beyond all question, that such aii opinion is erroneous, 

 or almost without foundation. 



The specimens of Roman sculpture, and the inscrip- 

 tions discovered at Bagneres de Luchon and la Pene 

 d'Escot, are appropriate and seasonable, and ought to 

 have convinced Pallassau and Gensanne of the indes- 

 tructibility of those materials, and of the errour of their 

 opinions, respecting the gradual depression of the 

 Pyrennees. 



If, however, doubts should be entertained of the age 

 of these specimens, or the authenticity of the facts, we 

 need only examine the cities of Greece and that of Rome, 

 to find instances enough of the ruins of theatres, trium- 

 phal-arches, temples, and palaces, the existence and 

 age of which, being registered upon the faithful pages 

 of authentick history, are enough to set doubts at defi- 

 ance, and convince the most sceptical, that the mate- 

 rials of which they are composed, are proof against the 

 insidious agents of time, though exposed to the full 

 force of their operation for thousands of years. 



Among these may be seen the remains of massy 

 walls, mutilated columns, and broken entablatures, on 

 the friezes of which are sculptured inscriptions, and bas 

 reliefs of exquisite workmanship ; yet as entire, or al- 

 most as free from marks of decomposition, as when 

 turned from the hands of the artist ; though they have 

 lain mingled with rubbish, to be acted on by all the 

 natural agents of destruction, for nearly or quite three 



thousand years. 



31 



