ARCHITECTURE. 



, history and agriculture. 'I'he 

 tapering m(,|,. s arc crowned by a ca\ etto 

 ( >r flat sr-jru u .,it of ;i circle, richly fluted 

 turns that e<i\ers tin- COMH rs of the pile. 

 The.- entrance or door- wax is between the 

 mole s, and is Surmounted by a similar 

 cavetto over die architrave, upon'\vhich 

 is frequently earx ed the globe, wings, and 

 serpent. This entrance opens into a 

 grand court, surrounded on all s'uUs by a 

 portico, consisting of two ranges of co- 

 lumns, 48 in number ; at the- extremity of 

 this court, and opposite the entrance, the 

 sanctuary is placed, and contains apart- 

 ments for the priests two small porticos 

 or covered ways conduct to those of the 

 kings, and are distinguished by doors of 

 black granite. Other avenues lead to 

 buildings of considerable magnitude, or- 

 namented with rows or alleys of lions, 

 sphinxes and rams, from 15 to 16 feet in 

 length, couchant upon pedestals ten feet 

 asunder. 



Some of their sculpture is merely a 

 deep cut outline, and is no doubt the first 

 dawning of the art. Basso relievo, semi 

 relief, and alto relief, is every where to be 

 seen, producing bold and decisive ejects. 



Although a perfect uniformity exists in 

 all the edifices of Upper Egypt as to plan 

 and general arrangement, it appears they 

 were very capricious in the proportions 

 and sculpture of columns. The capitals of 

 the columns of the temple of Appolinipo- 

 lis.one of the largest and most magnificent 

 buildings in Egypt, has two rows of leaves, 

 bearing considerable resemblance to the 

 Corinthian of the Greeks. At the tombs 

 of Silsilis, the columns are in imitation of 

 bundles of reedsboundtogetherat the top 

 by a cord, and gradually swelling into a 

 capital, ornamented with leaves and blos- 

 soms of the lotus, or lily of the Nile. At 

 Tentyra, one entire column of hierogly- 

 phics supports a capital, containing four 

 headfl of the goddess Isis. At the Me-mno- 

 nitim, human figures an- used as columns, 

 called by the (Ireeks cariatides, at which 

 place ill'- itiins of a statue f>4 feet in 

 height is to be seen, and supposed to have 

 been tin-own down by Can,' 



Their edifices and statuary is princi- 

 pally composed of granite and sand stone 

 ((Harried upon the Nile, with aqueducts 

 I. -ad ing from them into the river, through 

 whu h ine-ans, and its annual rise, the huge 

 - of stone used in obelisks and co- 

 lumns \\<.r- floated to their respective 

 situations; but how these immense slabs 

 and blocks were raised upon terraces and 

 columns, of great height, is an exertion 



of the mechanic powers {vitally c. 

 at the present <i 



it is onlv f ::> ructible re- 



- ', thul 



\vc are enabled to form any distil 

 of the progress of science with this learn 

 ed people ; who are said to have invented 

 geometry, and applied its principles to 

 the motion of the heavenly bodies. At 

 Ternyra, the great circle of the sphere i 

 described upon the ceiling of the temple, 

 containing the twelve signs of the zodiac, 

 with many other agronomical figures in 

 the surrounding spaces. 



Their knowledge of geometry, and the 

 application of its principles to mechanics, 

 was astonishing, from the size and weight 

 of their materials, and principles of con- 

 struction, by which they have ensured du- 

 rability ; and transmitted to posterity 5 

 palaces and 34 temples, as monuments of 

 their science and industry 3000 years ago. 



Upon an examination of the principles 

 and practice of the architecture of the 

 three countries, India, Persia, and Kg} pt. 

 it will appear, upon investigation, that the 

 edifices of Hindustan consist principally 

 of excavation, where the column and hu- 

 man figure are rudely carved, without re- 

 ference to proportion or the nature of the 

 subject, and although we cannot fail to be 

 disgusted with the effect of the perform- 

 ance, we are compelled to admire their 

 industry. The resemblance of many 

 leading features, of Hindoo architecture 

 to that of Egypt and Persia, particularly 

 those of Elephanta and Vellore, has in- 

 duced Sir William Joins and Dr. Hobcrt- 

 son to conclude that the eastern quarter 

 of the world has a preferable claim to 

 originality ; and that all rudiments of 

 knowledge in the science was furnished 

 by India to both the other countries: 

 this is a mere matter of opinion, and can 

 only amount to evidence of an i-arly inter- 

 course or communication of architectural 

 knowledge, as there is unquestionably 

 sufficient distinction in the charac: 

 proportions of the whole or parts to 

 form separate schools. That of India 

 may be characteri/.cd 1>\ circular outline.' 

 resembling the pagoda of the Chines.-. 

 The ancient Persian, consisting princi- 

 pally of edifices above ground with slender 

 columns of small diameter, lightly and 

 delicately decorated with feather* and 

 silk, ornamental pannels in basso r 

 resembling ihe sumptuous corinthian of 

 the |{<v 



That of Egypt, grand and massy fea- 

 tures, diminishing from die base upward, 

 forming pyramidal figures, remarkable 



