It is perhaps scarcely necessary to say, that I here allude to the
famous visit of Alexander the Great to the tomb of Achilles.
Line 34.
_Such let it be, as o’er the bed_
_Of Nilus rears its lonely head._
The famous pillar, commonly called Pompey’s, but stated, with such
ostentation of accuracy by all the French sçavans, to have been erected
in honour of Septimius Severus. The ingenuity and industry, however, of
two British officers, Capt. Duncan, of the royal engineers, and Lieut.
De Sade, of the Queen’s German regiment, have recovered the inscription
on this celebrated column, which attests that it was erected and
dedicated to Diocletian by Pontius, prefect of Egypt.