from 4Ptolemy and 5 Strabo. This fituation for Goshen is more extravagant than any that has been yet thought of: it cannot be supposed that the best of the land of Egypt was here. The few towns upon the upper part of the Red Sea were folitary feaports, that stood upon the verge of a barren wilderness; and were not of Egyptian original. We are told by Strabo, that the kings of Egypt for a long time were averfe to trade, particularly by fea, and discouraged navigation. They were satisfied with the produce of their own fertile foil; and needed not any foreign importations: which circumstance made them ill affected to failors and shipping, and little folicitous about seaports and harbours; especially beyond the limits of their own country. 6 Οι μεν ουν προτεροι των Αιγυπτιων βασιλεις αγα πωντες δις είχον, και 8 πανυ επεισακτων δεομενοι, διαβεβλημενοι προς ἅπαντας τες πλεοντας κ. τ. λ. 7 Diodorus Siculus fays the fame. The hiftories of Egypt are continually defcribing the care and coft of their first kings, in fortifying the country to the eaft, and fecuring it from foreign attacks. They made the river of Pelufum the boundary of their kingdom; and never thought of founding & feaports on the Red Sea. Heroopolis, and the few towns near it were feparated from Egypt at the distance of four days journey; and were occupied by the Arabians,

4 Geogr. Edit. Bertii. p. 103.

'H

5 Vol. 2. p. 1158. Ἡ των Ηρωων εςι πόλις και η Κλεοπάτρις, εν τῷ μυχῳ το Αραβια κολπο τῳ προς Αίγυπτον. pag. 1193. καθ' Ηρωων πολι την εν τῷ μυχῳ το Αραβια κολπο.

6 Vol. 2. pag. 1142.

7 Καθόλε δε πρωτος [Ψαμμίτιχος] των κατ' Αιγυπτον βασιλέων ανεῳξε τοῖς άλλοις εθνεσι τα κατα την αλλην χωραν εμπορία, και πολλην ασφαλειαν τοῖς καταπλευσι ξενοις παρείχετο. Lib. 1. pag. 43.

8 The priests of Egypt efteemed it an abomination for a perfon to quit his native country: for which reason they never left it; thinking it inexcufable in any perfons, excepting thofe, who were obliged to go abroad for the service of the crown by the king's appointment. This we learn from Cheremo the Stoic in his account of the Egyptian priests, γε εν τοις ασεβεςατοίς ετίθεντο πλειν απ' Αιγύπτῳ διευλαβόμενοι ξενικας τρυφας και επιτηδεύματα. Μονοις γαρ όσιον εδοκει τοις κατα τας βασιλικας χρειας απ vaynuoμevois. Porph. de Abftin. Lib. 4.

bians, and by the fons of Ishmael and Edom for ages. The latter, in the time of Jehoshaphat, seem to have been sole masters of the gulf of Elah. As foon as this king had subdued them; he took poffeffion of their ports, and built a fleet, and projected a scheme of trade. It was the first attempt of any prince of that houfe fince the days of Solomon; and foon proved abortive. The other and nearer gulf was poffeffed by the Arabians. The face of the country may be fuppofed to have been much the fame at all times. What it is now, may be learned from a modern 9 traveller, who paffed from Suez, the most northern part of the Red Sea, to Cairo. Ex hoc loco pergentes venimus in campum Choas di&tum-mediâ ibi nocte exactâ receffimus, iter laboriofum per latiffimos et prorfus fteriles campos totâ die illâ conficientes; ubi nec virens aliquid vidimus, nec aquam reperimus, neque tentoria figere poteramus: eò quod tenuiffima arena, quæ illic eft copiofa, funium claves tenere non poffet. Agreeable to this is what Egmont and Hayman

tell

9 Bernardi de Breydenback fanctæ peregrinationes in montem Sion et montem Sinai anno 1483 confecta. Imprefs. Spira. 1490.

• Egmont and Hayman's Travels. Vol. 2d. p. 148. and 188. See alfo Viaggi fatti nel Egitto opera del Signor Gabrielle Bremond. In Roma, 1679. Lib. I. "Indi tirando fra levante e mezzo giorno fenza fer"marfi al Birco, o ftagno d'acqua fontano dal Cairo 4 hore di camino, "entrammo nel deferto, dove fi trovano campagni fterili, non di rena, "ma di terra fecca, che per effer priva d'acqua non produce ne anche "un filo d' erba eccetto verfo il mare. Facemmo tre giornate per quefti diferti, ripofando la fera fotto padiglioni che portavamo, et "accommodando il viver noftro all' ufo Arabo, ne fi repofava se non a 21 hore per riftorarci. La fera del terzo giorno havendo scoperte al"cune picciole montagne, bifogno caminar fino alle tre hore di notte, ་ per arrivar ad un picciol caftello, fotto il quale ci firmammo: fi noma "Agirild: et e fabricato di frefco per guardia d'un pozzo d'acqua "amara, et per rendre piu che fi puo ficuro il camino alle caravane della "Meka, che paffan per di la. E affai mal guardato non vi effendo, per mancamento di paga, e viveri che poche Soldati in questo deferto, "dove obfervai che la rugiada inteffa fia falata." I quote this paffage, because some have thought that the castle here mentioned was the ancient Heroopolis.

tell us, that about the Red Sea they faw neither shrub, nor tree, nor vegetable, except a kind of bramble. But the account they give, as they were advancing towards it, will afford a truer idea of the country. "The next morning (the fourth "from Cairo) we set out as ufual, and during the whole day "faw only two trees: but on our right hand was the sepul"chre of a kaijia or governor of Suez, who loft his life here "in defending the caravan against a body of Arabian robbers. "We also saw, in the road, several skeletons of camels, which “had funk under their burdens, and expired in these thirsty "defarts. But what appeared much more fhocking to us,

was a human arm appearing above the fand: this person had "been here overtaken with a whirlwind, and was fuffocated "with the duft."-Let any body judge if in these parts could be fituated the beft of the land of Egypt.

To conclude; the Scriptures, as I have obferved, inform us that the place of fojournment allotted to the children of Ifrael was in Egypt: "" And Jofeph dwelt in Egypt, he and his "father's house." The first thing for these learned men to have inquired into should have been what was Egypt. This many of them took but little pains to be certified of: and the errors abovementioned are in confequence of this failure.

Thus have I given an account of the miscarriages of fome eminent writers out of many, who have been engaged in this fubject. In profecuting which, I have not exhibited the whole series of their mistakes: but have thought it fufficient, if I could fhew that they were fundamentally in the wrong. Many of these writers were undoubtedly men of consummate parts and learning: great artists, who laid in excellent store of materials for their purpose; as may be seen from what they produce upon the occafion. It was through a misapplication of these materials, that they failed in the execution. Instead of

2 Genef. 50. v. 22.

of fetting out upon fomething well known and warranted; the first poftulatum they make is matter of guess and furmife. This is ascertained by other conjectures; till the evidence does not amount to the lowest degree of probability: nay, their allegations are found repugnant both to history and reason; and are many times abfolutely ridiculous. What can be more strange than 3 Dr. Shaw's method of investigation? who determines the land of Goshen by the place of refidence of Pharaoh; and Pharaoh's refidence by the flight of 4 grasshoppers.

In these inquiries we ought ever to have before our eyes the example of a skilful Chemist. A good operator, when he has carefully collected his ingredients, produces from them fome highly rectified and ethereal spirit; fome fovereign and falutary effence, that is as grateful as it is beneficial. But the giddy Empirick fuffers the volatile part to escape; and preferves nothing but a dull infipid phelgm; meer dregs and lees, that afford neither pleasure nor profit.

3 Travels or observations relating to several parts of Barbary and the Levant by Tho. Shaw. D.D. Oxford. 1738.

4 It was a weft wind that took away the locufts from Egypt. For which reafon Dr. Shaw fuppofes the abode of Pharaoh to have been at Memphis, rather than at Tanis; as Memphis lay more to the weft of the Red Sea, whither they were carried. Now the Hebrews feem to have acknowledged but four winds: "And upon Elam will I bring the four "winds from the four quarters of heaven." Jeremiah 49. 36. So that the weft wind is to be confidered under a great latitude. Befides, as all Egypt lay more or less weft of this fea, and the greatest part due west; this argument would become too univerfal; and would afford many places an equal claim. But the whole is too vague to prove any thing. The plague of locufts was not at the place of royal refidence only, but every where; at Tanis as well as Memphis. The removing the king's feat would not remove the difficulty, if there were any: nor can any thing by this means be determined. And after all, the words Ruab yam fignify only a fea wind, a wind from the Mediterranean, as a learned writer has well obferved.

OF

OF THE

CAUSE S,

WHENCE

Many ERRORS have arifen in Inquiries made into Ancient History.

ANY mistakes happen in geographical inquiries from

MA

the use of little despicable maps, of a contracted scale: by which means a writer is more easily induced to pursue his own visionary schemes; tranfpofing and accommodating every object, as his particular fancy leads him. For the chart he makes use of being mean and scanty, his mistakes are not fo palpable; and the violence he is guilty of not so glaring. Were the countries he treats of, fairly and amply defined; the changes and transpositions, which he fo arbitrarily deals in, would appear grofs to his own eye: and he would be shocked with the wantonnefs of his imagination.

I have shewn that many of the learned authors I have spoken of were very rich in knowledge; and had noble refources to apply to. But they were too hafty; too soon fatisfied: and, like many others, fet out originally upon a fystem, to which every thing was to be reduced. They did not take time to fift, and to compare the evidences that they had collected: and, without diligent canvaffing and comparing in these dark inquiries, the truth can never be obtained. The historians which they appeal to, are neither precise nor accurate: so that singly they are often unintelligible. There is therefore no certain way of proceeding, but to take their evidence collectively; and make them correct and explain one another.

But