524 
REMARKABLE INSCRIPTIONS. 
fortunate position, its sculptured surface is less exposed to the 
burning effect of the sun, or any other injurious extreme in the 
weather; hence the delicate chiselling of its figures and their 
ornaments, with other exterior parts of the tomb, are in finer 
preservation than the others which look directly south-east. 
The second tomb from this last mentioned, is the only one 
whereon the marks of inscription can be traced; but over the 
whole tablet of the upper compartment, letters are visible 
wherever they could be introduced; above the figures, between 
them and the altar, along the sides, from top to bottom, in 
short, every where, we see it covered with the arrow-headed 
characters, and in good preservation. In the compartment 
below the sculptured division, inscriptions are there also between 
the two pillars on the left of the door ; I counted several hundred 
lines, but these appeared in a very impaired state; any of the 
writing is with difficulty discerned with the naked eye, the tomb 
being so very high from the plain where I stood; but with my 
glass, I could discover every letter perfectly distinct. What a 
treasure of information doubtless was there to the happy man 
who could decypher it! It was tantalizing to a painful degree, 
to look at such “ a sealed book,” in the very spot of mystery, 
where, probably, its contents would explain all. But it cer¬ 
tainly is a very distinguishing peculiarity of this tomb, that it 
alone should contain any inscription, and that the writing on it 
is so abundant; a circumstance that might warrant the supposi¬ 
tion of this being the tomb that was cut by the express orders of 
Darius Hystaspes to receive his remains ; for Strabo mentions 
that an inscription was on it, and part of which he gives. By 
great labour, and patience, and time, and the aid of a telescope, 
this invaluable relic might be copied. I cannot but hope that 
