1 ] 6 JOURNEY TO MOUNT HELICON. 
CHAP, where the ruins now are, which bear this appel- 
III. . . 
• lation. From these observations, it must be 
evident that some employment remains for future 
travellers in this part oi Bceotia; and above all, 
that the situation of Thespia, although nearly 
that which JVheler has assigned for it, has not 
yet been satisfactorily ascertained. 
Perhaps we may be more fortunate in marking 
the position of places in Mount Helicon. As 
there is no map to illustrate the topography of 
Helicon, it was necessary to be more than 
usually attentive to the observations of Strabo 
ft/ 
and Pausanias : no description of the mountain 
having been given by any modern author ; nor, 
at the time of our journey, was there any thing 
known of the antient road from Leuctra and 
Thespia to Lebade'a. It had always been 
customary to avoid the mountain, and to pro- 
ceed to Lebadea by a circuitous route along 
the level country. Yet it must have been evident 
to any one who had read the learned work of 
Barthelemy, respecting the imaginary Travels of 
Anacharsis, that, being guided by Strabo and by 
Pausanias, he proceeds from Plat^a, to Leuc- 
tra and to Ascra, as a common route in goings 
to Lebadea. We were therefore convinced, 
that if we could discover the old route in which 
