TEMPLE OF HBLIOPOL1S. 501 



door of the temple, in depth about twenty four feet, and in breadth 

 sixty odd : through these pillars appears the door of the temple, 

 under the vault of the portico ; but it there appears with great 

 majesty, and without the least confusion ; so nice are the propor- 

 tions of the pillars, their distance from each other, and the recess 

 of the door itself. The door-case, or portal, is square, and of 

 marble, in proportion and construction just like the great marble 

 portal at the west end of St. Paul's, but far richer in sculpture' 

 and larger, if we mistake not. The whole height of it is about 

 forty feet, and its whole width about twenty-eight, with an opening 

 of about twenty feet wide. You are no sooner under this portal, 

 but, looking up, you see the bottom of the lintel, enriched with a 

 piece of sculpture, hardly to be equalled. It is a vast eagle in. 

 bas-relief, expanding his wings, and carrying a caduceus in his 

 pounce ; and on each side of him is a Fame or Cupid supporting 

 one end of a festoon by a string or ribband, the other being held in 

 the eagle's beak. 



As to the inside of the temple, it is divided into three isles, two 

 narrow on the sides, and one broad in the middle, after the manner 

 of our churches, being formed by two rows of fluted Corinthian 

 pillars, of between three and four feet diameter, and in height, 

 including the pedestal, about thirty. six. These pillars are twelve 

 in number, six on a side, at the distance of about eighteen feet from 

 each other, and about twelve from the walls of the temple. The 

 walls are adorned with two rows or orders of pilasters one over 

 another, and between each two of the lowermost is a round niche 

 about fifteen feet high. The bottom of the niches is upon a level 

 with the bases of the pillars, and the wall to that height is wrought 

 in the proportions of a Corinthian pedestal, and the niches them, 

 selves are Corinthian in all their parts, with the strictest precision, 

 and nicest delicacy. Over these round niches is a row of square 

 ones between the pilasters of the upper order : the ornaments be. 

 longing to them are all marble, and they are each crowned with a 

 triangular pediment. Towards the west end of the middle isle you 

 ascend to a choir, as it is called, by thirteen steps, which are the 

 whole breadth of this part. This choir is distinguished from the rest 

 of the temple bjf two large square columns adorned with pilasters, 

 which form a noble entrance, exactly corresponding with that of 

 the temple itself. Here is a great profusion of astonishing sculp, 

 ture ; but the architecture is the same here ay in the body of the 



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