F 0 R R ES PILLAR. 
J^OETIUS, and Tome other of our more early hiltorians, (truck with the pecu* 
. liar characters, and remarkable number of the monuments of the obelifk kind, 
j. ^ ort b Britain , adorned with fculptured figures of beads, birds, and fillies ; appa- 
fr ntI y hieroglyphics ; were imprelTed with a high idea of their origin, and inierred 
(( ()rn ’•hem — “ That the firft colonies which planted or civilized Caledonia were of 
t c ^Syptian extraction ; and that thefe fculptured Hones were an evidence how long 
le y had retained the cuftoms of that celebrated country.” 
■^■nd although Mr. Gordon was fully aware of the extravagance of that reflection 
£ °! gravely quotes * Bi/hop Nicbolfons authority for calling it “ one of Heitor 
^ hmcies f ” — yet the thought has been probably, fomehow or other, the 
to] 6 h e ’ n g betrayed into fo extraordinary a delineation of tha,t part of the 
Uril ‘ l at Ferres , which is reprefented in the annexed plate. For he has given a 
ari( l a fphinx, and a centaur, and fome camels with human heads inftead of 
lx rnen on horfeback, who are flying before a purfuing enemy on foot. 
One thing, however, it is but juftice to remark, that a curfbry obfervation of 
j e e fculptures, is not fufficient to apprehend their original forms, and a’certain 
identity. They are carved out in pretty high relievo , and many of the more 
i e<r ting p ar t s c f the figures are crumbled down through the unavoidable injuries 
.father and time. In many lights, the real outlines are fcarce difcernible : 
, ft as ne cefiary, therefore, to examine their efFeCl in the funfhine, both before and 
dif 1 r *° 0n > ere the dubious forms could be afeertained with precifion. The moft 
f c Jj ertl ' n g eye will fcarcely 'be able at once to difeover the whole exprefiion of the 
P tUr es. Inftead of the indefinite defeription, therefore, “ of figures of a mon- 
*c , r ° Us form, with men Handing by them, holding obfeure weapons in their 
’ the upper compartment of this plate fhews, that the firft line of the 
a Hd° r '° US P art 7> w h° have put the horfe to flight, are diftinCtly armed with bows 
f rr ° Ws J followed by others with drawn fwords in their right hands, and targets 
e * r arms ’ And on the lower compartment, which Mr. Gordon had not 
by ^ t: ’ rne to delineate at all to any purpofe, the troop of horfe are evidently feized 
* military on foot, who had routed, and were purfuing them, as aoove ; and 
Scotch Hift. Library, p. 64, 
* Iter, Septen. p. 159. 
another 
