t of
his most constant solicitude was to illustrate the memorable expedition
of which he had been one of the most active and most useful members. The
idea of collecting together the varied labours of all his colleagues
incontestibly belongs to him. I find the proof of this in a letter,
still unpublished, which he wrote to Kleber from Thebes, on the 20th
Vendemiaire, in the year VII. No public act, in which mention is made of
this great literary monument, is of an earlier date. The Institute of
Cairo having adopted the project of a _work upon Egypt_ as early as the
month of Frimaire, in the year VIII., confided to Fourier the task of
uniting together the scattered elements of it, of making them consistent
with each other, and drawing up the general introduction.

This introduction was published under the title of _Historical Preface_:
Fontanes saw in it the graces of Athens and the wisdom of Egypt united
together. What could I add to such an eulogium? I shall say only that
there are to be found there, in a few pages, the principal features of
the government of the Pharaohs, and the results of the subjection of
ancient Egypt by the kings of Persia, the Ptolemies, the successors of
Augustus, the emperors of Byzantium, the first Caliphs, the celebrated
Saladin, the Mamelukes and the Ottoman princes. The different phases of
our adventurous expedition are there characterized with the greatest
care. Fourier carries his scruples to so great a length as _to attempt_
to prove that it was just. I have said only so far as _to attempt_, for
in that case there might have been something to deduct from the second
part of the eulogium of Fontanes. If, in 1797, our countryman
experienced at Cairo, or at Alexandria, outrages and extortions which
the Grand Seignior either would not or could not repress, one may in all
rigour admit that France ought to have exacted justice to herself; that
she had the right to send a powerful army to bring the Turkish
Custom-house officers to reason. But this is far from maintaining that
the divan of Constantinople ought to have favoured the French
expedition; that our conquest was about to restore to him, _in some
sort_, Egypt and Syria; that the capture of Alexandria and the battle of
the _Pyramids would enhance the lustre of the Ottoman name_! However,
the public hastened to acquit Fourier of what appears hazarded in this
small part of his beautiful work. The origin of it has been sought for
in political