifi"cent prefents, to the Emperor of Ethiopia, who came to meet, received him

favourably, and demanded the fubject of "his embaffy. Michael replied, that the "waters of the Nile having failed, had "made the Egyptians dread all the horrors "of famine, and thrown them into the ut

"moft

"most confternation: he added remon→ "ftrances which induced the Emperor to "fuffer a dam to be opened that had turned "the river, which, taking its usual course, "rofe three cubits in one day. Michael, on "his return, received great honors (m)."

This fhews the poffibility of turning the courfe of the Nile, and proves a mound, raised to ftop up the great channel which communicates with the Niger, would cause a prodigious increafe of water. Were a powerful and intelligent people in poffeffion of Egypt, fuch wonderful changes would be eafily made, and it would become the wealthiest country in the world. The Egyptians have a certain fign of inundation, and the height to which it will rife. When the north wind, during the months I have before mentioned, repelled by impetuous winds from the fouth, is driven back, the affemblage of clouds is lefs than ufual in Upper Abyffinia, and the increafe is very finall; mounds then would be of the greateft utility; but, on the contrary, when the north wind

(m) Elmacin, hiftory of the Arabs. This happened under Aboulcafem, the twenty-feventh of the Abaffide Caliphs, and the forty-eighth from Mahomet.

is predominant, and repels the tempestuous fouth towards the equator, it brings heavy clouds, and there is a certainty of a favourable inundation in this cafe it would be neceffary to open the dams of Ethiopia, and give the fuperabundant waters their ufual vent. By means of this augmentation, alfo, there might be a canal between Cophtos and Coffeir, which would be ranked among the most famous, and the moft ufeful, works of Egypt. Thefe, Sir, are ideas thrown into the expanfe of poffibility; they perhaps may hereafter be realized. Various powers look with watchful eyes on this fine kingdom, governed by barbarians incapable of defending it; the firft nation, therefore, that attacks will conquer it, and then there can be little doubt but its face will be changed.

I have the honour to be, &c.

LETTER

LETTER IX.

OF THE GOVERNMENT OF EGYPT.

The government of Egypt, fince its conqueft by the Arabs, and the various revolutions it has undergone. Articles of the treaty granted by Sultan Selim, to the Circaffian Mamluks. The limited power of the Pachas, and the preponderance of that of the Beys; particularly in the dignity of Sheik Elbalad and Emir Hadgi. The manner in which the Ottoman governors are received, and the dif grace with which they are fent back. ObJervations on the decline of the Ottoman authority in Egypt.

I

To M. L. M.

Grand Cairo.

Promised to send you particulars concerning the government of Egypt, fo little known in France, and hope the obfervations of feveral years will enable me to fulfil this promife. It will firft, however, be neceffary to begin by an introductory account, which will throw light on what I have to offer.

From