#196] ANNUAL REGISTER; 1793: 
give, just as I received it, since it 
may give the reader some idea of 
the present Greeks, shew their pro- 
pensity for the marvellous, and the 
facility with which, from a few 
given circumstances, they can make 
out a wonderful story. - 
This building they call Goetria 
the Incantada@, and affirm it to have 
been the work of magit art. On 
being asked when, and, on what 
occasion, thisextraordinary fact was 
performed, they answered, *¢ the fact 
was undoubted ; every body knew 
that their great king, Alexander, 
conquered Persia; when he was 
preparing to invade that empire, 
he solicited the assistance of a king 
of) Thrace, who accordingly united 
his forces to those of his Macedo- 
nian neighbour, attending in person, 
with his family, at the court of Alex- 
ander, where they were royally en- 
tertained, and lodged in a sumptu- 
ous palace, near his own, communi- 
cating with it by means of a mag- 
nificent gallery, of which these co- 
Jumns are the remains. The Thra- 
cian queen, a lady of transcendant 
beauty, accompanied her husband 
on this visit. Alexander, young, 
and unaccustomed to control his 
passions, ardent in the pursuits of 
love as of glory, dazzled with such 
excess of charms, determined to 
violate the rights of hospitality and 
seduce the queen of Thrace. He 
contrived, by means of this gallery, 
to pay her frequent visits, though 
not so privily as to escape the notice 
of her husband, who, baving verified 
his suspicions; resolved to take @ 
dreadful revenge on the deluder: 
He had, in his train, a skilfal necro 
mancer from Pontus, who, discover 
ing by his art the instant that Alex- 
ander was to pass:to the queen’s 
apartment, scattered his spélls’ and 
charms throughout this gallery ; they 
were of such marvellous power,that 
whoever should, at a certain hour; 
attempt to pass, would inevitably 
be converted into stones Aristotle, 
a conjuror, attached to Alexander, 
and of skill greatly superior to the 
man of Pontus, discovered his dan- 
ger time enough to prevent it: by 
his advice and entreaties, Alexan- 
der was prevailed on to forbear for 
once his intended visit. The im- 
patient queen, tired with expecta« 
tion, sent one of her confidential 
servants to see if her lover was com= 
ing, and she herself soon followed. 
At this instant, the king, supposing’ 
the magic had worked all its effect,’ 
issued forth, attended by his con- 
juror, to feast his eyes with a sight 
of the revenge he had taken ; when, 
strange to relate, both companies, 
‘hose with the king, as well as those 
with the queen, were instantly 
changed to stone, and remain to 
this hour a monument of vengeance 
ona jealous husband and an unfaith= 
ful wife.” 
The architecture of this building 
is very indifferent in point of taste, 
and is probably much posterior to 
the other specimens described in 
this work, 
er bas 
MISCELLANEOUS 
