gainst St. Athanasius, _viz._ of his having threatened to
prevent in future the importation of corn into Constantinople from
Alexandria, incensed the emperor Constantine against that holy bishop,
because he knew that his capital city could not subsist without the corn
which was brought to it from Egypt. The same reason induced all the
emperors of Rome to take so great a care of Egypt, which they considered
as the nursing mother of the world's metropolis.

Nevertheless, the same river which enabled this province to subsist the
two most populous cities in the world, sometimes reduced even Egypt itself
to the most terrible famine: and it is astonishing that Joseph's wise
foresight, which in fruitful years had made provision for seasons of
sterility, should not have taught these so much boasted politicians, to
adopt similar precautions against the changes and inconstancy of the Nile.
Pliny, in his panegyric upon Trajan, paints with wonderful strength the
extremity to which that country was reduced by a famine under that
prince's reign, and his generous relief of it. The reader will not be
displeased to read here an extract of it, in which a greater regard will
be had to Pliny's thoughts, than to his expressions.

"The Egyptians," says Pliny, "who gloried that they needed neither rain
nor sun to produce their corn, and who believed they might confidently
contest the prize of plenty with the most fruitful countries of the world,
were condemned to an unexpected drought, and a fatal sterility; from the
greatest part of their territories being deserted and left unwatered by
the Nile, whose inundation is the source and sure standard of their
abundance. 'They then implored that assistance from their prince which
they had been accustomed to expect only from their river.'(395) The delay
of their relief was no longer than that which employed a courier to bring
the melancholy news to Rome; and one would have imagined, that this
misfortune had befallen them only to display with greater lustre the
generosity and goodness of Caesar. It was an ancient and general opinion,
that our city could not subsist without provisions drawn from Egypt.(396)
This vain and proud nation boasted, that though conquered, they
nevertheless fed their conquerors; that, by means of their river, either
abundance or scarcity were entirely in their own disposal. But we now have
returned the Nile his own harvests, and given him back the provisions he
sent us. Let t