still exists, is sarrounded by such a gallery, still entire, though almost heaps of rubbish, broken walls, and buried; the whole ornamented with fragments of an Arab village, long a variety of figures, surrounded with since mouldered on its parent ruins, hieroglyphics, which doubtless exthat little is perceptible in approach- plain the meaning of the various ing, except five clumsy pillars form- objects, some human, others of a ing part of a detached temple at less definite nature; the workmansome distance froni the gate, with ship is in very great preservation, which it is in a right line, though but the gallery so filled as to prevent now separated by a tauk, filled by our standing erect, though the body the inundation of the Nile. These of this temple, into which we decolumns are connected at their base scended, was near thirty feet in by a stone wall in which there ap- height, covered with large slabs of pear to have been eight, one at each stone. The entrance to this edifice corner, and one on either side of an is through a corridore, supported on entrance in front and rear of the pillars, almost buried in the ruins. building; which is about forty feet The grand temple, retired from long, and possessing nothing worthy the gateway about fifty yards, preattention. sents a front of one hundred and Beyond this, on the summit, and forty feet at the base; at least what partly buried in the mound of rub- is now the terreplain : and about bish, is a gateway much ruined on sixty feet in height, the rest being the side we approached from, but invisible. This part is in the most whose internal face is an object of perfect state; the fillet, torus, and peculiar admiration : its high state of almost every ornamental part, save preservation, the excellence of its what the bigotry of the Arabs has sculpture, the simplicity of the style, induced them to deface, being in the excellent execution of the figures, excellent preservation. In the cenchiefly female, the hieroglyphics, tre, an entrance of nineteen feet and other ornamental parts, excited leads into a peristyle, divided by , my surprise beyond what I had ex- three rows of columns on either side pected or thought possible. It is of twenty-two and a balf feet circumprobably rather an advantage to the ference, the front row connected to temple, its being so surrounded with each other, at their bases, by a wall; ruins as to be secreted till you ap- which, from a part that has been proach sufficiently near to receive a cleared away by the Savans to ascermore perfect impression of its beau- tain the elevation of the building, , ties. The rubbishi, however, with exceeds ten feet in height; from the which it is choaked up, confines the top of this to the entablature of the sight too orch, and almost pre- columos, the space is left open ; cludes the possibility of viewing the within are nine pillars to the right building with so good an effect as and left (tallying in size and design would arise from a greater choice of with those in front), that support the situation, on the part of the specta- roof of the peristyle; which is ornator. Passing this gateway, the pas- jented in the most beautiful style, sage through which is also beauti- with a vast variety of figures, and fully sculptured, we reached on the representations of aquatic scenes. right hand a teinple, surrounded by Many groupes of men and beasts are 3L 3 here a here represented; some perfectly of a terrestrial and familiar nature, others allegorical, amongst which is a fine figure of a bull butting at the new moon. The dresses, the utensils, canoes, and many of the articles of the domestic economy of the ancient Egyptians, are herein represented in the most minute and pleasing manner; and the entire state of these figures,, not only in shape, but colouring, conveys the most perfect idea of the habits of the times. A vast resemblance exists in the dresses with those at present worn in India; the cholie of the women, the moond, and many others, claiming a direct comparison. It has often struck me, and never more forcibly than in contemplating this temple and its sculptures, that there must have existed a much greater affinity in the customs of, and of course a more friendly intercourse amongst, the nations of the East formerly, when they pursued, one system of worship, than since the introduction of Christianity and Mahometanism; which, by generating the most rooted and inveterate prejudices, have estranged the affections of mankind from those, whom no political difference could ever have affected. Of this we had an example even amongst the present inhabitants, who, regarding us as infidels, bate us, though we came as friends. Their dislike, however, they found it prudent to conceal; but they were not equally reserved with respect to the Hindoos, whom they often expressed their abhorrence of. This detestation of Paganism has induced them, and doubtless been their sole motive for taking so much pains, to mutilate every figure of Isis, whose features are chisseled out; and many of the other figures, whose situations were not so elevated as to preserve them from the destructive contact of the Arab, have suffered almost perfect aunihilation. All beyond it, however, are extremely perfect, and the whole ceiling, with one or two trifling exceptions, is entire; the capitals of the pillars are square, each face having had a representation of Isis's head, on it, which, though so roughly handled, the turban bas in no instance been destroyed; and the colouring of it, the bandeaus, and other decorations, are still in the greatest perfection. The stone of which the temple is built is a kind of freestone. As this would not receive either polish or paint, figures and hieroglyphics, with which every part of the peristyle, both internally and externally, is covered, have, in the interior, been plastered over with a fine cement, which has not only received a polish that has stood the test of ages, but has retained the brilliancy of the tints, particularly the blue, in a manner almost incredible. The mystic symbol of the winged orb, of which reiterated representations decorate the ceiling of the ceutral division of the peristyle, extending entirely across, bears the brightest hues; the same mysterious type adorns the entablature over the entrance, and the interior face of the same part of the gateway; the walls are covered with various sculptures, representing different parts of the history of Isis, one or two of the principal figures in each being evidently the same, though each compartment into which the wall is divided, represents some separate event: but above the head of Isis, on each of the sides of each column, the two central front ones excepted, is the Deity's birth, without variation, all most elegantly executed, and exact counterparts of each other. The interior interior length of this peristyle is one above was formed of numerous small hundred and twenty-three feet, and slabs of stone cemented 10 each sixty-four deep; the walls at either other, and destitute of any other end, near nine feet thick, decreasing support than what they derive i fronı externally as they ascend; the slabs the judicious manner in which they of stone forming the roofs, are over were united. Returning hence, afthe centre columns, twenty-five feet ter visiting some rooms to our right, long, about six broad, and extremely we went through a passage to the thick. left that led to an apartment, where Hence, by a large portal of ele. we in vain endeavoured to maintain gant architecture, we entered the our ground against a host of bats, vestibule, the roof of which, consi- that finally obliged us to resume the derably lower than that of the peri- course of this passage, which led by style, is supported by six pillars, many steps of easy ascent, and many three on either side ; their decora- 'windings round the centre, to the tions much mutilated: the little that summit of the temple; in approachis visible shews them to be fuled. ing which it branches off to the right This room is about half the length and left, the latter opening to a corand breadth of the outer one, but ridore, within which was a sanctuary, being nearly filled with rubbish, we through the floor of which a perfopassed through another large door, ration afforded light to a part of the into a room of the same length and temple which had not fallen under height, but narrow enough to admit our observation. On the ceiling of of large slabs reaching across with this corridore, which is about twenty out the intervention of pillars. feet long, and half that breadth, is a Apertures are cut in the ceiling to curious female figure sculptured in admit air and light; and a passage relievo, represented in a bent, exor door, to the right and left, leads tended posture. The limbs, though to other parts of the temple.' Fac- disproportioned, are particularly ing the door where we had entered, beautiful: it is in the highest preseris another, which led into a third vation, and worthy peculiar attenroom, rather larger, and lighted in tion. By some steps projecting from like manner from above; from these the rear of the peristyle, we ascended there are four doors leading to dif- to its summit, whence we commandferent parts of the building, to the ed a fine view of the country, Ginright and left ; and a portal facing nie, our camp, and the meanderings that by which we had entered, which of the river; in our rear was a spate led us into a dark recess about thirty cious burial ground; beyond, an exfeet long, and twenty-five broad, tensive desert. The intervening diswhose roof in like manner consisted tance to the Nile was covered with of transversal slabs. This probably rushes and a thorny weed, which was the great sanctuary, at the fur- gave the country a verdant appearther extremily of which was a hole, ance, and supplied the place of a through which we were enabled to luxuriant cultivation. The numedescend into a vault, which, like the rous villages, each shaded by its rest of the apartments, is nearly grove of dates, afforded a faint contilled with earth. We, er, as- eption of an Indian scene; but certained by our lights, that the floor ihe sterility of the neighbouriug de 3 L 4 serts a serts that bounded the contracted landscape, forbade the indulgence of the pleasing comparison. On the slabs are cut the names of several French travellers, who visited the place in 1779, and one of a democrat, dated the year eight. Leaning over the temple, I discovered, on the fillet, a Greek inscription, in a state of great preservation, which I transcribed, and afterwards revised from below; unfortunately the information, it conveys is trifling, and the obliteration of a part prevents its being of that utility I had at first anticipated. Though we had ascended by the stairs, the mound of ruins on one side presented a more ready descent; and industriously profiting of the moment, we lost no time in completing our observations. The French have been digging round, and within the temple, in different places, to ascertain its dimensions, and we were indebted for our access to many of the rooms, to the pains taken by them to discover their entrances; for which purpose they have removed a great deal of rubbish. The whole exterior of the temple is in perfect preservation, exeept the defacement, which many of the figures within reach have suffer ed. On the south and west faces are some very elegant spouts for carrying off water, issuing from the mouths of couchant lions, decorated with rams-horns. The whole summit of the temple is disfigured by heaps of rubbish and fragments of walls, as also the mounds which surround it, which probably owe their existence to a colonade, or sonie range of buildings with which it was enclosed, and which are now buried. To the south-east, at some hundred yards distance, is a ruined gateway, boasting little beauty; it is situated at the foot of the eminence on which the temple is built, and being almost beyond the range of the present ruins, might have belonged to some other edifice. Some wretched Arabs, who employ themselves in digging amongst the ruins, brought us a few Roman coins, which we purchased. Though we had been several hours in contemplating the beautiful monument before us, yet we had conceived but an inadequate idea of its varied perfections; so many objects occur red to arrest our attention, each discovering some peculiar attraction, that it would have afforded ample occupation during our remaining stay at Ginnie, to have bestowed on each the consideration they merited; a circumstance which greatly damped the anxiety I had before felt to visit Thebes, where such an infinity of matter presents itself to the inquisitive traveller. Our Indian followers, who had attended us, beheld the scene before them with a degree of admiration bordering on veneration, arising not only from the affinity they traced in several of the figures to their own deities, but from their conviction of its being the work of some Rácshas, who they conceived had visited the earth to transmit to an admiring posterity a testimony of supernatural talents. I shall dismiss this subject by observing, that though the contemplation of these surprising monuments of the genius of the ancient Egyptians creates a high idea of their civilization, and respect for their antiquity and progress in arts, it is obvious they are greatly indebted to a beneficent Providence, which, by placing them, in a temperature, where the frequent and sudden transitions of climate climate seldom if ever occur, has yala. The face of the country in given to their works a permanence general, in the vicinity of the mounthey could never have derived from tains, exhibits a varied scene of hill the combined power and art of man; and dale, and winding streams. These though it must be allowed, that not streams fall from the mountains, and withstanding the apparent aridity of preserve the valleys in perpetual the atmosphere, owing to the almost verdure. The woods produce pepperpetual absence of rain, the exha- per, cardamoins, and cassia or wild lations * froin the circumjacent in- cinnamon ; also frankincense and undation, are so great as to occasion, other aromatic gums. What adds at one period of the year, a humidity much to the grandeur of the scenery little inferior to that which would in this country is, that the adjacent proceed from actual immersion; and mountains of Travancore are not which in their consequences would barren, but are covered with teak equally affect that brilliancy of co- forests, producing the largest timber louring which has stamped a charac- in the world. teristic pre-eminence on these chef The first view of the christian d'ouvres. churches in this sequestered region of Hindostan, connected with the idea of their tranquil duration for so Narrative of a New Discovery of many ages, cannot fail to excite Christian Churches, at Travan. pleasing emotions in the inind of the core, in India. beholder. The form of the oldest buildings is not unlike that of the [From the Bristol Journal.] old parish churches in England; the THE Rev. Dr. Buchanan, whu style of building in both being of left Bengal some months ago, with a Saracenic origin. They have sloping view of proceeding to Travancore, to roofs, pointed arch windows, and enquire into the state of the Syrian buttresses supporting the walls. The christians, arrived in that country beams of the roof being exposed to about the beginning of Nov. last, view, are ornamented ; and the ceilhaving travelled from Calcutta toing of the choir and altar is circuCape Comorin by land. His high- lar and fretted. In the cathedral ness the rajah of Travancore was churches, the shrines of the deceased pleased to afford to Dr. Buchanan bishops are placed on each side of the most liberal assistance in the pro- the altar. Most of the churches are secution of his enquiries. About the built of a reddish stone squared and middle of Nov. Dr. Buchanan pro- polished at the quarry; and are of a ceeded from the sea-coast into the durable construction, the front wall interior of the country N. E. of of the largest edifices being six feet Quílon, to visit the antient Syrian thick. The bells of the churches are churches situated amongst the hills cast in the founderies of Travancore. at the bottom of the high Ghauts, Some of them are of large dimensions, which divide the Carnatic from Mala- and have inscriptions in Syriac and Malayalim. It is an opinios in Egypt, that the fall of these dews, not only averts the plague, but cures those who are affected with it. N. B. Sonnini, in Vol. III, of his Travels in Egypt, gives very correct delineation of some of the most remarkable sculptures of this temple, |