65. M. d'Anville (Mem. de l'Academie des Inscriptions, tom.
xxviii. p. 246-259) has ascertained the true position and
distance of Babylon, Seleucia, Ctesiphon, Bagdad, etc. The
Roman traveller, Pietro della Valle (tom. i. lett. xvii. p.
650-780), seems to be the most intelligent spectator of that
famous province. He is a gentleman and a scholar, but
intolerably vain and prolix.