E G Y P T. 
iecls. We might here diftinguifl) eight famStuaries or fepa- 
rate temples, of different dimenfions; yet avoiding, with 
oreat dexterity, falle angles and general itiegulaiitie.-. 
This kind of confufion of the architectural lines, which 
appear like errors in the plan, produce in the elevation a 
ni&urefque effect, which geometrical rectitude cannot 
o-ive: it multiplies objects, 'forms elegant groups, and 
oilers to the eye more richnefs than cold fymmetry can 
ever command. The mode of building with the ancient 
Egyptians was, firft to ereft large malfes, on which they 
afterwards beftowed the labour of ages, in the particulars 
of the decoration, beginning their work with (haping’the 
architectural lines, proceeding next to the fculpture of 
the hieroglyphics, and concluding with the ftucco and the 
paintin< r . All thefe diftindt periods of work are very ob¬ 
vious lie re, where nothing is finiffied but what belongs to 
the higheft antiquity : whereas a part ot the lubordinate 
buildings, which ferved to connect the various monu¬ 
ments, "had been left in many particulars without fimfh, 
'without fculpture, and even incomplete in the building. 
This (ingularly magnificent pile exhibits the whole of 
thele different periods of workman (hip ; and it " uu.c be 
difficult to affign any ufe to this edifice, if the preience 
of certain ornaments, reprefenting offerings, had not 
pointed it out to be a temple. \ et it has neithei the 
form of a portico, nor of a temple ; the columns which 
compofe its outer circumference, and which are engaged 
in the wall only half their height, fupport nothing but 
an entablature and a cornice, without roof or platform : 
it only opened by two oppoiite doors without lintels, 
which made a ftraight pafflige through in the longitudi¬ 
nal direction. As it was doubtlefs built in the later 
period of ihe Egyptian power, it (hews the pei leCtion ot 
their art in the higheft purity; the capitals are admirable 
in beauty and execution, the volutes and the foliage are 
as gracefully waved as the fined Greek aichitecture. 
The innermoft temples contain (till more myderious 
fanCtuaries, fuch as monolithic temples, or tabernacles of 
a (ingle done, intended perhaps as the repofitoi ies of what 
was mod precious and mod facred to the worfhippers; 
perhaps even the facred bird, which reprelented the pre- 
fiding deity of tine temple ; the hawk, for example, the 
emblem of the fun, to whom the building, according to 
Dr. Bryant, was confecrated. On the ceilings of the 
fame portico are painted adronomical pictures, the theo¬ 
ries of the elements; on the walls, religious ceremonies, 
images, priefts, and gods; by the fide of the gates gi¬ 
gantic portraits of victorious fovereigns, or emblematical 
figures of ftrength or power threatening a group ot fup- 
pliant figures, which they hold with one hand by the 
Ivair of the head. Here are alfo the remains of a domedic 
feene, which appears to be that of Jofeph and Mary, in 
their flight into Egypt; done in a dyle of the utmoft 
truth and intered. This building altogether affords a 
high proof of the noble fimplicity of Egyptian archi¬ 
tecture ; and would (hew, in a ftriking manner, that it is 
character, and not extent alone, which gives dignity to 
an edifice. 
Befides the Egyptian monuments, Greek and Roman 
ruins are found at the fouth-ead of the idand of Philoe, 
which appear to be the remains of a fmall port, and a 
cudom-houfe, of which the wall of the facade is deco¬ 
rated with piladers and arcades of the doric order : Come 
(landing fragments of columns (hew an open gallery, or a 
kind of portico in front; between theie ruins and the 
Egyptian monuments, the furbafe of a Chridian church 
may be remarked, which is built of antique fragments, 
mixed with erodes and Greek ornaments of the later ages ; 
for in thefe countries catholicifm has been too feeble to 
remove entirely her i«.vn worfhip from the pomp of ido¬ 
latrous temples. After having edabliihed her faints in 
the face of the Egyptian deities, (he has often painted a 
St. John, or St. Paul, by the fide of the goddefs Ids, and 
difguifed Oliiis into St. Athanadus ; or elfe, quitting the 
heathen temples altogether, (lie has dilapidated them, 
and taken the ready-made materials to conllruCt her own 
edifices of religious worfhip. 
The quarries, of which Pocock fpeaks, terminated the 
march of the French army in its conqned of Upper Egypt; 
which event general Defaix carefully inferibed on one of 
the granite rocks near the ancient monafiery of cenobites. 
This original feat or the community is fituated in a fmall 
valley, furrou tided with (It a there d rocks, and with funds 
produced by their decomp,9(1 tion. The cells of the monks 
are mere receffes, about feven feet fquare,. enlightened 
only by a difmal window, fix feet from the ground: this 
refinement of aufterity, however, only concealed from 
the eye of the reclufe the view of the va(t expanfe of 
heaven, an equally boutidlefs horizon of fund, and a bright 
uninterrupted light, varied neither by clouds nor rain ; 
hence more melancholy than night, more wafting to the 
corporeal frame, and perhaps more impreffive of the 
gloomy picture of their folitude. In this dungeon a bed 
of bricks, and a recefs ferving as a clofet, were all the 
conveniences which had been added to this (pace between 
four walls; and a tower placed by the fide of the gate, 
(hews alfo that even the anftere repaft of tlfefe cenobites 
was taken in folitude. Nothing now indicates the remains 
of the habitation of man, but fome fliort fentences written 
on the walls ; and an extenfive court or area, with lofty 
embattled walls, covert ways, and embrafures for can¬ 
non ; which feem to announce that tire ftornts of war had 
fucceeded the horrors of filence in this retired place ; and 
that this edifice, torn from the cenobites, who had railed 
it with fo much zeal and perfeverance, had at different pe¬ 
riods ferved as a retreat to the vanquifhed, or as an ad¬ 
vanced poll to fome victorious army. 
Returning from Affuan by the right bank of the Nile, 
Den.on firft reached the ancient Ombos, where the croco¬ 
dile was faid to be worfhipped, and which is (till called 
Com-Ombos, the mountain Ombos ; and it is fituated on an 
eminence, which commands the country, and projects 
out to the very margin of the river. If all the fragments 
which are heie feen belonged to a (ingle edifice, it muft 
have been immenfe. In the center is a grand portico of 
columns with wide capitals, in very large proportion ; 
on the fouth, one gate is preferved entire ; it joined a 
wall of circumvailation, which is deftroyed ; at the weft, 
and on the bank of the Nile, an enormous mole was raifed, 
which is at prefent in ruins at its upper part; the inun¬ 
dations of the river have laid bare its foundations for 
fixty feet in depth, they were conftructed with the fame 
folidity and magnificence as the ornamental part. To¬ 
wards the north, in the fame direction, the remains of a 
temple or gallery may be (een, in (mailer proportion, 
with columns and capitals. In the open fpate between 
thefe two laft edifices, was a parapet made of hewn (tone, 
which opened to the view the grand temple in the middle, 
and nuift have produced a theatrical and magnificent ef¬ 
fect. Whatever ccmpofed the remainder of the ancient 
town of Ombos,- it could not but offer a very majeftic 
view when entire ; fince, dilapidated as it is, and encum¬ 
bered with vile huts, the forms of beauty which it dis¬ 
plays produce amoft magic picture of fplendid antiquity. 
The rocks or quarries of Gebel SiKilis, are fituated be¬ 
tween Etfn and Ombos. The (tone of thefe quarries being 
of an equal grain and uniform texture, blocks may be cut 
out of them as large as can be defired ; and it is doubt¬ 
lefs to the beauty and unaltei ability of this material, that 
we owe the vaft fize and fine prefervation of the Egyp¬ 
tian buildings, which are our admiration at the prefent 
time, fo many centuries alter the date of their conftruc- 
tion. From the immenfe excavations, and the quantity 
of fragments which may (till be feen in thefe quarries, 
we may fuppofe that they were worked for fome thou¬ 
sands of years ; and they alor.e might have fupplied the 
materials employed for the greater part of the temples of 
Egypt. The diftance would, in faCt, prove no obftacle, 
2 fines 
