( 90 ) 
the midft of which Space is the Temple, extending in 
Length more than 33 Yards, and in Breadth 13 or 14. 
It points North and South, having a moft Magnificeat 
fentrance on the Weft, exaftly in the middle of the 
Building, which by the fmall Remains yet to be feen , 
teems to have been one of the moft glorious Struftures 
in the World. I never faw Vines and Clufters of Grapes 
cut in Stone, fo Bold, fo Lively, and fo Natural, in any 
place: And we had doubtlefs feen things abundantly 
more curious, if they had not been malicioufly broken 
to pieces. Juft over the Door we could make a ftiift to 
difcern part of the Wings of a large Spread-Eagle, ex- 
tending the whole widenefs thereof. The largeneft 
whereof led me at firft to imagine it might have been 
rather a Cherub over-ihadowing the Entrance, there be- 
ing nothing of the Body remaining to guide ones Judg- 
ment, and fome little Angels or Cupids appear ftill in the 
corners of the fame Stone. But afterwards feeing other 
Eagles upon Stones that were fallen down, I conclude 
this muft have been one likevvile, only of a much lar- 
ger fize. Of this Temple there is nothing at prcfent 
but the outward Walls ftanding, in which it is oblerva- 
ble, that as the Windov^'s were not large, fo they were 
made narrower towards the top, than they were below 
but all adorned with excellent Carvings. Within the 
Walls, the Turks^ or more probably the Mamalukes^ have 
buiit a Roof, which is fupported by fmall Pillars and 
Arches but a great deal lower, as well as in all other 
refpedls difproportionate and inferioqr to what the Anr 
cient Covering muft have been. And they have conver- 
ted the place into a Mofque, having added to the South 
end thereof new Ornaments after their manner, wirh 
Aralick Inftriptions and Sentences out of the Akhqran , 
wrote in Flourifhes and Wreaths, not without Art. But 
at the North end of the Building, which is (hut out of 
the Mofque, are Relicks cf much greater Artifice and 
Beauty. 
