'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in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon.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.' [‎37] (64/474)

INTRODUCTION.
xxxvii
were of the highest antiquity. Many people insist
that this latter hill is the remains of the real Baby
lon ; but I know not what they will make of the
other, which is opposite, and exactly like this one.*
The people of the country related to me a thousand
foolish stories about these two mounds; and the
Jews call the latter the prison of Nebuchadnezzar."
Niebuhr, who visited this spot in 1765, seems to
have no doubt that here Babylon once stood, and
mentions that it was still called adding,
that hereabouts were evident traces of a once great
city. On both sides of the Euphrates, according to
him, were mounds or little hills, which, upon dig
ging into, were discovered to be full of bricks.
Between the years 1780 and 1790 the ruins of
Babylon were examined by M. de Beauchampf, who
begins his account by saying, " It is in the territory
of Hillah, at about eighteen leagues south-west of
Bagdad, that are still to be seen the ruins of ancient
Babylon, on the banks of the Euphrates; but they
chiefly consist of bricks scattered about, with the
exception of a very considerable tower, which Eu
ropeans take to be the Tower of Babel." In another
place he adds—" The ruins of Babylon are very con
spicuous about one league to the north of the town
of Hillah. Above all the rest is one which is rather
* " It is evident," adds M. de St. Croix, " that the second mound
is within the site of Babylon, and the Pere Emanuel ought to have
had no hesitation on the subject."
* He resided some years at Bagdad, as the Pope's Vicar-General
of Babylonia.