38 AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION
SECT.
I.
the feat of government in Alexandria . By femeexertions of authority, and many ads of liberality,but chiefly by the fame of his mild and equaladminiflration, he drew fuch a number of inhabit-ants to this favorite refidence, that it foon becamea populous and wealthy city. As Ptolemy defervedand had poffeffed the confidence of Alexandermore perfed'y than any of his officers, he knewwell that his chief objed in founding Alexandria was to fecure the advantages arifing from the tradewith India . A long and profperous reign wasfavorable to the profecution of that objed, andthough ancient authors have not enabled us totra-'e the Heps which the firft Ptolemy took forthis purpofe, we have a ftriking evidence of hisextraordinary attention to naval affairs, in his ered-ing the light-houfe on the ifland of Pharos, atthe mouth of the harbour of Alexandria ' 6 , a workof fuch magnificence as to be reckoned one ofthe feven wonders of the world. With refped tothe rnrnmercial arrangements of his fon Ptolemy Fhiladelphus , we have more perfed information.In order to bring the trade with India (whichbegan to revive at Tyre, its ancient ftation’ 7 ,)to centre in Alexandria , he fet about forming acanal , a hundred cubits in breadth, and thirtycubits in depth, between Arfinoe on the Red Sea ,not far from the fituation of the modern Suez,and the Pelufiac or eaftern branch of the Nile,by means of which the produdions of India might
s?
lb. lib. xvi. 1089. A.