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she was surrounded on every side with a prodigious number of islands； drawn； as it were； in a line of circumvallation。
What a source of prosperity must Greece have found in those games with which she entertained； in some measure； the whole globe； in those temples； to which all the kings of the earth sent their offerings； in those festivals； at which such a concourse of people used to assemble from all parts； in those oracles； to which the attention of all mankind was directed； and； in short； in that exquisite taste for the polite arts； which she carried to such a height that to expect ever to surpass her would be only betraying our ignorance！
8。 Of Alexander： his Conquests。 Four great events happened in the reign of Alexander which entirely changed the face of commerce： the taking of Tyre； the conquest of Egypt； that likewise of the Indies； and the discovery of the sea which lies south of that country。
The empire of Persia extended to the Indus。＇33＇ Darius； long before Alexander； had sent some vessels； which sailed down this river； and passed even into the Red Sea。＇34＇ How then were the Greeks the first who traded with the Indies by the south？ Had not the Persians done this before？ Did they make no advantage of seas which were so near them； of the very seas that washed their coasts？ Alexander； it is true； conquered the Indies； but was it necessary for him to conquer a country in order to trade with it？ This is what I shall now examine。
Ariana；＇35＇ which extended from the Persian Gulf as far as the Indus； and from the South Sea to the mountains of Paropamisus； depended indeed； in some measure； on the empire of Persia； but in the southern part it was barren； scorched； rude； and uncultivated。 Tradition relates＇36＇ that the armies of Semiramis and Cyrus perished in these deserts； and Alexander； who caused his fleet to follow him； could not avoid losing in this place a great part of his army。 The Persians left the whole coast to the Ichthyophagi；＇37＇ the Orit？； and other barbarous nations。 Besides； the Persians were no great sailors；＇38＇ and their very religion debarred them from entertaining any such notion as that of a maritime commerce。 The voyage undertaken by Darius's direction upon the Indus and the Indian Sea proceeded rather from the capriciousness of a prince vainly ambitious of showing his power than from any settled regular project。 It was attended with no consequence either to the advantage of commerce or of navigation。 They emerged from their ignorance only to plunge into it again。
Besides； it was a received opinion＇39＇ before the expedition of Alexander that the southern parts of India were uninhabitable。＇40＇ This proceeded from a tradition that Semiramis＇41＇ had brought back thence only twenty men； and Cyrus but seven。
Alexander entered by the north。 His design was to march towards the east； but having found a part of the south full of great nations； cities； and rivers； he attempted to conquer it； and succeeded。
He then formed a design of uniting the Indies to the western nations by a maritime commerce； as he had already united them by the colonies he had established by land。
He ordered a fleet to be built on the Hydaspes； then fell down that river； entered the Indus； and sailed even to its mouth。 He left his army and his fleet at Patala； went himself with a few vessels to view the sea； and marked the places where he would have ports to be opened and arsenals erected。 Upon his return from Patala he separated the fleet； and took the route by land； for the mutual support of fleet and army。 The fleet followed the coast from the Indus along the banks of the country of the Orit？； of the Ichthyophagi； of Carmania and Persia。 He caused wells to be dug； built cities； and would not suffer the Ichthyophagi to live on fish；＇42＇ being desirous of having the borders of the sea inhabited by civilised nations。 Nearchus and Onesecritus wrote a journal of this voyage； which was performed in ten months。 They arrived at Susa； where they found Alexander； who gave an entertainment to his whole army。
This prince had founded Alexandria； with a view of securing his conquest of Egypt； this was a key to open it； in the very place where the kings his predecessors had a key to shut it；＇43＇ and he had not the least thought of a commerce of which the discovery of the Indian Sea could alone give him the idea。
It even seems that after his discovery he had no new design in regard to Alexandria。 He had； indeed； a general scheme of opening a trade between the East Indies and the western parts of his empire； but as for the project of conducting this commerce through Egypt； his knowledge was too imperfect to be able to form any such design。 It is true he had seen the Indus； he had seen the Nile； but he knew nothing of the Arabian seas between the two rivers。 Scarcely had he returned from India when he fitted out new fleets； and navigated on the Euleus；＇44＇ the Tigris； the Euphrates； and the ocean； he removed the cataracts； with which the Persians had encumbered those rivers； and he discovered that the Persian Gulf was a branch of the main sea。 But as he went to view this sea＇45＇ in the same manner as he had done in respect to that of India； as he caused a port to be opened for a thousand ships； and arsenals to be erected at Babylon； as he sent five hundred talents into Phoenicia and Syria； to draw mariners into this service whom he intended to distribute in the colonies along the coast； in fine； as he caused immense works to be erected on the Euphrates； and the other rivers of Assyria； there could be no doubt but he designed to carry on the commerce of India by the way of Babylon and the Persian Gulf。
There are some who pretend that Alexander wanted to subdue Arabia；＇46＇ and had formed a design to make it the seat of his empire： but how could he have pitched upon a place with which he was entirely unacquainted？＇47＇ Besides； of all countries； this would have been the most inconvenient to him； for it would have separated him from the rest of his empire。 The Caliphs； who made distant conquests； soon withdrew from Arabia to reside elsewhere。
9。 Of the Commerce of the Grecian Kings after the Death of Alexander。 At the time when Alexander made the conquest of Egypt； they had but a very imperfect idea of the Red Sea； and none at all of the ocean； which； joining this sea； on one side washes the coast of Africa； and on the other that of Arabia； nay； they thought it impossible to sail round the peninsula of Arabia。 They who attempted it on each side had relinquished their design。 〃How is it possible；〃 said they；＇48＇ 〃to navigate to the southern coast of Arabia； when Cambyses' army； which traversed it on the north side； almost entirely perished； and the forces which Ptolemy； the son of Lagus； sent to the assistance of Seleucus Nicator at Babylon； underwent incredible hardships； and； upon account of the heat； could march only in the night？〃
The Persians were entire strangers to navigation。 When they had subdued Egypt； they introduced the same spirit into that country as prevailed in Persia： hence； so great was the supineness of the Persians in this respect； that the Grecian kings found them quite strangers； not only to the commer