M E G A R A. 593 
peculiar sect of philosophers. Its situation also CHAP. 
with respect to Peloponnesus added to its conse- .. T -^ j 
quence ; being the depository of all goods in- 
tended for conveyance over the Sdronian defile. 
As the traveller descends from this pass, it 
appears upon a rock, which is situate upon the 
edge of an immense quadrangular plain extend- 
ing towards the left of the spectator ; the site of The 
modern 
the present town being close to that corner of it Town, 
which is towards the sea, and nearest to Eleusis. 
Upon our left, just before we arrived, we saw a 
large Tumulus, on which there seems to have 
stood some considerable monument. The place 
is much altered, even since IVhelers time ; but 
the inhabitants retain many old Grecian customs. 
We saw them roast a large goat entire, upon a 
pole, in the middle of the public street. It was 
from Megara that Cicero, in his letters to Atticus, 
desired his friend to send him two specimens of 
Grecian sculpture. Formerly it was famous for 
its earthenware ; and fine vases have been 
found here by modern travellers: but we were 
not fortunate in our inquiry after terra-cottas : we 
procured only a few fragments of a bright red 
colour, beautifully fluted, that we found lying 
among the ruins of the city. We had better 
success in our search for Inscriptions: although 
it may be said of Megara, (whose antiquities in 
VOL. VI. Q Q 
