60 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
of which one of the greatest sons of genius has spoken 
in the most beautiful language of poetical inspiration. 
Nothing can exceed the glorious splendour of the 
prospect over which the eye of the traveller ranges 
from the porch of this celebrated temple. The por- 
tico is a fine specimen of early Hindoo architec- 
ture. You ascend to it by several flights of wide 
stone steps. The roof is supported upon eight square 
massy columns, variously decorated from the pe- 
destal to the capital. The gateway, which is very 
lofty, and leads into a handsome vestibule, is sur- 
mounted by a square pyramidal tower richly em- 
bellished with tracery. On the top of the tower is a 
row of five culices, fixed upon a narrow ornamented 
ridge, in which the tower terminates. On either side of 
the gateway is a high and strong wall, built of huge 
masses of granite, squared and fitted with an accu- 
racy that might bear comparison with a piece of ca- 
binet-work. The most splendid part of the temple is 
the gateway. The interior of this sanctuary is com- 
paratively plain, and presents nothing particularly to 
arrest the traveller’s eye. The porch was nearly filled 
with pilgrims when we ascended, and I entered into 
conversation with an extremely eloquent Brahmin, 
whose whole soul seemed absorbed in metaphysics ; 
and so deeply did he appear to have dug into the 
mine of abstract philosophy, that I have no doubt 
he would have expounded the cabala to his own sa- 
tisfaction at least, if not to that of more learned 
Rabbins. 
It is quite a mistake to suppose that philosophy is 
above the study of these heathen priests. Some of the 
