butiftheponderousmassofArianandMonophysitecontroversywereindeedconsumedinthepublicbaths，^122aphilosophermayallow，withasmile，thatitwasultimatelydevotedtothebenefitofmankind。IsincerelyregretthemorevaluablelibrarieswhichhavebeeninvolvedintheruinoftheRomanempire；butwhenIseriouslycomputethelapseofages，thewasteofignorance，andthecalamitiesofwar，ourtreasures，ratherthanourlosses，aretheobjectsofmysurprise。Manycuriousandinterestingfactsareburiedinoblivion:thethreegreathistoriansofRomehavebeentransmittedtoourhandsinamutilatedstate，andwearedeprivedofmanypleasingcompositionsofthelyric，iambic，anddramaticpoetryoftheGreeks。Yetweshouldgratefullyremember，thatthemischancesoftimeandaccidenthavesparedtheclassicworkstowhichthesuffrageofantiquity^123hadadjudgedthefirstplaceofgeniusandglory:theteachersofancientknowledge，whoarestillextant，hadperusedandcomparedthewritingsoftheirpredecessors；^124norcanitfairlybepresumedthatanyimportanttruth，anyusefuldiscoveryinartornature，hasbeensnatchedawayfromthecuriosityofmodernages。
[Footnote115:Manytreatisesofthisloveroflaborarestillextant，butforreadersofthepresentage，theprintedandunpublishedarenearlyinthesamepredicament。MosesandAristotlearethechiefobjectsofhisverbosecommentaries，oneofwhichisdatedasearlyasMay10th，A。D。617，Fabric。
Bibliot。Graec。tom。ix。p。458—468。Amodern，JohnLeClerc，whosometimesassumedthesamenamewasequaltooldPhiloponusindiligence，andfarsuperioringoodsenseandrealknowledge。]
[Footnote116:Abulpharag。Dynast。p。114，vers。Pocock。Audiquidfactumsitetmirare。Itwouldbeendlesstoenumeratethemodernswhohavewonderedandbelieved，butImaydistinguishwithhonortherationalscepticismofRenaudot，Hist。Alex。
Patriarch，p。170:historia……habetaliquidutArabibusfamiliareest。]
[Footnote*:SincethisperiodseveralnewMahometanauthoritieshavebeenadducedtosupporttheauthorityofAbulpharagius。
Thatof，I。AbdollatiphbyProfessorWhite:II。OfMakrizi；I
haveseenaMs。extractfromthiswriter:III。OfIbnChaledun:
andafterthemHadschiChalfa。SeeVonHammer，GeschichtederAssassinen，p。17。Reinhard，inaGermanDissertation，printedatGottingen，1792，andSt。Croix，MagasinEncyclop。tom。iv。p。
433，haveexaminedthequestion。AmongOrientalscholars，ProfessorWhite，M。St。Martin，VonHammer。andSilv。deSacy，considerthefactoftheburningthelibrary，bythecommandofOmar，beyondquestion。CompareSt。Martin'snote。vol。xi。p。
296。AMahometanwriterbringsasimilarchargeagainsttheCrusaders。ThelibraryofTripoliissaidtohavecontainedtheincrediblenumberofthreemillionsofvolumes。Onthecaptureofthecity，CountBertramofSt。Giles，enteringthefirstroom，whichcontainednothingbuttheKoran，orderedthewholetobeburnt，astheworksofthefalseprophetofArabia。SeeWilken。
GeschderKreuxzuge，vol。ii。p。211。—M。]
[Footnote117:ThiscuriousanecdotewillbevainlysoughtintheannalsofEutychius，andtheSaracenichistoryofElmacin。ThesilenceofAbulfeda，Murtadi，andacrowdofMoslems，islessconclusivefromtheirignoranceofChristianliterature。]
[Footnote118:SeeReland，deJureMilitariMohammedanorum，inhisiiidvolumeofDissertations，p。37。ThereasonfornotburningthereligiousbooksoftheJewsorChristians，isderivedfromtherespectthatisduetothenameofGod。]
[Footnote119:ConsultthecollectionsofFrensheimSupplement。
Livian，c。12，43andUsher，Anal。p。469。LivyhimselfhadstyledtheAlexandrianlibrary，elegantiaeregumcuraequeegregiumopus；aliberalencomium，forwhichheispertlycriticizedbythenarrowstoicismofSeneca，DeTranquillitateAnimi，c。9，whosewisdom，onthisoccasion，deviatesintononsense。]
[Footnote120:SeethisHistory，vol。iii。p。146。]
[Footnote121:AulusGellius，NoctesAtticae，vi。17，AmmianusMarcellinua，xxii。16，andOrosius，l。vi。c。15。Theyallspeakinthepasttense，andthewordsofAmmianusareremarkablystrong:fueruntBibliothecaeinnumerabiles；etloquitummonumentorumveterumconcinensfides，&c。]
[Footnote122:RenaudotanswersforversionsoftheBible，Hexapla，CatenoePatrum，Commentaries，&c。，p。170。OurAlexandrianMs。，ifitcamefromEgypt，andnotfromConstantinopleorMountAthos，Wetstein，Prolegom。adN。T。p。
8，&c。，mightpossiblybeamongthem。]
[Footnote123:IhaveoftenperusedwithpleasureachapterofQuintilian，Institut。Orator。x。i。，inwhichthatjudiciouscriticenumeratesandappreciatestheseriesofGreekandLatinclassics。]
[Footnote124:SuchasGalen，Pliny，Aristotle，&c。OnthissubjectWottonReflectionsonAncientandModernLearning，p。85
—95argues，withsolidsense，againstthelivelyexoticfanciesofSirWilliamTemple。ThecontemptoftheGreeksforBarbaricsciencewouldscarcelyadmittheIndianorAethiopicbooksintothelibraryofAlexandria；norisitprovedthatphilosophyhassustainedanyreallossfromtheirexclusion。]
IntheadministrationofEgypt，^125Amroubalancedthedemandsofjusticeandpolicy；theinterestofthepeopleofthelaw，whoweredefendedbyGod；andofthepeopleofthealliance，whowereprotectedbyman。Intherecenttumultofconquestanddeliverance，thetongueoftheCoptsandtheswordoftheArabsweremostadversetothetranquillityoftheprovince。Totheformer，Amroudeclared，thatfactionandfalsehoodwouldbedoublychastised；bythepunishmentoftheaccusers，whomheshoulddetestashispersonalenemies，andbythepromotionoftheirinnocentbrethren，whomtheirenvyhadlaboredtoinjureandsupplant。Heexcitedthelatterbythemotivesofreligionandhonortosustainthedignityoftheircharacter，toendearthemselvesbyamodestandtemperateconducttoGodandthecaliph，tospareandprotectapeoplewhohadtrustedtotheirfaith，andtocontentthemselveswiththelegitimateandsplendidrewardsoftheirvictory。Inthemanagementoftherevenue，hedisapprovedthesimplebutoppressivemodeofacapitation，andpreferredwithreasonaproportionoftaxesdeductedoneverybranchfromtheclearprofitsofagricultureandcommerce。A
thirdpartofthetributewasappropriatedtotheannualrepairsofthedikesandcanals，soessentialtothepublicwelfare。
Underhisadministration，thefertilityofEgyptsuppliedthedearthofArabia；andastringofcamels，ladenwithcornandprovisions，coveredalmostwithoutanintervalthelongroadfromMemphistoMedina。^126ButthegeniusofAmrousoonrenewedthemaritimecommunicationwhichhadbeenattemptedorachievedbythePharaohsthePtolemies，ortheCaesars；andacanal，atleasteightymilesinlength，wasopenedfromtheNiletotheRedSea。
Thisinlandnavigation，whichwouldhavejoinedtheMediterraneanandtheIndianOcean，wassoondiscontinuedasuselessanddangerous:thethronewasremovedfromMedinatoDamascus，andtheGrecianfleetsmighthaveexploredapassagetotheholycitiesofArabia。^127
[Footnote125:ThiscuriousandauthenticintelligenceofMurtadip。284—289hasnotbeendiscoveredeitherbyMr。Ockley，orbytheself—sufficientcompilersoftheModernUniversalHistory。]
[Footnote126:Eutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。320。Elmacin，Hist。
Saracen。p。35。]
[Footnote*:ManylearnedmenhavedoubtedtheexistenceofacommunicationbywaterbetweentheRedSeaandtheMediterraneanbytheNile。Yetthefactispositivelyassertedbytheancients。DiodorusSiculusl。i。p。33speaksofitinthemostdistinctmannerasexistinginhistime。So，also，Strabo，l。xvii。p。805。Plinyvol。vi。p。29saysthatthecanalwhichunitedthetwoseaswasnavigable，alveusnavigabilis。
TheindicationsfurnishedbyPtolemyandbytheArabichistorian，Makrisi，showthatworkswereexecutedunderthereignofHadriantorepairthecanalandextendthenavigation；itthenreceivedthenameoftheRiverofTrajanLucian，inhisPseudomantis，p。
44，saysthathewentbywaterfromAlexandriatoClysma，ontheRedSea。Testimoniesofthe6thandofthe8thcenturyshowthatthecommunicationwasnotinterruptedatthattime。SeetheFrenchtranslationofStrabo，vol。v。p。382。St。Martinvol。
xi。p。299。—M。]
[Footnote127:Ontheseobscurecanals，thereadermaytrytosatisfyhimselffromD'Anville，Mem。surl'Egypte，p。108—110，124，132，andalearnedthesis，maintainedandprintedatStrasburgintheyear1770，Jungendorummariumfluviorumquemolimina，p。39—47，68—70。EventhesupineTurkshaveagitatedtheoldprojectofjoiningthetwoseas。MemoiresduBarondeTott，tom。iv。]
Ofhisnewconquest，thecaliphOmarhadanimperfectknowledgefromthevoiceoffameandthelegendsoftheKoran。
HerequestedthathislieutenantwouldplacebeforehiseyestherealmofPharaohandtheAmalekites；andtheanswerofAmrouexhibitsalivelyandnotunfaithfulpictureofthatsingularcountry。^128"Ocommanderofthefaithful，Egyptisacompoundofblackearthandgreenplants，betweenapulverizedmountainandaredsand。ThedistancefromSyenetotheseaisamonth'sjourneyforahorseman。Alongthevalleydescendsariver，onwhichtheblessingoftheMostHighreposesbothintheeveningandmorning，andwhichrisesandfallswiththerevolutionsofthesunandmoon。WhentheannualdispensationofProvidenceunlocksthespringsandfountainsthatnourishtheearth，theNilerollshisswellingandsoundingwatersthroughtherealmofEgypt:thefieldsareoverspreadbythesalutaryflood；andthevillagescommunicatewitheachotherintheirpaintedbarks。Theretreatoftheinundationdepositsafertilizingmudforthereceptionofthevariousseeds:thecrowdsofhusbandmenwhoblackenthelandmaybecomparedtoaswarmofindustriousants；
andtheirnativeindolenceisquickenedbythelashofthetask—master，andthepromiseoftheflowersandfruitsofaplentifulincrease。Theirhopeisseldomdeceived；butthericheswhichtheyextractfromthewheat，thebarley，andtherice，thelegumes，thefruit—trees，andthecattle，areunequallysharedbetweenthosewholaborandthosewhopossess。Accordingtothevicissitudesoftheseasons，thefaceofthecountryisadornedwithasilverwave，averdantemerald，andthedeepyellowofagoldenharvest。"^129Yetthisbeneficialorderissometimesinterrupted；andthelongdelayandsuddenswelloftheriverinthefirstyearoftheconquestmightaffordsomecolortoanedifyingfable。Itissaid，thattheannualsacrificeofavirgin^130hadbeeninterdictedbythepietyofOmar；andthattheNilelaysullenandinactiveinhisshallowbed，tillthemandateofthecaliphwascastintotheobedientstream，whichroseinasinglenighttotheheightofsixteencubits。TheadmirationoftheArabsfortheirnewconquestencouragedthelicenseoftheirromanticspirit。Wemayread，inthegravestauthors，thatEgyptwascrowdedwithtwentythousandcitiesorvillages:^131that，exclusiveoftheGreeksandArabs，theCoptsalonewerefound，ontheassessment，sixmillionsoftributarysubjects，^132ortwentymillionsofeithersex，andofeveryage:thatthreehundredmillionsofgoldorsilverwereannuallypaidtothetreasuryofthecaliphs。^133Ourreasonmustbestartledbytheseextravagantassertions；andtheywillbecomemorepalpable，ifweassumethecompassandmeasuretheextentofhabitableground:avalleyfromthetropictoMemphisseldombroaderthantwelvemiles，andthetriangleoftheDelta，aflatsurfaceoftwothousandonehundredsquareleagues，composeatwelfthpartofthemagnitudeofFrance。^134Amoreaccurateresearchwilljustifyamorereasonableestimate。Thethreehundredmillions，createdbytheerrorofascribe，arereducedtothedecentrevenueoffourmillionsthreehundredthousandpiecesofgold，ofwhichninehundredthousandwereconsumedbythepayofthesoldiers。^135Twoauthenticlists，ofthepresentandofthetwelfthcentury，arecircumscribedwithintherespectablenumberoftwothousandsevenhundredvillagesandtowns。^136AfteralongresidenceatCairo，aFrenchconsulhasventuredtoassignaboutfourmillionsofMahometans，Christians，andJews，fortheample，thoughnotincredible，scopeofthepopulationofEgypt。^137
[Footnote128:Asmallvolume，desMerveilles，&c。，del'Egypte，composedinthexiiithcenturybyMurtadiofCairo，andtranslatedfromanArabicMs。ofCardinalMazarin，waspublishedbyPierreVatier，Paris，1666。TheantiquitiesofEgyptarewildandlegendary；butthewriterdeservescreditandesteemforhisaccountoftheconquestandgeographyofhisnativecountry，seethecorrespondenceofAmrouandOmar，p。279—289。]
[Footnote129:Inatwentyyears'residenceatCairo，theconsulMaillethadcontemplatedthatvaryingscene，theNile，lettreii。particularlyp。70，75；thefertilityoftheland，lettreix。FromacollegeatCambridge，thepoeticeyeofGrayhadseenthesameobjectswithakeenerglance:—
Whatwonderinthesultryclimesthatspread，WhereNile，redundanto'erhissummerbed，Fromhisbroadbosomlifeandverdureflings，Andbroodso'erEgyptwithhiswaterywings:
Ifwithadventurousoar，andreadysail，Theduskypeopledrivebeforethegale:
Oronfrailfloatstoneighboringcitiesride。
Thatriseandglittero'ertheambienttide。
Mason'sWorksandMemoirsofGray，p。199，200。]
[Footnote130:Murtadi，p。164—167。ThereaderwillnoteasilycreditahumansacrificeundertheChristianemperors，oramiracleofthesuccessorsofMahomet。]
[Footnote131:Maillet，Descriptiondel'Egypte，p。22。Hementionsthisnumberasthecommonopinion；andadds，thatthegeneralityofthesevillagescontaintwoorthreethousandpersons，andthatmanyofthemaremorepopulousthanourlargecities。]
[Footnote132:Eutych。Annal。tom。ii。p。308，311。Thetwentymillionsarecomputedfromthefollowingdata:onetwelfthofmankindabovesixty，onethirdbelowsixteen，theproportionofmentowomenasseventeenorsixteen，RecherchessurlaPopulationdelaFrance，p。71，72。ThepresidentGoguetOriginedesArts，&c。，tom。iii。p。26，&c。Bestowstwenty—sevenmillionsonancientEgypt，becausetheseventeenhundredcompanionsofSesostriswerebornonthesameday。]
[Footnote133:Elmacin，Hist。Saracen。p。218；andthisgrosslumpisswallowedwithoutscruplebyD'Herbelot，Bibliot。
Orient。p。1031，Ar。buthnot，TablesofAncientCoins，p。262，
andDeGuignes，Hist。desHuns，tom。iii。p。135。TheymightallegethenotlessextravagantliberalityofAppianinfavorofthePtolemiesinpraefat。ofseventyfourmyriads，740，000
talents，anannualincomeof185，ornear300millionsofpoundssterling，accordingaswereckonbytheEgyptianortheAlexandriantalent，Bernard，dePonderibusAntiq。p。186。]
[Footnote134:SeethemeasurementofD'Anville，Mem。surl'Egypte，p。23，&c。Aftersomepeevishcavils，M。PauwRecherchessurlesEgyptiens，tom。i。p。118—121canonlyenlargehisreckoningto2250squareleagues。]
[Footnote135:Renaudot，Hist。Patriarch。Alexand。p。334，whocallsthecommonreadingorversionofElmacin，errorlibrarii。
Hisownemendation，of4，300，000pieces，intheixthcentury，maintainsaprobablemediumbetweenthe3，000，000whichtheArabsacquiredbytheconquestofEgypt，idem，p。168。andthe2，400，000whichthesultanofConstantinopleleviedinthelastcentury，PietrodellaValle，tom。i。p。352Thevenot，parti。p。
824。PauwRecherches，tom。ii。p。365—373graduallyraisestherevenueofthePharaohs，thePtolemies，andtheCaesars，fromsixtofifteenmillionsofGermancrowns。]
[Footnote136:ThelistofSchultensIndexGeograph。adcalcemVit。Saladin。p。5contains2396places；thatofD'Anville，Mem。surl'Egypte，p。29，fromthedivanofCairo，enumerates2696。]
[Footnote137:SeeMaillet，Descriptiondel'Egypte，p。28，whoseemstoarguewithcandorandjudgment。IammuchbettersatisfiedwiththeobservationsthanwiththereadingoftheFrenchconsul。HewasignorantofGreekandLatinliterature，andhisfancyistoomuchdelightedwiththefictionsoftheArabs。TheirbestknowledgeiscollectedbyAbulfeda，Descript。
Aegypt。Arab。etLat。aJoh。DavidMichaelis，Gottingae，in4to。，1776；andintworecentvoyagesintoEgypt，weareamusedbySavary，andinstructedbyVolney。Iwishthelattercouldtravelovertheglobe。]
IV。TheconquestofAfrica，fromtheNiletotheAtlanticOcean，^138wasfirstattemptedbythearmsofthecaliphOthman。
ThepiousdesignwasapprovedbythecompanionsofMahometandthechiefsofthetribes；andtwentythousandArabsmarchedfromMedina，withthegiftsandtheblessingofthecommanderofthefaithful。TheywerejoinedinthecampofMemphisbytwentythousandoftheircountrymen；andtheconductofthewarwasintrustedtoAbdallah，^139thesonofSaidandthefoster—brotherofthecaliph，whohadlatelysupplantedtheconquerorandlieutenantofEgypt。Yetthefavoroftheprince，andthemeritofhisfavorite，couldnotobliteratetheguiltofhisapostasy。TheearlyconversionofAbdallah，andhisskilfulpen，hadrecommendedhimtotheimportantofficeoftranscribingthesheetsoftheKoran:hebetrayedhistrust，corruptedthetext，deridedtheerrorswhichhehadmade，andfledtoMeccatoescapethejustice，andexposetheignorance，oftheapostle。
AftertheconquestofMecca，hefellprostrateatthefeetofMahomet；histears，andtheentreatiesofOthman，extortedareluctantpardon；outtheprophetdeclaredthathehadsolonghesitated，toallowtimeforsomezealousdiscipletoavengehisinjuryinthebloodoftheapostate。Withapparentfidelityandeffectivemerit，heservedthereligionwhichitwasnolongerhisinteresttodesert:hisbirthandtalentsgavehimanhonorablerankamongtheKoreish；and，inanationofcavalry，AbdallahwasrenownedastheboldestandmostdexteroushorsemanofArabia。AttheheadoffortythousandMoslems，headvancedfromEgyptintotheunknowncountriesoftheWest。ThesandsofBarcamightbeimpervioustoaRomanlegionbuttheArabswereattendedbytheirfaithfulcamels；andthenativesofthedesertbeheldwithoutterrorthefamiliaraspectofthesoilandclimate。Afterapainfulmarch，theypitchedtheirtentsbeforethewallsofTripoli，^140amaritimecityinwhichthename，thewealth，andtheinhabitantsoftheprovincehadgraduallycentred，andwhichnowmaintainsthethirdrankamongthestatesofBarbary。AreenforcementofGreekswassurprisedandcutinpiecesonthesea—shore；butthefortificationsofTripoliresistedthefirstassaults；andtheSaracensweretemptedbytheapproachofthepraefectGregory^141torelinquishthelaborsofthesiegefortheperilsandthehopesofadecisiveaction。Ifhisstandardwasfollowedbyonehundredandtwentythousandmen，theregularbandsoftheempiremusthavebeenlostinthenakedanddisorderlycrowdofAfricansandMoors，whoformedthestrength，orratherthenumbers，ofhishost。HerejectedwithindignationtheoptionoftheKoranorthetribute；andduringseveraldaysthetwoarmieswerefiercelyengagedfromthedawnoflighttothehourofnoon，whentheirfatigueandtheexcessiveheatcompelledthemtoseekshelterandrefreshmentintheirrespectivecamps。ThedaughterofGregory，amaidofincomparablebeautyandspirit，issaidtohavefoughtbyhisside:fromherearliestyouthshewastrainedtomountonhorseback，todrawthebow，andtowieldthecimeter；andtherichnessofherarmsandapparelwereconspicuousintheforemostranksofthebattle。Herhand，withahundredthousandpiecesofgold，wasofferedfortheheadoftheArabiangeneral，andtheyouthsofAfricawereexcitedbytheprospectofthegloriousprize。Atthepressingsolicitationofhisbrethren，Abdallahwithdrewhispersonfromthefield；buttheSaracenswerediscouragedbytheretreatoftheirleader，andtherepetitionoftheseequalorunsuccessfulconflicts。