THEBES. 227 



*ven on the very summit of the roof, and most elevated part of the walls. 

 Hence the grandeur of Thebes must be traced in four small towns or 

 hamlets, Luxor, Karnac, Medinet Abou, and Gornoo : and first, of the 



RUINS OF LUXOR. 



In approaching this temple from the north the first object thatone sees is 

 a magnificent gateway, which is two hundred feet in length, and the top 

 of it, fifty-seven feet above the present level of the soil. In front of 

 the entrance are two of the most perfect obelisks in the world (one of 

 these has been removed to Paris, and which we have described before), 

 each consisting of a single block of red granite. Between these obelisks 

 and the propylon, are two colossal statues also of red granite ; they are 

 nearly of equal size, but, from the difference of the dress, it is inferred 

 that the one was a male and the other a female figure. Though buried 

 in the ground to the chest, they still measure about twenty-two feet from 

 thence to the top of their mitres. On the eastern wing of the north, 

 front of the propylon or gateway there is sculptured a very animated 

 description of a remarkable event in the campaigns of some Egyptian 

 conqueror. The disposition of the figures, and the execution of the 

 whole picture are equally admirable, and far surpass all ideas that have 

 ever been formed of the state of the arts in Egypt, at the era to which 

 they must be attributed. The moment chosen for the representation of 

 this battle is that when the troops of the enemy are driven back upon 

 their fortress, and the Egyptians in the full career of victory are about 

 becoming masters of the citadel. Our space forbids a full description 

 of this wonderful picture, of which Mr. Hamilton says, in concluding 

 his remarks upon it, " It is impossible to view, and to reflect upon a 

 picture so copious and so detailed as this, without fancying that I saw 

 here the original of many of Homer's battles, the portrait of some of the 

 historical narratives of Herodotus, and one of the principal groundworks 

 of the description of Diodorus. And to complete the gratification, 

 we felt that, had the artist been better acquainted with the rnles of 

 perspective, the performance might have done credit to the genius of a 

 Michael Angelo or a Julio Romano. To add to the effect, in front of 

 this wall had been erected a row of colossal figures of granite ; fragments 

 of some of them, still there, sufficiently attest their size, their character, 

 and the exquisite polish of the stone." All this magnificence is lavished 

 on a gateway ! On passing it, the traveller enters a ruined portico of 

 very large dimensions, and from this double row of seven columns, with 



