architecture. 
Sequejitly the whplc height 600 feet : the 
inclined plane was so broad as to allow car- 
riages to pass each other. 
From very remote antiquity the Egyptians 
have been celebrated for their cultivation 
of architecture among other arts ; the ruins 
of their ancient structures astonish the tra- 
veller of the present day, as may be seen in 
their huge pyramids and proud tombs, wine 1 
have long outlived the memory of the mighty 
kings whose ashes they contain : granite 
temples as extensive as towns, which inclose 
in their courts or support upon their roofs 
villages of the modern inhabitants; long 
avenues of sphinxes, colossal statues, and 
obelisks. Yet the art of building among 
them consisted of but few principles, for 
they did not seem to understand the use of 
the arch ; all the apertures and intercolumns 
of their walls were linteled with solid stone ; 
the roofs of the chambers of their temples 
were generally covered with massy slabs for 
lintels; the ceiling or roof of the passage 
within the great pyramid is formed of stones 
in horizontal courses, projecting equally over 
each other from the two opposite walls to 
the summit, like inverted flights of steps : 
the roofs of some of their tombs are indeed 
arch formed, but these are only excavations 
cut out of the solid rock. Their walls were 
built of stones of an enormous size, without 
cement. The removal and placing of these 
huo'e materials would, even at this day, al- 
most bid defiance to the boldest and best 
constructed of our mechanical inventions, 
though conducted with all the science ot 
modern times. The stones of their edifices 
are squared and jointed with the utmost ac- 
curacy; the hieroglyphic carvings with 
which their walls and ceilings are charged 
are all recessed, but projecting in relief from 
the bottoms or backs of the recesses. Use 
forms of Egyptian temples and gates are 
generally truncated rectangular pyramids, 
crowned with a cove and fillet, or cavetto, 
as a cornice around the four angles of the 
sides, and under the cornice project tori 
from each face. The entrance front of the 
temples has generally a large rectangular 
opening, in which are placed columns for 
supporting the architrave and cornice: over 
the middle of the door, and upon the hotel- 
ing architrave, is carved a winged globe: 
tne height of the columns, according to 
Denon’s representation, is from five to six 
diameters. The columns have in general 
little or no diminution, and are frequently 
placed upon a plinth, from widen they 
sometimes rise in a convexity, forming what 
is called by workmen a quirk above the 
plinth. The shafts of the columns are gene- 
rally divided into two or more compart- 
ments, and sometimes charged with hiero- 
glyphics, as well as the walls and ceilings: 
the compartments are sometimes also orna- 
mented with vertical reeds, representing a 
bundle of rods, and separated from each 
other by annular incisions, or beads, which 
seem as bandages for tying the rods together. 
The whole of the compartments are not al- 
ways reeded : sometimes there are only one 
or two, and the, rest carved with hierogly- 
phics. The capitals sometimes swell out at 
the bottom from the upper part of the shaft, 
and diminish to the top, which is covered 
with a square projecting abacus ; sometimes 
capitals have vases like the Corinthian order, 
which rise with a small convexity from the 
shaft, and change into a large concavity up- 
wards, which as it approaches the top has 
more and more curvature until it tei minates . 
above the termination it recedes with a con- 
vexity to the abacus, which is also recessed 
within the face of the linteling architrave. 
Sometimes the capitals are formed by the 
head of Isis, with a temple in miniature 
placed over it, and then crowned with the 
square abacus recessed ; the lower parts of 
the intervals between the columns are shut 
by a kind of parapet, reaching from three 
to three and a half diameters from the 
ground. This parapet is sometimes flush 
with the columns ; but is not extended 
so as to hide their convexity on the front, 
which shews nearly a quarter of the cir- 
cumference. 
Architecture has also been carried to a 
wonderful extent among the ancient inha- 
bitants of India, who have not only ri- 
valled the Egyptians, but have been sup- 
posed to be even anterior to them in the 
knowledge of the art; their exertions were, 
however, directed almost exclusively to ex- 
cavation. 
The Assyrians have been much reputed 
for their knowledge in the art of building : 
the wails of Nineveh and Babylon were of 
wonderful magnitude. Those of the latter 
were double, and surrounded with a ditch ; 
the outer wall was regularly fortified; it 
was 15 miles square, or 60 in circumference, 
200 royal cubits high, and 50 thick : in 
the circumference were placed 1 00 massy 
gates of brass; and on the top, watch- 
towers, corresponding to each other. The 
materials used in the construction of these 
works, were square bricks, baked in a fur- 
nace, and heated bitumen, mixed with the 
tops of reeds; this composition was placed 
between every thirteen courses of bricks : 
