'Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad. Edited by his widow.' [‎22] (49/474)

XXII
INTRODUCTION.
shipped as their chief god. He consulted the Chal
deans in this city about the restoration of the
temples, and whatever they advised he performed;
and in particular by their advice he offered sacrifice
to Belus." *
Alexander, who was very desirous of restoring the
splendour of Babylon, undertook to rebuild the
Temple of Belus; but the mass of rubbish under
which it lay buried was so immense, that Strabo
tells us 10,000 men would have been required to
work for two months in only clearing it away.
Alexander was ambitious of rebuilding this temple
upon a more magnificent scale than the former one,
and was eagerly assisted in his purposed under
taking by all except the Jews, who alone refused to
have anything to do with the work.
However, notwithstanding all his efforts, the work
went on but slowly, and in order to accelerate it he,
on his return from India, hastened back to Babylon
with his army, that the soldiers might assist in the
labour. But he had come back to Babylon to die ;
and from that time all idea of rebuilding the Temple
of Belus was given up.f
At the period of Alexander's death, Babylon was
* "Arnan's History of Alexander's Expedition," translated by Mr.
Rooke, vol. i. chap. xvi. p. 153.
t M. de St. Croix remarks upon this failure of Alexander's—" We
ought to be struck with the ways of Providence upon this and other
similar occasions. At the very moment when everything seemed
about to prove the failure of the oracles of God, then were they on
the point of being completely and perfectly fulfilled "