from a fingle block of marble, in the antique tafte. Croffing thefe majestic avenues, we come to four porticos, each thirty feet wide, fifty-two in height, and one hundred and fifty in length. The entrance to there is thro' pyramidal gates, and the cicling is formed of stones of an astonishing fize, fupported by the two walls,

The first of thefe porticos is entirely of red granite, perfectly polished. Without are four rows of hieroglyphics, within only three. On each of the latter, I remarked two human figures, larger than life, and fculptured with great art, Coloffal figures,

bottom of the

rifing fifteen feet above the door, decorate its fides; without are two ftatues, thirty-three feet high, the one of red granite, the other fpotted with black and grey; and within is another, of a fingle block of marble, wanting the head, cach bearing a kind of crofs in its hand, that is to say, a phallus, which, among the Egyptians, was the fymbol of fertility.

The fecond portico is half deftroyed; the gate has only two rows of hieroglyphics, of gigantic fize, one towards the fouth, the other towards the north. Each front of the

third portico is covered with hieroglyphics of coloffal figures, and at the entrance of the gate are the remains of a statue of white marble, the trunk of which is fifteen feet in circumference, and wearing a helmet, round which a ferpent is twined, The fourth portico is little more than walls, almost entirely deftroyed, and heaps of rubbish, among which are parts of a coloffus, of red granite, the body of which is thirty feet round.

Beyond these porticos the high walls, which form the first court of the temple, began. The people entered at twelve gates; feveral are destroyed, and others very ruinous. That which has fuffered leaft from time, and the outrages of barbarians, faces the west. Before it is a long fphinx avenue. The dimenfions of this gate are forty feet in width, fixty high, and forty-eight thick, at the foundation. In the front are two rows of fmall windows, and the remains of fteps in its fides, leading to its fummit. This gate, fo maffy as to appear indeftructible, is in the ruftic ftile, without hieroglyphics, and magnificent in fimplicity. Through this we enter the great court, on two of the fides of which are terraces, eighty feet in width, and

raifed fix feet above the ground. Along thefe run two beautiful colonnades. Beyond is the fecond court, which leads to the temple, and, by its extent, equals the majesty of the building. It is likewife embellished by a double colonnade; each column is above fifty feet high, and eighteen in circumference at the base. Their capitals are in the form of a vafe, over which a fquare ftone is laid, which probably ferved as a pedestal for ftatues. Two prodigious coloffal figures, mutilated by violence, terminate thefe colonnades. Standing at this place, the aftonished eye furveys the temple, the height of which is moft furprising, in all its immensity. Its walls of marble appear everlasting. Its roof, which rifes in the center, is fuftained by eighteen rows of columns. Those standing under the most lofty part are thirty feet in circumference, and eighty in height: the others are one third lefs. The world does not contain a building the character and grandeur of which more forcibly imprefs awe and majesty: it feems adequate to the high idea the Egyptians had formed of the Supreme Being; nor can it be entered, or behele, but with reverence. Its fides, both

within and without, are loaded with hieroglyphics, and extraordinary figures. On the northern wall are reprefentations of battles, with horfes and chariots, one of which is drawn by ftags. On the fouthern are two barks, with canopies, at the end of which the fun appears; the mariners guide them with poles; two men, feated at the ftern, seem to direct their proceedings, and receive their homage. These are allegoric defigns. In the poetic language of the Greeks, the fun was painted in a car, drawn by horfes, guided by Apollo. The Egyptians reprefent it on board a fhip, conducted by Ofiris, and feven mariners, who reprefent the planets. (x)

The entrance, which fronted the temple of Luxor, is greatly decayed; but, if we may judge by the obelisks that remain, it must have been moft fumptuous. There are two of fixty feet high, and twenty-one in circumference at the base; and, a little farther, two others, of feventy-two feet in height, and thirty in circumference. Each of these superb monuments is formed from a fingle block of red granite, and does honor to the genius and

*) Macrobius Somn. Scipionis. Mart, Capella, lib. 2.

fcience

fcience of the antient Egyptians. There are hieroglyphics, in various divifions, engraved on thefe obelifks, three of which remain ftanding, and the other is thrown down.

Proceeding eastward from the great temple, after croffing heaps of rubbish, we come to a building, called, by Strabo, the Sanctuary, which is fmall. The gate is ornamented with columns, three of which are grouped, and united under one fole capital, Within are various apartments of granite. Here the virgin confecrated to Jupiter was kept, and who offered herself in facrifice after a very extraordinary manner. (y)

I have only defcribed thofe parts of the temple, Sir, which are in beft prefervation. Within its vaft limits are feveral edifices, almost destroyed, which, no doubt, appertained to the priests and facred animals. Near the ruins is a large expanfe of water; and we meet, at every step, with remains of columns,

(y) Jovi quem præcipué colunt (Thebani) virgo quadam genere chariffima et fpecie pulcherrima facratur ; quales Græci Pallacas vocant. Ea pellicis more cum quibus vult coit ufque ad naturalem corporis purgationem. Poft purgationem, vero, viro datur; fed priufquam nubat, poft pellicatûs tempus, in mortuæ morem lugetur. Strabo,

lib. 17.

fphinxes,