tian era, Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. Here he built a famous city, called Alexandria, which was for many centuries one of the most splendid places in the world. But the ancient city is in ruins, and modern Alexandria is far inferior to it.

5. Alexander was buried at Alexandria, and his famous city is still the second city in Egypt, and the principal place of commerce.

6. Alexander appointed Ptolemy, one of his generals, to be ruler of the country. From Ptolemy were descended a race of kings, all of whom were likewise called Ptolemy. They reigned over Egypt two hundred and ninety-four years. The last of these kings was Ptolemy Dionysius, whose own wife made war against him. A battle was fought, in which Ptolemy Dionysius was defeated. He attempted to escape, but was drowned in the Nile. His wife, whose name was Cleopatra, then became sole ruler of Egypt.

7. She was one of the most beautiful women that ever lived, and her talents and accomplishments were equal to her personal beauty. But she was very wicked. Among other horrid crimes, Cleopatra poisoned her brother, who was only eleven years old. Yet, though all the world knew what an abandoned wretch she was, the greatest heroes could not or would not resist the enticements of her beauty.

8. When Mark Antony, a Roman general, had defeated

Brutus and Cassius at Philippi, in Greece, he summoned Cleopatra to come to Cilicia, on the north-eastern coast of the Mediterranean. He intended to punish her for having assisted Brutus.

9. As soon as Cleopatra received the summons, she hastened to obey. She went on board a splendid vessel, which was richly adorned with gold. The sails were made of the costliest silk. Instead of rough sunburnt sailors, the crew consisted of lovely girls, who rowed with silver oars; and their strokes kept time to melodious music.

10. Queen Cleopatra reclined on the deck, beneath a silken awning. In this manner she went gliding along the river Cydnus. Her vessel was so magnificent, and she herself so lovely, that the whole spectacle appeared like a vision.

11. Mark Antony was first warned of her approach by the smell of delicious perfumes, which the wind wafted from the silken sails of the vessel. He next heard the distant strains of music, and saw the gleaming of the silver oars.

12. But when he beheld the beauty of the Egyptian queen, he thought of nothing else. Till Mark Antony met Cleopatra, he had been an ambitious mau and a valiant warrior. But from that day forward he was nothing but her slave.

13. Owing to Cleopatra's misconduct and his own, Antony was defeated by Octavius, another Roman general, at Actium, in Greece. He then killed himself by falling on his sword. Cleopatra knew that if Octavius took her alive, he would

carry her to Rome, and expose her to the derision of the populace.

14. She resolved not to endure this ignominy. Now, in Egypt there is a venomous reptile, called an asp, the bite of which is mortal, but not painful. Cleopatra applied one of these reptiles to her bosom. In a little while her body grew benumbed, and her heart ceased to beat; and thus died the beautiful and wicked queen of Egypt. This event occurred thirty years before Christ.

15. The story of Queen Cleopatra is very instructive. It shows that a person on whom Heaven has bestowed the richest gifts may use them to cause mischief and misery to all around.

QUESTIONS.-1. Who was Shishak? What did he do? 2. Who was Amenophis? What of the statue of Memnon? 3. When and by whom was Egypt conquered? Fate of Psammenitus? 4. When did Alexander conquer Egypt? 6. What of Ptolemy and his descendants? How long did they reign in Egypt? Who was Ptolemy Dionysius? His wife? 7. What of Cleopatra? What cruelty did she commit? What made Cleopatra irresistible? 8. Who was Mark Antony? Why did he wish to punish Cleopatra? Give an account of the arrival of Cleopatra at Cilicia. 12. What was the character of Antony till he met Cleopatra? 13. Where was Antony defeated? Who was Octavius? Fate of Antony? Why did Cleopatra determine to kill herself? 14. What caused her death? How long was this before Christ?

H

CHAP. XLIII.-AFRICA continued.

SEQUEL OF THE EGYPTIAN HISTORY.

1. AFTER the death of Cleopatra, Egypt became a province of the Roman empire; and it continued to belong to that, and the portion of it called the Eastern empire, till the year 640 after the Christian era. It was then conquered by the Saracens. It remained under their government upwards of six centuries.

2. The Saracen sovereigns were dethroned by the Mamelukes, whom they had trained up to be their guards. The Mamelukes ruled Egypt till the year 1517, when they were conquered by the Turks. The latter kept possession of Egypt till the year 1798. It was then invaded by Napoleon Buonaparte with an army of forty thousand Frenchmen.

3. The Turks, ever since their conquest of Egypt, had kept a body of Mamelukes in their service; these made a desperate resistance. A battle was fought near the pyramids, in which many of them were slain, and others were drowned in the Nile. Not long after this victory, Buonaparte went back to France, and left general Kleber in command of the French army.

4. General Kleber was a brave man, but a severe one, and his severity cost him his life. He had ordered an old Mussulman, named the Sheik Sada, to be bastinadoed on the soles of his feet. Shortly afterwards, when the general was

in a mosque, a fierce Arab rushed upon him, and killed him with a dagger.

5. In 1801, the English sent Sir Ralph Abercrombie with an army to drive the French out of Egypt. General Menou was then the French commander. Sir Ralph Abercrombie beat him at the battle of Aboukir, but was himself mortally wounded.

6. In the course of the same year, the French army capitulated, and sailed from Egypt back to France. The inhabitants lamented their departure, for the French generals had ruled them with more justice and moderation than their old masters, the Turks. Egypt is now governed by a Turk, who bears the title of Viceroy; but the country is scarcely considered a part of the Turkish empire, though its ruler pays tribute to the sultan.

7. The present capital of Egypt is Grand Cairo. It is much inferior to what it was in former times, but still contains about three hundred thousand inhabitants. Alexandria, built by Alexander the Great, as I have before said, is now much reduced, but the ruins around it show that it was once a splendid city. There is no part of the world that seems more gloomy to a traveller than Egypt. The present aspect of the towns and cities is that of poverty in the midst of ruins which speak of wealth and splendour that have long since departed.

QUESTIONS.-1. What was the state of Egypt from Cleopatra's death to its subjugation by the Mamelukes? 2. How long did the Mamelukes