in Ancient Geography, two adjoining islands on the west side of the island of Cyprus; the one called Halie Paphos (Strabo, Ptolemy, Pliny); the other Nea Paphos; and when mentioned without an adjunct, this latter is always understood. Both dedicated to Venus, and left undisturbed by the poets (Virgil, Horace). Hence Venus is named Paphia. Paphi, the people, (Coins, Stephanus). It was restored by Augustus, after a shock of an earthquake, and called Augula (Dio).

The abbe Mariti, in his Travels through Cyprus, gives the following account of the island of Paphos. "It is situated (says he) on the southern side: it contained the celebrated temple of Venus; which, together with the city, was destroyed by an earthquake, so that the least vestige of it is not now to be seen. A lake in the neighbourhood, which even in summer overflows with stagnant and corrupted water, renders the air in some degree unwholesome. On the western coast is the new Paphos, called by some of the modern geographers Bafos; a name which is unknown in the island of Cyprus. That we may not positively ascribe to the latter everything that history tells us of Paphos in general, it may not be here improper to mention that it has been several times destroyed. This city had a port, where vessels trading upon that coast still cast anchor; but this happens only in summer; for, being exposed to every wind, it is extremely dangerous. The bottom of it is full of sharp rocks; which sometimes destroy the cables too much, that mariners are obliged to keep them afloat on the surface of the water, by means of empty casks fixed to them at certain distances. In the neighbourhood there are two castles; one on the borders of the sea, and the other on the summit of a little hill: but the latter is at present in ruins. The government of Paphos consists of a digdaban or commissary; a cadji; and an aga, who presides over the customhouse. Of all the Christian edifices, Paphos edifices, there is none remaining but the church of St George, in which service is performed by the Greek ministers. The productions of this part of the island, which are all of an excellent quality, are silk, barley, and other kinds of grain. To discover the origin of the Old and New Paphos, would be carrying light into the midst of the thickest darkness. When we have added conjecture to conjecture, we are still in the same situation. As this is an attempt superior to my abilities, I shall leave it to the divining, though uncertain, knowledge of our antiquaries. I must, however, observe, that there was here formerly a temple dedicated to Venus, which was entirely destroyed by an earthquake. In this island St Paul by his eloquence converted Sergius, a Roman proconsul. He here likewise conferred the deaconship on his disciple and colleague Titus, who soon after suffered martyrdom. Paphos was an episcopal city in the time of the Lusignans; and it is still the seat of a bishop, who is a suffragan to the archbishop of Nicosia. On the western side of the island there are a great number of scattered villages; but they are not worthy of notice, being either abandoned or in ruins."

Mr Bruce informs us, that in the neighbourhood of this place many silver medals of excellent workmanship are dug up; they are, however, but of little estimation among the antiquarians, being chiefly of towns, of the size of those found at Crete and Rhodes, and in all the islands of the Archipelago. There are some excellent Greek intaglios; generally upon better stones than usual in the islands. This illustrious traveller informs us, that he has seen some heads of Jupiter, remarkable for bushy hair and a beard, which were of excellent workmanship, and worthy of any price. All the inhabitants of the island are subject to fevers, but especially those in the neighbourhood of Paphos. The same traveller observes, that Cyprus was very long undiscovered; for though ships had been sailing on the Mediterranean 1700 years before Christ, and though the island is only a day's sailing from the continent of Asia on the north and east, and little more from that of Africa on the south, it was not known at the building of Tyre, a little before the Trojan war, that is, 500 years after the neighbouring seas had been navigated. It was covered with wood at its first discovery; and our author is of opinion, that it was not well known even at the time of building of Solomon's temple; because we do not find that Hiram king of Tyre, though just in its neighbourhood, ever had recourse to it for wood: though the carriage would undoubtedly have been easier from thence, than to have brought it down from the top of Mount Lebanon. Eratosthenes informs us, that in ancient times the island was so overgrown with wood, that it could not be filled; so that they first cut down the timber to be used in the furnaces for melting silver and copper; that after this they built fleets with it: but finding even this insufficient, they gave liberty to all strangers to cut it down for whatever purpose they pleased; and not only so, but they gave them afterwards the property of the ground they had cleared. Matters are now quite altered; and the want of wood is a principal complaint in most parts of the island. About Acamas, however, on the west side of the island, the wood is still thick and impervious, inhabited by large flags and wild boars of a monstrous size. Mr Bruce was informed, that a live elephant had lately been seen there, but gave no credit to the account.