348 
EGYPT. 
transport' them hither, and to fet them upright! The 
two colofii of the fame material are worn and decayed, 
but the parts that remain (hew, that they had been com¬ 
pleted in the molt laboured and fmiihed manner. The two 
large rnaffes which formed the gate arc covered with 
Sculpture, partly effaced, reprefentiug battles between 
••chariots drawn by two horfes, and a (ingle conductor. 
The annexed engraving exhibits a correct view of this 
grand ruin, as,given by Denon. 
Karnak, the next didrict of Thebes, is a village built 
on a fmall part of the (ite of a (ingle temple, the circum- 
•ference of which would require half an hour to walk 
round. Herodotus, by whom it was not vifited, has, not¬ 
withstanding - , given a correct idea - of its-grandeur and 
magnificence. Diodorus and Strabo, who examined it 
in its ruinous date, appear to have given the defcription 
of its prefent condition ; and all the travellers by whom- 
-they have been copied, have here mi (taken a great ex¬ 
tent of rnaffes, for the meafure of beauty. It is probable 
that the temples or Karnac and Luxor were built in the 
time of Sefodris, when the flourishing condition of the 
Egyptians gave birth to tire arts among them, and when 
thefe arts were, perhaps, difplayed to the world for the 
Lird time. The vanity of eredfing colodal edifices, was 
the fird consideration of opulence ; and it was not as yet 
known,.that a perfection in the arts bellows on their pro¬ 
ductions a grandeur which is independent of their magni¬ 
tudes. It is the fumptuoufnefs alone of the Egyptians 
which is to be feen at Karnak, where not only quarries, 
but mountains are piled together, and hewn out into 
maflive proportions, the ornaments of which are as fee¬ 
bly executed, as the parts are clumlily connected ; and 
thefe rnaffes are loaded with uncouth bas-reliefs, and tade- 
lefs hieroglyphics, by which the art of Sculpture is dis¬ 
graced. The, only objects here which are Sublime, both 
with regard to their dimenftons, and the (kill which their 
workmanfnip difplays, are the obelilks, and a few of the 
ornaments of the outer gates, the (tile of which is admi¬ 
rably chafle. If, in the,other parts of this edifice, the 
Egyptians appear to us to be giants, in thefe latter pro¬ 
ductions they are geniufes. It would therefore appear 
that thefe Sublime embellifliments were pofteriorly added 
to the coloflal monuments of Karnak ; though it mud be 
granted, that the plan of the temple is noble and truly 
grand. To the known descriptions of this great edifice 
Should be added, that it was but a temple, and could be 
nothing elfe. Ail that exilts at prefent in a Somewhat 
entire (late relates to a Small Sanctuary, and had- been 
difpofed in this way to infpire a due degree of venera¬ 
tion, and to become a kind,of tabernacle. On examin¬ 
ing the enfemble of thefe ruins, the imagination is wearied 
with the idea of deferibing them. Of the hundred co¬ 
lumns of the portico alone of this temple, the ('mailed 
are" Seven feet and an half in diameter, and the larged 
twelve. The fpaceoccupied by its circumvallation con¬ 
tains lakes and mountains. In diort, to be enabled to 
form a competent idea of Co much magnificence, it is ne- 
cefiary that the reader Should fancy what is before him 
to be a dream, as lie who views the objects themfelves 
rubs his eyes to know whether he is awake. With re- 
fpect to the prefent date of this edifice, it is, however, 
necedary at the fame time to obferve, that a great part of 
the effect is lod by its very degraded date. The fphinxes 
have been wantonly mutilated, with a few exceptions, 
which barbarifm, wearied with dedroying, has (pared, 
and on examining which, it is eafy to didinguifh that 
fome of them had a woman’s head, others that of a lion, 
a ram, a bull, &c. The avenue which" leads from Kar¬ 
nac to Luxor was of this latter defcription; and this 
Space, which is nearly half a league in extent, contains a 
condant fucc,eifion of thefe chimerical figures to the right 
and left, together with, fragments of done-walls, of fmall 
columns, and of datues. This point lying in the cepter 
of the city, the part which was the mod advantageoufly 
placed, there is fome reafon to fuppofe that the palace 
i 
of the kings was Situated here. The paflage through 
the circumvallation or exterior wall is by fix gates that 
yet remain, three of which are preceded by avenues of 
fphinxes : within the circuit was contained not only the 
great temple, but three others entirely didinCl from it, 
having each its own gates,, porticoes, courts, avenues, 
and boundary-wall. What could be their life ? Were 
they temples, dr palaces ? Were their Sovereigns lodged 
in the porticoes of the temples, or were their~palaces d- 
milar in condruCtion to the facred edifices; or, perhaps, 
from their Superior liglitnefs, unable to relid the injuries 
of time ? It is at lead -obvious, that if they did really 
inhabit thefe buildings, which from their didribution 
may be regarded as dependencies of the great temple, 
their accommodations here were only of a temporary na¬ 
ture. Another objection is, that mod of thefe chambers 
contained little tabernacles, in which, no doubt, were 
inclofed either the figure of the divinity, or the particu¬ 
lar animal emblematical of it, or the facred treafure ; and 
to any of thefe none but the prieds would be admitted. 
Probably, therefore, the vad circuit of thefe buildings 
was occupied by numerous colleges of prieds, the depo¬ 
sitaries of the Science, the power, and the influence, of 
the country. 
What monotony ! what melancholy wifdom ! what au- 
dere gravity of manners! We might dill admire with 
awe the organization o.f Such a government; its dupen- 
dous remains yet excite the mingled fenfations of refpedt 
and dread. The divinity, in Sacerdotal habits, pourtrayed 
in the Sculptures, holds in one hand a hook, and in the 
other a flail; the former, no doubt, to redrain, and the 
latter to puni(h : everything is meafured by., the law, 
and enchained by it. The fine arts, fubjeCt to the fame 
Severe redri&ions, bend under the weight of fetters, and 
their Soaring genius is pinioned to the earth. The un¬ 
veiled emblem of generation traced even in tlie {ancillary 
of the temples, announces, that to dedroy pleafure it was 
converted into a duty: not a Single circus, not a Single 
theatre, not a (ingle edifice for public recreation; but 
temples, nothing but temples, myderies, initiations, 
prieds, Sacrifices : ceremonies were ufed tor pleasures ; 
for luxury, Sepulchres. 
The temple of Theba, we are told by Dr. Bryant, was 
no lefsthan 280 cubits in length ; built in commemora¬ 
tion, and after the form, of the ark. Its (hrine, lie fays, 
was inlaid and plated with gold and diver. It was a 
temple facred to Ofiris atTheba; or, to fay the truth, 
the temple itfelf was called Theba: and both the city of 
Thebes, as well as the province, was undoubtedly deno-’ 
minuted from it: to a^caov vj Aiyvwlof G'/jSai xxhqv/*sini» 
Now Theba, nnn, is the very word ufed for the-ark" by. 
the facred writer - , Gen. vi. 15 : So that we may be a flu red. 
of the prototype after which this temple was.falhioned ; 
but the remains of it are undefined. 
There is a considerable ruin on the feite of Thebes to 
the north-ead, at the village of Guedime, half a league 
in the rear, which in this direction makes the whole 
length of the monuments and other remains of this ancient 
city equal to about eight miles, on the right bank of the 
Nile-. This ruin conliftsof four columns, dill Surmount¬ 
ed by three mafly (tones of the entablature, in front of 
which are vidble the foundations of two buttreffes, at 
prefent a (hapelefs innfs of fragments. Thefe are the only 
remnants of a vad pile of building, 'whofe chief merit at 
prefent is to Serve as a fixed point from which to com¬ 
pute the original extent of the monuments and temples 
of Thebes on this fide the river. 
Crcfling the Nile from Luxor, we approach Hermontes, 
celebrated for the temple dedicated to Typhon, or Anu- 
bis. Eefides this temple, there remain the features of 
Several ruins in this ancient quarter, highly ornamented 
with hieroglyphics. To the ead of this temple is a large 
refervoir lined with fine done, with four ladders for de¬ 
scending into it. Four hundred yards further, in the 
fame direction, are the ruins of a Chridian church, built 
