dered interesting as belonging to a place mentioned
by the prophets,-Jer. xlvi. 25; Ezek. xxx. 15,
16,-but more particularly as illustrative of "the
wisdom of the Egyptians" about the time of Moses,
as there can be little doubt that some of the monu-
ments we shall notice are of an age not much
more recent.

ed.

13

The pier is supposed to be of Roman workmanship, and in some parts is in good preservation. a little more than a mile from Luxor, and further Karnac is situated on the same side of the river, from the water. The approaches to the temple are lined with rows of sphinxes, about twelve feet and so far crumbled into ruin that it is difficult to distant from each other: they are of sandstone, make out their original form. The propylon to the temple of Isis is one of the most magnificent I have seen. leading to the top of the pronaos contain hieroSome of the stones in the passage glyphics, turned upside down, from which it would appear that they belonged to some former temple, repaired. There are four columns on each side, out of the ruins of which this was either built of and five interior apartments.

I was up betimes on the morning of Feb. 23, and mounted the most elevated station I could find, that I might see the sun rise upon the plain of Thebes, but was disappointed, as the atmosphere was obscured by vapors. It seems a strange place to choose for the erection of a metropolis, when looking at the map, but all wonder vanishes upon a personal inspection of the site. Nile divides itself into two branches a little higher The up, and these again uniting, spread their waters into an imposing breadth, and then form a noble bend in the centre of a valley bounded by two a little distance, conduct to a larger temple, that The four propylons that present themselves at ranges of hills. At the confluence of these far surpasses all the others in extent and granbranches, close to the water, on the eastern bank, deur. I must here cease to particularise either stands the ruins of Luxor. The propylon, or en- columns or temples, so numerous are they that trance gateway, is 200 feet in width, and on one only to name them would be tedious. We enterside of the entrance is a square obelisk, said to be ed towards the northern end, which is compara80 feet high, composed of one piece of granite, and tively modern, and the figures are less free in their covered with hieroglyphics cut deeply into the execution. The pillars in the centre are of one stone. Its fellow, that stood on the opposite of stone, forty feet high, and probably supported busts the entrance, has been taken away by the French, or statues, as upon the top of one of them a pedeto be erected in some public spot in Paris. There stal still appears. Near them is a gigantic figure are also two colossal statues, mutilated, with coni- in granite. Upon the wall are sculptured the cal head-dresses, cut out of one block of granite, figures of boats, one of which is upwards of fifty of differently colored strata. propylon is covered with sculpture. On one side the latitudes and longitudes of the principal places The facade of the feet long. The French have cut in another part is cut the figure of a gigantic warrior, and near in Egypt; but I am told they are not correct. The him are groups of his puny enemies, some in the pillars in the interior court are many of them eleact of battle, and others dying or dead. On the ven feet in diameter. One of them has fallen other side he is seated upon a throne, and is re- against another pillar, but is prevented from comceiving the homage of his routed foes, and the ing to pieces by the immense weight of the frieze, congratulations of his friends. The early sun which still retains its place. The ribs in one of shone full upon the wall at the time we were look- the upper windows of the western wall, are still ing at it, so that we were able to trace the differ- perfect, and have so light an appearance, that at ent circumstances of the history with ease. ascent to the top of the propylon is more like a thought that the gods, to whom these matchless The first I took them to be of wood. It is a delightful climb in a stone quarry than among materials structures were erected, have not now a single brought together by human hands: and it must be worshipper, and that even a later generation of remembered that every stone of this and of every deities has shared a similar fate. Osiris and Apis, other temple has been brought from a considerable Jupiter and Venus, and Woden and Friga, are alike distance. The top is as usual covered with the forgotten. The mind seems to require some thought names of visiters. The interior of the edifice is of this description to relieve it from the majesty of occupied by the dwellings of the natives; and I the scene, when the reflection comes that it is pureobserved a mosque, and a school near it, in which ly heathen. The most imposing view is from one an old man was teaching about a dozen noisy of the transepts in the principal court, and when the scholars. Several pillars with sculptured capitals setting sun sheds its latest rays upon these remains are daubed over with mud, and others are seen in of departed greatness, and shows them in that "dim the walls of the houses. The principal court is religious light," which is the favorite shade among supported by seven pillars on each side, which, all ruins, there are few places upon earth where with the frieze, are all its remains. Further on purer strains can be heard of that music which, there are other capitals of a similar description, amidst scenes like these, strikes with such force but smaller dimensions, which appear to have be- upon the soul, when all earthly sounds are silent. longed to the cloisters of a square entered from Still there is a danger lest the imagination should the temple. We had to pass through several na- be led away by some pleasing and profitless fiction, tive houses before we could conclude the examina- though the granite obelisks, the mutilated statues, tion, and strange to say, the people made no ob- the sculptured walls, the massy columns, and the jection, and asked for no present. The houses quarries of hewn stone that lie scattered in confunear the river are built over columns and smaller sion around, throw in a chord of graver tone, and apartments of the temple. They were occupied tell us we are passing to the grave. When proby the French during the time they were employ-ceeding to look at some other wonder, column after ed in taking down the obelisk. There are four column presents itself on every side, of the most gigranite figures near them, all more or less mutilat-gantic proportions, as if the hand that had upreared

them could never be satisfied with the manifesta- appears as if it had received a wrench from the tion of the resources it could command. The inte- hand of some mighty destroyer, who had strength rior of the temple is a forest of columns. There at once to shake it through every stone. On the are two obelisks, each made of a single block of western side of it are represented the stirring granite, upwards of seventy feet high. The hiero- scenes of a battle in the usual spirited style, with glyphics are nearly as perfect as when first cut. a walled town and all the horrors of a siege. BeFurther on, we can only glance for a moment at the tween this and the temple are the remains of a different apartments and figures that present them- statue, from which the edifice derives its name, selves. Upon one of the walls are cut the figures measuring upwards of twenty feet across the chest, of the gifts that were presented to the temple, and all the other parts in proportion. There are with an account of the number and value of each. statues composed of separate stones joined to the Some of the vessels are not improbably of the very columns in the same space, that have suffered same shape and description as the chargers, bowls, from the hand of man, in common with the other and spoons, presented unto the Lord by the princes parts of the fabric. Upon the walls of the temple of Israel, at the dedication of the tabernacle in the there are other battle scenes. It consists of sevewilderness. The next temple is in better preserva- ral apartments, and is much larger than that at tion. The ceiling is painted an azure blue, studded Gornou. The whole is about 600 feet long, 200 with stars. The figure of an old saint, painted feet broad, and contains upwards of 150 columns. upon one of the columns, greeted us at our en-It was from this place that the statue was taken trance; and I looked round with no common emo- now in the British Museum, and improperly called tion, as it is evident that this erection was used in the Younger Memnon. former times as a place of Christian worship. The worshippers, "where are they?" Echo answers not with an uncertain "where?" Those who worshipped in sincerity are, no doubt, with the throng in a more magnificent temple, where there is no need of the setting sun to give it beauty, neither of the moon to shine in it, "for the Lord is with them an everlasting light." The names of several bishops are written upon one of the pillars, in Greek; and this rude scrawl, it has been conjectured, is the record of some ecclesiastical council held in the temple. Still further on, there are many other statues, columns, walls, apartments, and temples; but after seeing so much, the eye was for once satisfied, and we were not sorry to find ourselves at the extremity of the sacred enclosure. The whole length is said to be nearly two thousand feet. There is a character about these ruins that belongs to no other I saw in Egypt. There are no native habitations near them, and but few remains of those little mud dwellings with which the men of later times have been contented. They are alone in their simplicity, and the broken fragments around all belong to their own former grandeur. I could scarcely bring myself to believe that their age is to be numbered by thousands of years. They appear as if the work of yesterday. Looking at the more perfect parts, I could fancy that the workmen were only absent on some holiday occasion; and, looking at the more ruinous, I could suppose that an earthquake, the tremulous motion of which was only now subsiding, had just passed in its fury as the messenger of God, and hurled from their foundations these impious structures.

The principal temples on the western side of the river are those of Gornou, Northern and Southern Dair, the Memnonium and Medinet Abou.

The temple at Gornou, not far from the river, is remarkable for its simplicity, and were it not for the sacred character of the hieroglyphics with which it is covered, might be supposed to have been a grand hall used by the monarch on state occasions. It has seven perfect columns in front, and one broken. In the interior there are three columns on each side, and the roof is nearly perfect. There are several other apartments, some of them nearly filled with rubbish.

The propylon of the Memnonium is in ruins, and

The temple of Medinet Abou, about a quarter of a mile distant, is in better preservation. It is built upon a plan somewhat different to that which is usually followed. The columns at the western end are only excelled by those at Karnac, and the court must have been a delightful place of retirement for the priests in the days of its magnificence. The hieroglyphics are cut very deep into the wall, and some of the colors are as bright and fresh as if just laid on by the painter. In all the other temples I visited, the figures have been mutilated by the iconoclasts: in this temple there are whole groups of figures quite perfect. They appear to owe their preservation to the modern buildings by which they have been covered, and which were probably Roman, as those still near them are, from their form, supposed to be of that age. This would prove, if the position be correct, that the mutilations are not the work of Cambyses, as is generally imagined, but either of the early Christians or the Mahomedans. It has been a task of incredible difficulty to deface so many thousands of idolatrous emblems, and the zeal of the parties cannot but be admired, whatever a mere love of art may say of their task. On the northern exterior wall is represented another battle scene, in which the antagonists of the larger figure are upon the water in boats. Some are swimming for their lives, some falling overboard, and others are employed in rescuing their perishing companions. The style in which these sculptures are designed much resembles that of the prints in the common historical works published about 200 years ago; but they are worthy of examination, as the garments, weapons, and so forth, are no doubt exact representations of those used at the date of the erection of the temples. On the same side are several figures of lions.

Not far distant is the humble chapel of a few families of Coptic Christians. The temples of Dair are of inferior interest. There are many other remains of walls, statues, and apartments, in different parts; but it is an exaggeration of travellers, that the whole plain is covered with ruins from one chain of mountains to the other.

The objects which almost surpass all others in interest are the two statues in the centre of the plain. They are sitting upon a kind of throne,

ges have been traced upwards of 300 yards, and may probably extend to a much greater distance. It is to be feared that in a comparatively little time these remains of antiquity will be destroyed, as the natives break off large pieces of the rock, to sell them to travellers; and there are many unsightly gaps already in the walls, caused by this unwarrantable traffic.

ers his last bright ray. The two statues of Mem-
non were sitting in silence, as if too gigantic in
their imaginings to be attracted by any scene in
this lower world, as they were far away in their
colossal proportions from any thing that pertains
to man. From this plain the monarch might once
summon to his standard, through each of the gates
of the city 20,000 fighting men, and 200 chariots;
now scarcely single habitation is to be seen.-
"Where are they, where are thy wise men?
Why are thy valiant men swept away;" asks the
prophet; and the same prophet answers, "They
stood not, because the Lord did drive them." Jer.
xlvi. 15.

ON-NOPH, OR MEMPHIS.

translated Heliopolis by the LXX., by which name it was known to the Greeks, both of which signify "the house, or city, of the sun." On the opposite bank of the Nile stood the ancient city of Noph, called also Memphis, by the prophet Isaiah. There are few places mentioned in ancient history whose site has been laid down with more minuteness of circumstance, yet the learned are very far from being agreed as to the exact spot where Memphis stood. The controversy may have arisen from the vast extent it occupied, which may possibly have been so great as to bring places at a considerable distance from each other, within the limits of the ancient metropolis. The name is still retained in an Egyptian village; for when I asked a native, whom I hired as an attendant, the place of his residence, he replied Memf, and afterwards pointed out to me the place, within sight of the pyramids. Memphis was the capital of Egypt previously to the time of the Ptolemies, who transferred to Alexandria the seat of empire. It continued to retain a part of its former magnificence until the Fatimite caliphs became masters of Egypt, and built near the same place, but on the eastern bank of the river, El Kahirah, "the victorous," the present Grand Cairo.

The most ancient of the existing temples is said by the interpreters of the hieroglyphics to have been erected about the year 1778, B. C.; and, in turning over our Bibles, to search for the contemporary sacred history, we find that about that time Jacob was wooing his beloved Rachel, at the well of Haran. The city is mentioned by Homer as "the hundred-gated." I had an opportunity of seeing the sun set from a situation in the western range of mountains, that commands a view of the whole plain. As I was proceeding towards the place, the people came running out of their sepul- THESE cities both stood in the neighborhood of the chres with curiosities to dispose of, that they had pyramids, and the whole of the valley on both found among the ruins. These people live in sides of the river may be considered as sacred tombs, sleep in coffins, and gain their food by sell-ground. The prince whose daughter Asenath was ing the bones and flesh of men. One old fellow given to Joseph in marriage, was priest of On. brought out the dark mummy of a man, without It is called Beth-shemesh by Jeremiah, and is any covering; but it was too disgusting an object to look upon the skin and form were quite perfect. The desiccating qualities of the place are wonderful. An Italian died here some time since, and his body soon became so dry, that it was sold to a certain traveller as an ancient mummy; but on being brought to Alexandria, the features were recognised by some of his friends. The ground is perforated with mummy pits, like the cells of a honeycomb, and it required some little care in guiding the animal on which I rode among them, lest we should both fall in and be buried alive. I had no wish to be exhibited some years hence as a genuine Egyptian mummy, and to be addressed by some poet as having shaken hands with Pharaoh, or seen the departure of the Israelites.Higher up the mountains are the tombs of more respectable persons, now inhabited by the people. They are excavated in rows, one above the other, and in the evening the flocks are brought up to them by steep paths, after feeding upon the rich pasture in the plain. I dined in one of the tombs with an English gentleman, who has been located in this strange habitation several years. By the time we reached this place, the sun had set to us, but was shining upon the plain through a pass in the mountains. I never at any time saw so many birds as were now returning from a distance to their resting places for the night. It seemed as if the spirits of the millions of the dead who had breathed their last in the valley had suddenly become embodied, and were hovering in dark masses above their deserted city. There was the majestic Nile in the centre of the expanse, its banks covered with a mantle of the loveliest green, from the midst of which arose the white walls of a temple in every quarter to which the attention was directed. The temples of Karnac were nearly hidden by a grove of dates. The columns of Luxor showed themselves in splendor, and worshippers might have been imagined as standing among them, bowing to the fancied Lord of Heaven, as he might seem for a moment to veil his majesty before them, or shed upon their pray

The remains of On are nearly reduced to one single obelisk, and as the description of Memphis would consist of little more than mere conjecture, the objects most worthy of attention as illustrative of the present history of these places, are Grand Cairo and the pyramids. The notices given of the present capital of Egypt will be considered as additionally interesting if brought into contrast with the account given of Thebes, the former capital of the same country.

Grand Cairo consists of two towns, distinguished by the names of Old and New, though the latter is only modern, in comparison with the former. Besides these two places there is Boulac, the riverport of the city, and fast rising into importance. The whole population of Cairo is stated at 600,000 souls, from a recent census.

New Cairo is by far the most extensive of the

pregnable, but the stone of the fortifications is too soft to resist the effects of cannon. It contains a telegraph that communicates with Alexandria. The divan of the governor is very splendid. An erection of marble has been commenced by the pacha, in memory of his favorite son Touissan. There are now no remains of the places formerly shown as the halls of Joseph and his steward, except a few pillars. Joseph's well is 272 feet deep, and a passage, several feet wide, winds round it, cut in the rock, with openings towards the well at certain intervals for the admission of light. The water is drawn up by two wheels, one at the top and the other some distance down, turned by oxen in the usual manner. The water is brackish, from the sand through which it filters, but it might be used in case of necessity, and would be the only supply for the garrison during a siege. The place where the Mamelukes were massacred has been much altered since this deed was perpetrated, one of the darkest of modern times. We had some difficulty in making out the spot, as the Turks are wishful to bury all traces of the transaction in oblivion. I almost shuddered as I trod the stones where so many brave men were murdered in cold blood. Near this place is an extensive manufac tory of arms. We passed through all the workshops and foundries, and were everywhere treated with great attention. The army is supplied from hence with swords, pistols, guns, and cannon. The overseers are principally Englishmen. The walls of the citadel command the finest view of the city, particularly of the mosque of Sultan Hassan. It appears scarcely possible that so large a population can be crowded into so small a space as the city occupies.

three places. It is entered, when coming from the river, a distance of about two miles, by a substantial gateway, and after passing an extensive barrack on the left, the road opens upon a square, the only one in the city, called the Esbequieh. It is in turn a lake, a morass, and a corn-field, as it communicates with the Nile by a canal. The streets are so narrow that I could frequently touch the houses on both sides by stretching out my arms. The place seems as if built on purpose to favor the ravages of disease, and on passing through its dark, dirty, narrow streets, the name it has received of "the city of the plague," struck me as being particularly appropriate. The halls of merchandise are protected by chains at the entrance, and have an imposing appearance. I wandered from street to street, through turnings and windings innumerable, lingering at places where any thing of interest was exposed for sale, and scarcely any article can be mentioned, either for use or ornament, that is common among Europeans or Turks, of whatever degree, that cannot be purchased in some quarter or other of this extensive mart. The dresses of the Turkish ladies were the most splendid articles I noticed. Except in the Frank quarter there are no shops: you must stand in the street to make the bargain, though sometimes the salesman will invite you to mount up, and take part of the mat upon which he is sitting. Narrow as the streets are, the crowds that pass through them are incredible. I generally rode a donkey, and the boy with me kept continually calling to the people to mind their feet; but in spite of all our endeavors to give warning, my awkward boots were always getting entangled among some of the manifold habiliments in which the women are enveloped, and I either turned them half round before I could get free, or made a rend that brought down upon my poor head many an ungracious wish. But I was made to suffer in my turn: first a Turk upon horseback gave my knee a stroke with his great stirrip, then a camel came with a load so large that there was no possibility of getting past without a crush against the wall, and before I had well had time to exclaim against the want of manners in the animal, my feet were grazed against the projecting boards of a bazaar. Soldiers are stationed in all directions, and frequently add to the confusion by their efforts to pre- The slave market is an open square, with rooms serve order. The mosques, of which there are on each side, and apartments above for the more about 300, would some of them have a magnificent valuable females. The rooms were most of them appearance if they could be seen from a little dis- closed, but they were all thrown open on our aptance, but they are now buried among houses and proach, and the poor creatures were shown as if common buildings. I had a peep into some of they had been so many horses or cattle. They them through the windows: the space between set up a loud laugh, but though there was laughter each arch of the principal aisle appears to be par- upon the lip, it came not from the heart. I stood titioned from the rest, and to be a place of worship some time in the gallery, looking at the different perfect in itself, so that the effect is lost that would groups, and felt for them sincere pity. There be produced by a view of the undivided whole. was something peculiarly forbidding about the They have sometimes buildings attached to them countenances of the old fellows who appeared to with brass lattices, erected with considerable be the principal proprietors. The greater part of taste, at which water is distributed to passengers the slaves then in the market were Berberries, by persons appointed for the purpose. The houses and nearly all children. Their hair grows in are five or six stories high: the lower part built ringlets, and has been compared to a natural wig. with stones of a large size, and many of them hav- These were all merrily warming themselves round ing arched entrances, the ribs of which are chastely a fire, and it is possible might be really destitute ornamented. of all painful thought on their situation. It shall be a glory unto Britain, more durable than that of her conquests, that slavery has ceased throughout

The citadel has of late received great attention, and every effort has been made to render it im

There is an asylum for lunatics attached to one of the mosques. It contained at the time of my visit twelve men and thirteen women. The men have separate cells that look into an open court, to the bars of which they are chained. One was continually passing himself from side to side of the grating, as I have seen hyenas, when under confinement, and called out incessantly, "Francisco, Francisco." Others were sitting in moody silence. The description of the women's apartment I received from the keeper, deterred me from visiting it.