INTRODUCTION, ivif 



Just before we came in fight of the ruins, we afcended 

 a hill of white gritty ftone, in a very narrow- winding road, 

 fuch as we call a pafs, and, when arrived at the top, there 

 opened before us the mod aitonifhing, ftupendous fight that 

 p j rhaps ever appeared to mortal eyes. The whole plain 

 below, which was very exteniive, was covered fo thick with 

 magnificent buildings as that the one feemed to touch the 

 other, all of fine proportions, all of agreeable forms, all com- 

 pofed of white ftones, which at that diftance appeared like 

 marble. At the end of it flood the palace of the fun, a 

 building worthy to clofe fo magnificent a fcene. 



It was impoflible for two perfons to think of defigning 

 ornaments, or taking meafures, and there feemed the lefs 

 occafion for this as Mr Wood had done this part already. I 

 Jbad no intention to publifh any thing concerning Palmyra ; 

 befides, it would have been a violation of my firil principle 

 not to interfere with the labours of others ; and if this was 

 a rule I inviolably obferved as to flrangers, every fentiment 

 of reafon and gratitude obliged me to pay the fame refpecl: 

 ,to the labours of Mr Wood my friend. 



I divided Palmyra into fix angular views, always bring- 

 ing forward to the firfl ground an edifice, or principal group 

 of columns, that deferved it. The ftate of the buildings are 

 particularly favourable for this purpofe. The columns are 

 ail uncovered to the very bafes, the foil upon which the 

 town is built being hard and fixed ground. Thefe views 

 are all upon large paper ; the columns in forne of them are 

 a foot long ; the figures in the fore-ground of the temple of 

 the fun are fome of them near four inches. 



\ql._1. h Before 



