seen, all that I had admired on the left bank, appeared miserable in comparison with the gigantic conceptions by which I was surrounded. I shall take care not to attempt to describe any thing; for, either my description would not express the thousandth part of what ought to be said, or, if I drew even a faint sketch, I should be taken for an enthusiast or perhaps for a madman. It will suffice to add, that no people, either ancient or modern, ever conceived the art of architecture on so sublime and so grand a scale as the ancient Egyptians. Their conceptions were those of men a hundred feet high; and the imagination, which in Europe rises far above our porticoes, sinks abashed at the foot of the 140 columns of the hypostyle hall at Karnac.”

The traveller from Europe usually lands at Alexandria, a city which in any other part of the world except Egypt would be denominated ancient. The pillar which graces that capital of the Grecian kings was long associated with the name of Pompey the Great; but an inscription upon it has, in modern times, been distinctly made out, which proves that its last dedication was to the Emperor Diocletian by a prefect who happened to bear the same name as the rival of Julius Cæsar. We have just insinuated that it was no uncommon occurrence, during the successive dynasties which governed the Egyptians, to carve the titles of princes on palaces, temples, and obelisks which had existed a thousand years before their accession to power; whence it must appear that nothing can be more fallacious, as a test of antiquity, than the names which are found in inscriptions, even in those of the hieroglyphic class. Mr. Salt, we have already mentioned, traced the appellation of one of the Ptolemies engraved over that of Psammeticus-the sovereign, it is probable, in whose reign the original building was erected.

The Alexandrian pillar stands upon a pedestal twelve feet high, which has obviously been formed of stones previously used for some other purpose. The shaft is round, about ninety feet in length, and surmounted by a Corinthian capital which adds ten feet more to the elevation. The column, we believe, is one block of porphyry, although it has more usually been described as consisting of syenite or Egyptian granite. It is nine feet in diameter, with a perceptible entesis, but without hieroglyphics; remarkably well

cut, and very little injured by the effects of time. No one, however, can fail to perceive that the shaft does not correspond with the capital, base, and pedestal, which are extremely poor both in execution and taste.

It is to be deeply regretted that the architectural beauties of this celebrated monument are not a little defaced by the undue freedoms which have been used by certain European visiters. One of the latest writers on the subject informs us, that what with black paint and red ochre, pitch and sand, the pedestal and the lower part of the shaft may now rival the party-coloured mantle of Jacob's favourite son. It was in vain to look for any of Diocletian's inscriptions, since the scribbling of those who had ascended to the top had obliterated all other traces. It appears, that in March, 1827, the officers of the Glasgow, ship of war, by means of flying a kite, had passed a string over the top of the column -to this they fastened a cord, and eventually a rope-ladder. Their example has been followed by the crew of almost every king's ship since stationed in that port. Breakfasts have been given, and letters written on the top, and even a lady has had courage to ascend. But the national flag having on one occasion been left by a party, the governor took so much offence as to prohibit all such frolics for the time to come.*

There is a want of unanimity among travellers as to the precise import of the inscription on this famous pillar. M. Quatremère has ascertained that there was in the time of Diocletian a prefect whose name was Pompeius, and thereby afforded a strong corroboration to the opinion of those who think that the monument was raised in honour of that emperor by one of his deputies. But Dr. Clarke read the Greek characters so as to substitute Adrian instead of Diocletian; and found out, at the same time, that the name of the commander who dedicated the pillar was Posthumus rather than Pompeius. The greater number, however, follow the version which retains the latter appellation, and which by that means accounts so easily for the vulgar error in regard to the object of the erection.

We are informed by Denon, that the earth about the

Travels in the Crimea.-A similar feat was accomplished in 1777 by an English captain. See Irwin's Voyage,

foundations of the pillar having been dug away, two fragments of an obelisk of white marble were discovered to have been added to the original substructure. These, Dr. Clarke thinks, must have been intended merely to maintain the base in its adjusted position until the pedestal could be raised upon it, and that they were not meant to contribute to the support of the column. It is chiefly deserving of notice, however, that the block on which the pedestal rests is inscribed on the four sides with hieroglyphics, the figures or characters of which, being inverted, show that it has been turned upside down; thus affording a complete proof that the stone must have belonged to some more ancient work, which was probably in ruins before the pillar was erected in its present site.

In a remote, unfrequented part of the city stands the obelisk well known by the name of Cleopatra's Needle, and which is described as a fine piece of granite covered with hieroglyphics. There were originally two of these, apparently brought from Heliopolis or Thebes to adorn the entrance to the palace of the Ptolemies. About twelve years ago, when Dr. Richardson visited Alexandria, the one stood erect, the other lay prostrate on the ground; but, in regard to the latter, he remarks that it was mounted on props, and seemed as if “prepared for a journey." It has been since removed, with the view of being conveyed to England, though it has not yet, so far as we have been able to learn, reached its destination. The dimensions are sixty-four feet in length, and eight feet square at the base.

Alexandria presents many other remains of sumptuous buildings, of which there is no tradition among the inhabitants on which any reliance can be placed. On each side of what appears to have been one of the principal streets are still to be seen rows of stately marble columns, all overturned and neglected. They are conjectured to be the relics of a magnificent colonnade which extended between the gates of the Sun and Moon, and was regarded as one of the most striking ornaments of the city; but in the hands of the Turks, as some author has observed, every thing goes to decay, and nothing is repaired. Wherever an excavation is made, an arch, a pillar, or a rich cornice indicates that a splendid structure had once occupied the ground, but can supply no information as to the object, the

date, the name, or the founder. For miles the suburbs are covered with the ruins of the ancient town. Heaps of brick and mortar, mixed with broken shafts and mutilated capitals, cover immense vaults, which, serving as reservoirs of water, are replenished on every overflow of the Nile. Berhaps much of this devastation, as well as of the ignorance which prevails respecting it, may be attributed to the effects of that fatal earthquake which swallowed up 50,000 of the inhabitants, and threw down the loftiest of their edifices. But on such subjects all inquiry is vain, for the traveller finds that the degraded beings who now occupy the wrecks of this superb metropolis are equally indifferent and ill-informed as to every event which preceded their own times.

The Catacombs of Alexandria present nothing very remarkable, being in a condition nearly as ruinous as the city whose dead they were intended to receive. The real entrance to these subterraneous abodes is unknown; the present passage opening from the seashore like the approach into a grotto. The most of the chambers are so entirely choked up with sand that it is extremely difficult to crawl into them even on the hands and knees. Their form, as well as the doors, pilasters, and sarcophagi, show them to be the work of Grecian artists; but, although in size they are fully equal to the Egyptian catacombs, yet in the article of decoration they are not once to be compared to them." All along the shore of the western harbour are numerous sepulchres of inconsiderable note, some of them under the rock; many are merely cut into it, and open to the air; and not a few are under the level of the sea. Several baths are likewise exhibited in this quarter, which as usual are assigned to Cleopatra; but such of them as are now to be seen are equally small and incommodious, and of a description far too inferior to countenance the supposition that they had ever been used by her whose beauty and accom plishments triumphed over the heroes of Rome.*

In ascending the Nile we shall take no notice of Cairo, because the works which it exhibits do not serve to illustrate the principles of the arts, or to display the remains of the grandeur for which the ancient Egyptians are cele

* Richardson's Travels, vol. i. p. 21.