480 GREAT WALT. OF CHINA. 



mortal enemy of the crocodile, which w~- the peculiar deity of Ar. 

 sinoe, bore an irreconcileablf hatred ID the labyrinth, which s - 

 also for a sepulchre to the sacred crocodiles, and therefore they 

 strove to demolish it. Pliny says, it was remaining in his d 

 and that about five hundred years before Alexander, Circummon 

 eunuch to king Nectabis, was reported to have bestow -mall 



reparations on it, supporting the building with beams of acacia, or 

 the Egyptian, thorn, boiled in oil, while the arche-j of square stone 

 were erecting. 



[dncicnt Univ. Hist. 



SECTION IV. 



Great Wall of China. 



THE chief remain of ancient art in China is that stupendous wall, 

 extending across the northern boundary *. This work, which is de- 

 servedly esteemed among the grandest labours of art, is conducted 

 over the summits of high mountains, some of which rise to the 

 height of 5225 feet, across the deepest vales, over wide rivers by 

 means of arches ; and in many parts is doubled or trebled to com. 

 mand important passes': at the distance of almost every hundred 

 yards is a tower or massy bastion. The extent is computed at 

 1500 miles; but in some parts of smaller danger it is not equally 

 strong or complete, and towards the N.W. only a rampart of 

 earth. For the precise height and dimensions of this amazing forti- 

 fication the reader is referred to Sir George Staunton already quoted, 

 whence it appears that near Koopekoo the wall is twenty-five feet in 

 height, and at the top about fifteen feet thick : some of the towers, 

 which are square, are forty. eight feet high, and about forty feet 

 wide. The stone employed in the foundations, angles, &c. is a 

 strong grey granite ; but the greatest part consists of bluish bricks, 

 and the mortar is remarkably pure and white. 



Sir George Staunton considers the era of this great barrier as 

 absolutely ascertained, and he asserts that it has existed for two 

 thousand years. In this asseveration he seems to have followed 

 Du llaldc, who informs us that " this prodigious work was con. 

 stincted two hundred and fifteen years before the birth of Christ, 

 by the orders of the first emperor of the family of Tsin, to protect 



* SirG. SUuiniun'k tmbassy, vol. ii, 360. 8vo. 



