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The words he uses are*, "conditorium et corpus ;" and they are fo remarkable, that his learned commentator, Cafaubon, having no idea of any other repofitory than what the gold or the glafs coffin afforded, breaks out in thefe interrogations: "Quid appellat conditorium? an quam Strabo, lib. ultimo, músλov ?” and then adds, "Ea erat arca olim ex auro, poftea è vitro, in quâ fervatum Alexandri M. corpus." P. 54

t

Proceeding with the hiftorical collection, we come nex to Dio Caffius, who relates the vifit of Auguftus to Alexander's tomb. He faw," fays the hiftorian, "the body of Alexander, and touched it; fo that part of the nofe, as they relate, was broken off." This confirms the relation of Stra bo, who fays that a Ptolemy called Coccus or Parifactus (probably of Cyprus) robbed the body of its gold. When we confider the vaft weight of the Sarcophagus, we can hardly think that it was brought out of its facred repofitory, as Suetonius feems to fay, in the word prolatum. Perhaps it was only the body itfelf which was brought out, in fome cafe fubftituted for its golden chafe-work, which Suetonius might call conditorium. Dio Caffius alfo relates the vifit of Septimius Severus to the tomb, and his fhutting up the facred books of the Egyptian priefts in it; that is, in the fhrine or chapel inclofing it, not in the Sarcophagus. Caracalla made a fimilar vifit, opened the chapel, and honoured the tomb with prefents, as is related by Herodian. The fubverfion of the Pagan temples followed, about fixty years after the converfion of Conftantine; and then, as is fairly conjectured, the primitive Chriftians, not finding it eafy to remove the Sarcophagus, built a church over it, bearing the name of St. Athanafius," and the body having been removed, the tomb itself was converted into a ciftern." May we not add to this another conjecture? that the ciftern was intended and used for the immerfion of converts when baptized. While the Chriftians poffeffed Alexandria, hiftorians appear to be filent refpecting the Sarcophagus. Chryfoftom, indeed, is cited here, but in a way which rather creates a difficulty than affifts the hypothefis. Chryfoftom fays, Пlov yap, ÉITÉ μοι, τὸ σῆμα Αλεξάνδρου; δεῖζόν μοι. "Where is the tomb of Alexander, fhew it me?" This he certainly feems to fay, as if it was impoffible to fhow it; and this total lofs of the memory of it in his time, feems almost incompatible with the other authorities. But Chryfoftom lived at Conftantinople, and in the fourth century.

"Per idem tempus, conditorium et corpus Magni Alexandri,” &c. Sueton. in Augufto, c. 18. A a 4

When

When Alexandria fell into the poffeffion of the Arabs, we find the church converted into a mofque, but fill retaining the name of St. Athanafius, as the mofque of St. Sophia, at Conftantinople, alfo retains the name of its Chriftian patronefs. Alexander, being mentioned in the. Koran*, retained the refpect of Muffelmen. Saïd Ebn Batric, or Eutychius, is now mentioned, though his teftimony is of no particular force. Benjamin of Tudela either fpeaks of fome other Sarcophagus, or his teflimony is hoftile; for he defcribes it as on the fea-fhore t. The defcription of Leo Africanus, who, when he vifited Alex-' andria, was a Mahometan, and therefore had access to the repofitory, is highly fatisfactory. It is thus tranflated by Dr. C.:

"Neither ought it to be omitted, that, in the midst of the ruins of Alexandria, there ftill remains a fmall edifice, built like a chapel, worthy of notice on account of a remarkable Tomb, held in high honour by the Mahometans; in which fepulchre, they affert, is preferved the BODY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT, an EMINENT PROPHET AND KING, as they read in their Koran. An immenfe crowd of ftrangers comes thither, even from diftant countries, for the fake of worshipping and doing homage to the Tomb; on which, likewife, they frequently beftow confiderable donations." P. 79.

This approaches to decifion: for if the tomb was there, and was worshipped in 1491, there is little chance of its having been removed afterwards; especially as we find it fill venerated and worshipped in 1798. The defcription of Marmol, a Spanish traveller, is very fimilar. A Perfian work, commonly called the Lebtarikh, next defcribes the tomb as made of Egyptian marble. Now follow the teftmonies of Sandys, Pococke, Van Egmont, and Heyman; the latter traveller, fpeaking of a facred cheft, fuppofed to be dangerous to approach, of a guard kept there by the Turks, and of the place having been a church dedicated to St. Athanafius. Bruce could hear nothing of it, but confeffedly made little or no enquiry. Mr. Eyles Irwin contrived to get admiffion to the Mofque, and defcribes the farcophagus as a ftone ciftern, according to its prefent appearance. Sonnini alfo defcribes it at large; and laftly our countryman Mr. Browne, whofe account is worth copying.

"There is alfo A SARCOPHAGUS or cheft of ferpentine marble in the great Mofque, which is ufed for a ciftern. It is of the

* Sale's Tranflation, vol. ii. ch. 18. p. 124.

It must have been another, for Leo fo foon after defcribes it

as being in a chapel.

fame

fame kind with that fo minutely defcribed by Niebuhr, at Kal laat el Kabfb in Kabira *,, and feems to be almost as rich in hieroglyphics. It has the additional advantage of being entire, and little if at all injured by time. It is faid one of those who farmed the customs fome years fince, on retiring from Egypt, had negotiated for the removal of this precious monument of antiquity, on board of an European veffel, with the intention of carrying it as a prefent to the Emperor of Germany. On the night when it was to be embarked, however, the fecret being difclofed, the citizens clamorously infifted that the property of the Mofque was inviolable. The projected removal was accordingly relinquished, and the cheft has ever fince been watched with uncommon vigilance, fo that it is now difficult for an European even to obtain a fight of it; which must be my excufe for not having been more minute in my defcription of a monument, that feems not to have been particularly obferved by former travellers." P. 92.

Thus concludes the evidence adduced by Dr. Clarke, which, after all poflible deductions, must be allowed to amount to a confiderable degree of probability. Mr. Henley, in the Appendix, No. 2, gives fome additional strength to the proofs, and puts them in new lights, but does not add much to the real evidence. This pofticript, however, is important, as proving the continued veneration of the Turks for the Sarcophagus.

"The laft inftance of devotion paid to this Sarcophagus was at its departure from Alexandria in his Majesty's fhip the Madras, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton; when the Capitano Bey, with his faire and many Turks of diftinction, came on board for the exprefs purpose, and all folemnly touched the Tomb with their tongues. The privilege to render this act of adoration, whilft the monument remained in its former fituation, was obtained from the Iman of the Mofque, by a contribution of fix paras or medins, for each individual. On taking his leave, the Capitano Bey declared, that Providence would never fuffer the Tomb, in our hands, to go fafe to England."

"Thefe interefting particulars were obligingly communicated by General TURNER." P. 144.

The book is altogether interefting, as the work of an ingenious scholar, and contains many valuable particulars, befides thofe immediately relating to the Tomb. Such, for instance, as the difcovery of the ancient city of Sais, p. 31. The defcription of the ruins of Tithorea, Appendix, No. 4. The difcovery that the marble called Verde Antico, was brought from Laconia, p. 42. The mention of the Alex

It is now in the British Museum.

andrian

andrian Catacombs, pp. 54 and 103; and the curious note on the monumental heaps of ftones, p. 46; with the account' of burying in gold, p. 51. Thefe and other proofs evince an active and well-ftored mind: and add to that eftima tion which the writer had before obtained by his valuable antiquarian presents to the Univerfity of Cambridge; and the part he took in difcovering and bringing to England a moft ancient, and abfolutely ineftimable MS. of Plato. Moft cordially do we with all fuccefs to the ftudies and pursuits of fo judicious an investigator.

ART. II. Poems and Runnamede, a Tragedy, by the Rev. John Logan, F. R. S. Edinburgh. One of the Minifters of Leith. A new Edition, with a Life of the Author. 12mo. Price 4s. 6d. Vernor and Hood. 1805.

IT

T is comparatively but feldom that we can introduce a poetical collection among our principal articles. We gladly do it when we can. The author of the prefent work is unhappily, for his friends and the public, now no more, but his poetry will ever be admired. Mr. Logan was the editor of a collection of poems published in 1770, under the title of Poems on feveral Occafions, by Michael Bruce; but he is better known by writing a pamphlet in_vindi. cation of Mr. Haftings, which made a great impreffion on the public mind, and for the publishing of which, Mr. Stockdale was profecuted by order of the Houfe of Commons. He publifhed fome poems and hymns in 1781, and he delivered a courfe of lectures on the Philofophy of Hiftory, which obtained him great and deferved reputation. His tragedy of Runnamede was not permitted to be reprefented, from a fufpicion of its containing improper allufions, but it was afterwards printed and exhibited at Edinburgh. He died in 1788. We are happy to fee his poems thus felected and publifhed; for as a tender and pathetic writer, we think him entitled to great praife;-a few fpecimens will be accep table to the reader.

Ode to Sleep.

In vain I wait the dawning light,
The coy divinity of night;

Reftlefs from fide to fide I turn,
Arife ye mufings of the morn.

Oh fleep, tho' banished from thefe eyes,
In vifions fair to Delia-rife;
And o'er a dearer form diffufe,

Thy healing balm, thy lenient dews;

Bleft

Bleft be her night as infants reft,
Lulled in the fond maternal breaft;
Who fweetly playful fmiles in fleep,
Nor knows that he is born to weep.
Remove the terrors of the night,
The phantom forms of wild affright;
The fhrieks from precipice or flood,
And ftarting fcene that fwims with blood.

Lead her aloft to blooming bowers,
And beds of amaranthine flowers,

And golden skies and gliftering streams

That paint the paradife of dreams.

Venus prefent a lover near,

And gently whifper in her ear;

His woes tho' lovely and forlorn,

Counts the flow clock from night till morn.

Ah let no partner of my pain,
Save juft a tender trace remain;
Afleep confenting to be kind,

And wake with Daphnis in her mind.

Ode on the Death of a Young Lady.

The peace of heaven attend thy fhade,
My early friend, my favourite maid;
When life was new, companions gay,
We hailed the morning of our day.
Oh with what joy did I behold
The flower of beauty fair unfold;
And feared no ftorm to blast thy bloom,
Or bring thee to an early tomb,

Untimely gone, for ever fled,
The roses of the cheek fo red;
The affection warm, the temper mild,
The sweetness that in forrow smiled.

Alas the cheek where beauty glow'd,
The heart where goodness overflow'd,
A clod amid the valley lies,

And "Duft to duft" the mourner cries.

O from thy kindred early torn,
And to thy grave untimely borne!
Vanish'd for ever from my view,
Thou fifter of my foul, adieu!

Fair, with my firft ideas twin'd

Thine image oft will meet my mind;

And,

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