RUINS (!F liALBEC. 
r»o» 
they stand alone on an elevated site, and their rich capitals and archi- 
trave are still entire. Six only now remain, and their appearance is 
peculiarly elegant. On them the setting sun lingers the last of all 
the ruin ; and their slender and dark red shafts, beheld at some dis- 
tance in the purple light, as they stand high and aloof, have a solemn 
and shadowy appearance, — as if they stood on the tomb of former 
greatness. 
“On the south-east side, nearer to the village, is a small circular 
building of marble, richly ornamented with sculpture, and supported 
pillars. It is in a rather ruinous condition, but appears quite 
unconnected with the mass of buildings adjoining. Its roof, in the 
form of a dome, though shattered, is still standing. 
“ About a mile down the plain is the quarry, from which the enor- 
mous stones used in the construction of Balbec were hewn. One 
still remains, the chief part smoothed and prepared with great labour 
for building, but adhering by one of its sides to the native rock; it is 
of a coarse granite, and its dimensions are much superior to either of 
the three great stones in the middle of the wall. The labour of 
removing such enormous masses, and then of elevating them to so 
great a height, must have been immense ; how the latter could have 
been achieved is marvellous. A few of the smaller pillars appear to 
be of a solid piece of coarse marble ; but the large columns a,re com- 
posed of three or four pieces of the native material. 
“ Covered galleries, several hundred feet in length, the walls of pro- 
digious thickness, are hollowed beneath the temple. The interior of 
the temple was divided into three aisles, but most of the pillars w hich 
formed them are destroyed ; at the upper end, a few steps lead to 
the altar or sacred place ; but the idol formerly adored here is gone 
from its place, which, however, is adorned with a variety of beautiful 
sculpture. Exposed as this roofless temple has been for so many ages 
to every storm, it is surprising the decorative parts of it have not 
suffered more; but the shafts of many of the pillars without, whicli 
face the north-east, have been rent and hollowed in some parts.— 
Carnes Letters from the East j voK ii. P- 99—107. 
FINIS. 
Londou, Printed by H. Fisher, Son, and Co. 38, Newgate Street 
