famine, that they consented to resign this idol to Ptolemy for a supply of corn, which he transmitted to them; and the statue was then conveyed to Alexandria, and placed in one of the suburbs, called Rhacotis, where it was adored by the name of Serapis, and a famous temple, called the Serapion, was afterwards erected for it in that place. This structure, according to Ammianus Marcellinus, surpassed, in beauty and magnificence, all the temples in the world, except the capitol at Rome. This temple had also a library, which became famous in all succeeding ages for the number and value of the books it contained.

• Ptolemy Soter had been careful to improve himself in polite literature, as was evident by his compiling the life of Alexander, which was greatly esteemed by the ancients, but is now entirely lost. In order to encourage the cultivation of the sciences, which he much admired, he founded an academy at Alexandria, called the Museum, where a society of learned men devoted themselves to philosophic studies, and the improvement of all other sciences, almost in the same manner as those of London and Paris. For this purpose, he began by giving them a library, which was prodigiously increased by his successors. His son Philadelphus left 100,000 volumes in it at the time of his death, and the succeeding princes of that race enlarged it still more, till at last it consisted of 700,000 volumes.

C

This library was formed by the following method. All the Greek and other books that were brought into Egypt were seized, and sent to the Museum, where they were transcribed by persons employed for that purpose. The copies were then delivered to the proprietors, and the originals were deposited in the library. Ptolemy Evergetes, for instance, borrowed the works of Sophocles, Euripides, and Eschylus, of the Athenians, and only returned them the copies, which he caused to be transcribed in as beautiful a manner as possible; and he likewise presented them with 15 talents (equal to 15,000 crowns) for the originals which he kept. As the Museum was at first in that quarter of the city which was called Bruchion, and near the royal palace, the library was founded in the same place, and it soon drew vast numbers thither; but, when it was so much augmented as to contain 400,000 volumes, they began to deposit the additional books in the Serapion. This last library was a supplement to the former, for which reason it received the appellation of its Daughter, and in process of time had in it 300,000 volumes.

a Amm, Marcell 1. xxii. c. 16.

b Arrian. in præf Plut. in Alex. p. 691. Q. Curt. 1. ix. c. 8. Strab. I. xvii. p. 793. Plut, in Moral p. 1095, c Euseb. in Chron. d Galen.

a

In Cesar's war with the inhabitants of Alexandria, a fire, occasioned by those hostilities, consumed the library of Bruchion, with its 400,000 volumes. Seneca seems to me to have been much displeased, when, speaking of the conflagration, he bestows his censures both on the library itself and the eulogium made on it by Livy, who styles it an illustrious monument of the opulence of the Egyptian kings, and of their judicious attention to the improvement of the sciences. Seneca, instead of allowing it to be such, would have it considered only as a work resulting from the pride and vanity of those monarchs, who had amassed such a number of books, not for their own use, but merely for pomp and ostentation. This reflection, however, seems to discover very little sagacity; for, is it not evident, beyond contradiction, that none but kings are capable of founding these magnificent libraries which become a necessary treasure to the learned, and do infinite honour to those states in which they are established?

The library of Serapion did not sustain any damage, and it was undoubtedly there that Cleopatra deposited those 200,000 volumes from that of Pergamus, which were presented to her by Antony. This addition, with other enlargements that were made from time to time, rendered the new library of Alexandria more numerous and considerable than the first; and, though it was ransacked more than once, during the troubles and revolutions which happened in the Roman empire, it always retrieved its losses, and recovered its number of volumes. In this condition it subsisted for many ages, displaying its treasures to the learned and curious, till the seventh century, when it suffered the same fate with its parent, and was burnt by the Saracens, when they took that city in the year of our Lord 642. The manner by which this misfortune happened is too singular to be passed over in silence.

c John, surnamed the Grammarian, a famous follower of Aristotle, happened to be at Alexandria when the city was taken; and, as he was much esteemed by Amri-Ebnol-As, the general of the Saracen troops, he intreated that commander to bestow upon him the Alexandrian library. Amri replied, that it was not in his power to grant such a request ; but that he would write to the khalif, or emperor, of the Sa

a Plut. in Cæsar. p 732, in Anton. p. 943. Amm. Marcell 1. xxii- c. 16. Dion. Cass. 1 xlii p. 202,

6 Quadringenta millia librorum Alexandriæ arserunt, pulcherrimum regiæ, opulentiæ mo umentum. Alius laudaverit, sicut Livius, qui elegantiæ regum euræque eregium dopus at fuisse Non fuit elegantia illud, aut cura, sed studiosa luxuria; imo, ne studiosa quidem quoniam non in studium sed in speciaculum comparaverano-Paretur itaque librorum quantum sit, nibil in Senec de tranquil. anim c. ix apparatum,

e Abul-Pharagius, in hist. Dynast. IX.

racens, for his orders on that head, without which he could not presume to dispose of the library. He accordingly wrote to Omar, the then khalif, whose answer was: that, if those books contained the same doctrine with the Koran, they could not be of any use, because the Koran was sufficient in itself, and comprehended all necessary truths; but if they contained any particulars contrary to that book they ought to be destroyed. In consequence of this answer, they were all condemned to the flames, without any farther examination; and, for that purpose were distributed among the public baths, where, for the space of six months, they were used for fuel instead of wood. We may from hence form a just idea of the prodigious number of books contained in that library : and thus was this inestimable treasure of learning destroyed.

The Museum of Bruchion was not burnt with the library which was attached to it. a Strabo acquaints us, in his description of it, that it was a very large structure, near the palace and fronting the port; and that it was surrounded with a portico, in which the philosophers walked. He adds, that the members of this society were governed by a president, whose station was so honourable and important, that, in the time of the Ptolemies, he was always chosen by the king himself, and afterwards by the Roman emperor; and that they had a hall where the whole society ate together at the expense of the public, by whom they were supported in a very plentiful manner.

Alexandria was undoubtedly indebted to this Musæum, for the advantage she long enjoyed of being the greatest school in all that part of the world, and of having trained up a vast number of excellent men in literature. It is from thence, in particular, that the church has received some of its most illustrious doctors; as Clemens Alexandrinus, Ammonius, Origen, Anatolius, Athanasius, and many others; for all these studied in that seminary.

Demetrius Phalereus was probably the first president of this seat of learning; but it is certain that he had the superintendency of the library. Plutarch informs us, that his first proposal to Ptolemy was the establishment of a library of such authors as treated of civil polity and government, assuring him, that they would always supply him with such counsels as none of his friends would presume to offer him.~This was almost the only expedient for introducing truth to princes, and showing them, under borrowed names, their duties as well as their defects. When the king had relished this excellent advice, and measures were taken to procure all such books as were requisite in this first view, it may easily be imagined that Demetrius carried the affair to e Strab. 1. xvii. p. 793. 6 Plut. in Apophth. p. 189,

a much greater length, and prevailed upon the king to collect all sorts of other books for the library we have mentioned. Who could better assist that prince in the accomplishment of so noble and magnificent a plan than Demetrius Phalereus, who was himself a learned man of the first rank as well as a very able politician?

a We have formerly seen what inducements brought Demetrius to the court of this prince. He was received with open arms by Ptolemy Soter, who heaped a profusion of honours upon him, and made him his confidant. He consulted him, in preference to all his other counsellors, in the most important affairs, and particularly those which related to the succession to the crown. This prince, two years before his death, had formed a resolution to abdicate his crown in favour of one of his children. Demetrius endeavoured to dissuade him from that design, by representing to him, that he must no longer expect to enjoy any authority, if he divested himself of his dignity in such a manner, and that it would be dangerous to create himself a master. But, when he found him absolutely determined on this abdication, he advised him to regulate his choice by the order prescribed by nature, which was generally followed by all nations: in consequence of which it would be incumbent on him to prefer his eldest son by Eurydice his first wife. But the influence of Berenice prevailed over this equitable and prudent advice, which, in a short time, proved fatal to its author.

Toward the close of this year died Ptolemy Soter, king of Egypt, in the eighty-fourth year of his age, and two years after his resignation of the empire to his son. He was the most able and worthy man of all his race, and left behind him such examples of prudence, justice, and clemency, as very few of his successors were industrious to imitate. During the space of near 40 years, in which he governed Egypt, after the death of Alexander, he raised it to such a height of grandeur and power as rendered it superior to the other kingdoms. He retained upon the throne the same fondness for simplicity of manners, and the same aversion for ostentatious pomp, as he discovered when he first ascended it. He was accessible to his subjects even to a degree of familiarity. He frequently ate with them at their own houses; and, when he gave any entertainment himself, he thought it no disgrace to borrow their richest plate, because he had but very little of his own, and no more than was necessary for his common use. d And, when some persons represented to him that the regal dignity seemed to require an air of greater opulence, his answer was, "That the true grandeur of a king consisted in enriching others, not in being rich himself.” a Plut. in Demetr. p. 892. Diog. Laert. in Demetr⚫ Phal. A. M. 3719. Ant. J. C. 285.

Plut. in Apoph. p. 181.

c A. M. 37 1. Ant. J. C, 283

SECT. IV.

Magnificent solemnity, at the inauguration of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt.

Ptolemy Philadelphus, after his father had abdicated the crown in his favour, entertained the people, when he ascended the throne, with the most splendid festival mentioned in antiquity. Athenæus has left us a long description of it, transcribed from Callixenes, the Rhodian, who compiled a history of Alexandria, and Montfaucon relates it in his Antiquities. I shall insert the particulars of it in this place, because they will give us a very proper idea of the riches and opulence of Egypt. I may add too, that, as ancient authors speak very often of sacred pomp, processions, and solemn festivals, in honour of their gods, I thought it incumbent on me to give some idea of them for once, by describing one of the most celebrated solemnities that was ever known. Plutarch, who is perpetually mentioning triumphs among the Romans, has the approbation of his readers for his particular description of that of Paulus Æmilius, which was one of the most magnificent. But, if the account I shall now give should appear unseasonable or too prolix, it may be passed over, without interrupting the series of this history; for I declare before-hand that the relation will be something tedious.

a

@ This pompous solemnity continued a whole day, and was conducted through the whole extent of the city of Alexandria. It was divided into several parts, and formed a variety of separate processions. Besides those of the king's father and mother, the gods had, each of them, a distinct cavalcade, the decorations of which were descriptive of their history.

Athenæus has related only the particulars of that of Bacchus, by which a judgment may be formed of the magnificence of the rest.

The procession began with a troop of Sileni, some habited in purple, others in robes of a deep red; their employment was to keep off the crowd, and make way.

Next to the Sileni came a band of Satyrs, composed of 20, in two ranks, each carrying a gilded lamp.

These were succeeded by Victories, with golden wings, carrying vases, nine feet high, steaming with burning perfumes, partly gilt and partly adorned with the leaves of ivy. Their habits were embroidered with the figures of animals, and every part of them glittered with gold.

After these came a double altar, nine feet in height, and covered with a luxuriant foliage of ivy, intermixed with ort

a Athen. 1. v. p. 197-203,