he Egyptians be then convinced, by their own experience,
that they are not necessary to us, and are only our vassals. Let them know
that their ships do not so much bring us the provision we stand in need
of, as the tribute which they owe us. And let them never forget that we
can do without them, but that they can never do without us. This most
fruitful province had been ruined, had it not worn the Roman chains. The
Egyptians, in their sovereign, found a deliverer, and a father. Astonished
at the sight of their granaries, filled without any labour of their own,
they were at a loss to know to whom they owed this foreign and gratuitous
plenty. The famine of a people, though at such a distance from us, yet so
speedily stopped, served only to let them feel the advantage of living
under our empire. The Nile may, in other times, have diffused more plenty
on Egypt, but never more glory upon us.(397) May Heaven, content with this
proof of the people's patience, and the prince's generosity, restore for
ever back to Egypt its ancient fertility!"

Pliny's reproach to the Egyptians, for their vain and foolish pride with
regard to the inundations of the Nile, points out one of their most
peculiar characteristics, and recalls to my mind a fine passage of
Ezekiel, where God thus speaks to Pharaoh, one of their kings, "Behold I
am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great Dragon that lieth in
the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is my own, and I have
made it for myself."(398) God perceived an insupportable pride in the
heart of this prince: a sense of security and confidence in the
inundations of the Nile, independent entirely on the influences of heaven;
as though the happy effects of this inundation had been owing to nothing
but his own care and labour, or those of his predecessors: "the river is
mine, and I have made it."

Before I conclude this second part, which treats of the manners of the
Egyptians, I think it incumbent on me to bespeak the attention of my
readers to different passages scattered in the history of Abraham, Jacob,
Joseph, and Moses, which confirm and illustrate part of what we meet with
in profane authors upon this subject. They will there observe the perfect
polity which reigned in Egypt, both in the court and the rest of the
kingdom; the vigilance of the prince, who was informed of all
transactions, had a regular council, a chosen number of ministers, armies
ever well maintained and discipline