58 EXTRACT FROM A JOURNAL, DURIMG 



duced them, and doubtless been their sole motive 

 for taking" so much pains, to mutilate every figure 

 of Isis, whose features are chisselcd out; and many 

 of the other figures, whose situations were not so 

 elevated as to preserve them from the destructive 

 contact of the Arab, have suffered almost perfect 

 annihilation. All beyond it, however, are extremely 

 perfect, and the whole ceiling, with one or two 

 trifling exceptions, is entire ; the capitals of the pil- 

 lars are square, each face having had a representa- 

 tion of Isis's head on it, which, though so roughly 

 handled, the turban has in no instance l)een destroy- 

 ed, and the colouring of it, the bandeaus, and other 

 decorations, are stiil in the greatest perfection. The 

 stone of which the temple is built is a kind of free- 

 stone. As this would not receive either polish or 

 paint, figures and hieroglyphics, with which every 

 part of the peristyle, both internally and externally, 

 is covered, have, in the interior, been plastered over 

 with a fine cement, which has not only received a 

 polish that has stood the test of ages, but has re- 

 tained the brilliancy of the tints, particularly the 

 blue, in a manner almost incredible. The mystic 

 symbol of the winged Orb, of which reiterated re- 

 presentations decorate the ceiling of the central 

 division of the peristyle, extending entirely across, 

 bears the brightest hues ; the same mysterious type 

 adorns the entablature over the entrance, and the 

 interior face of the same part of tliC gateway ; the 

 walls are covered with various sculptures, repre- 

 senting different parts of the history of Is is, one or 

 two of the principal figures in each, being eviflently 

 the same, though each compartment into which the 

 wall is divided, represents some separate* event : 

 but above the head of Isis, on each of the sides of 

 each column, the two ceJitral front ones excepted, 

 is the Deity's birth, without variation, all most ele- 

 gantly executed, and exact counterparts of each 



