You are on page 1of 183
 
THE RUINS,
OR, MEDITATION ON THE REVOLUTIONS OF EMPIRES:ANDTHE LAW OF NATURE,by C. F. VOLNEY,
COMTE ET PAIR DE FRANCE. COMMANDEUR DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR,MEMBRE DEL'ACADEMIE FRANCAISE, ET DE PLUSIEURS AUTRES SOCIETESSAVANTES.DEPUTY TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF 1789, AND AUTHOR OF"TRAVELS IN EGYPT AND SYRIA," "NEW RESEARCHES ON ANCIENTHISTORY," ETC.TO WHICH IS ADDEDVOLNEY'S ANSWER TO DR. PRIESTLY, A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE BYCOUNT DARU, AND THE ZODIACAL SIGNS AND CONSTELLATIONS BY THEEDITOR.
I will cherish in remembrance the love of man, I will employ myself on the means of effecting good for him, and build my own happiness on the promotion of his.—Volney.
NEW YORK, TWENTIETH CENTURY PUB. CO., 4 WARREN ST. 1890.
PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.
Having recently purchased a set of stereotyped plates of Volney's Ruins, with a view of reprinting the same, Ifound, on examination, that they were considerably worn by the many editions that had been printed fromthem and that they greatly needed both repairs and corrections. A careful estimate showed that the amountnecessary for this purpose would go far towards reproducing this standard work in modern type and in animproved form. After due reflection this course was at length decided upon, and all the more readily, as by THE RUINS,1
 
discarding the old plates and resetting the entire work, the publisher was enabled to greatly enhance its value,by inserting the translator's preface as it appeared in the original edition, and also to restore many notes andother valuable material which had been carelessly omitted in the American reprint.An example of an important omission of this kind may be found on the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenthpages of this volume, which may be appropriately referred to, in this connection. It is there stated, indescribing the ancient kingdom of Ethiopia, and the ruins of Thebes, her opulent metropolis, that "There apeople, now forgotten, discovered, while others were yet barbarians, the elements of the arts and sciences. Arace of men, now rejected from society for their sable skin and frizzled hair, founded on the study of the lawsof nature, those civil and religious systems which still govern the universe."A voluminous note, in which standard authorities are cited, seems to prove that this statement is substantiallycorrect, and that we are in reality indebted to the ancient Ethiopians, to the fervid imagination of thepersecuted and despised negro, for the various religious systems now so highly revered by the differentbranches of both the Semitic and Aryan races. This fact, which is so frequently referred to in Mr. Volney'swritings, may perhaps solve the question as to the origin of all religions, and may even suggest a solution tothe secret so long concealed beneath the flat nose, thick lips, and negro features of the Egyptian Sphinx. Itmay also confirm the statement of Dioderus, that "the Ethiopians conceive themselves as the inventors of divine worship, of festivals, of solemn assemblies, of sacrifices, and of every other religious practice."That an imaginative and superstitious race of black men should have invented and founded, in the dimobscurity of past ages, a system of religious belief that still enthralls the minds and clouds the intellects of theleading representatives of modern theology,that still clings to the thoughts, and tinges with its potentialinfluence the literature and faith of the civilized and cultured nations of Europe and America, is indeed astrange illustration of the mad caprice of destiny, of the insignificant and apparently trivial causes that oftproduce the most grave and momentous results.The translation here given closely follows that published in Paris by Levrault, Quai Malaquais, in 1802, whichwas under the direction and careful supervision of the talented author; and whatever notes Count Volney thenthought necessary to insert in his work, are here carefully reproduced without abridgment or modification.The portrait, maps and illustrations are from a French edition of Volney's complete works, published byBossange Freres at No. 12 Rue de Seine, Paris, in 1821,one year after the death of Mr. Volney. It is apresentation copy "on the part of Madame, the Countess de Volney, and of the nephew of the author," and itmay therefore be taken for granted that Mr. Volney's portrait, as here given, is correct, and was satisfactory tohis family.An explanation of the figures and diagrams shown on the map of the Astrological Heaven of the Ancients hasbeen added in the appendix by the publisher.PETER ECKLER.New York, January 3, 1890. The Ruins, by C. F. Volney,PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.2
 
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
OF THE ENGLISH EDITION PUBLISHED IN PARIS.
To offer the public a new translation of Volney's Ruins may require some apology in the view of those whoare acquainted with the work only in the English version which already exists, and which has had a generalcirculation. But those who are conversant with the book in the author's own language, and have taken pains tocompare it with that version, must have been struck with the errors with which the English performanceabounds. They must have regretted the loss of many original beauties, some of which go far in composing theessential merits of the work.The energy and dignity of the author's manner, the unaffected elevation of his style, the conciseness,perspicuity and simplicity of his diction, are everywhere suited to his subject, which is solemn, novel,luminous, affecting,a subject perhaps the most universally interesting to the human race that has ever beenpresented to their contemplation. It takes the most liberal and comprehensive view of the social state of man,develops the sources of his errors in the most perspicuous and convincing manner, overturns his prejudiceswith the greatest delicacy and moderation, sets the wrongs he has suffered, and the rights he ought to cherish,in the clearest point of view, and lays before him the true foundation of moralshis only means of happiness.As the work has already become a classical one, even in English, and as it must become and continue to be soregarded in all languages in which it shall be faithfully rendered, we wish it to suffer as little as possible froma change of country;that as much of the spirit of the original be transfused and preserved as is consistentwith the nature of translation.How far we have succeeded in performing this service for the English reader we must not pretend todetermine. We believe, however, that we have made an improved translation, and this without claiming anyparticular merit on our part, since we have had advantages which our predecessor had not. We have beenaided by his labors; and, what is of still more importance, our work has been done under the inspection of theauthor, whose critical knowledge of both languages has given us a great facility in avoiding such errors asmight arise from hurry or mistake.Paris, November 1, 1802.
PREFACE OF THE LONDON EDITION.*
 * Published by T. Allman, 42 Holborn Hill, London, 1851.
The plan of this publication was formed nearly ten years ago; and allusions to it may be seen in the preface toTravels in Syria and Egypt, as well as at the end of that work, (published in 1787). The performance was insome forwardness when the events of 1788 in France interrupted it. Persuaded that a development of thetheory of political truth could not sufficiently acquit a citizen of his debt to society, the author wished to addpractice; and that particularly at a time when a single arm was of consequence in the defence of the generalcause. The Ruins, by C. F. Volney, TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE3

Reward Your Curiosity

Everything you want to read.
Anytime. Anywhere. Any device.
No Commitment. Cancel anytime.
576648e32a3d8b82ca71961b7a986505