Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-04-26
. .BUCKINGHAM's LECTURES

u'ey 81 Deafh.-This tiiIe has been
~: ~" 10 the sepuictres Of the kings from
,IM.: IT,: mode OF construction appearing to he
uvsuned to remain while the everlasting hills
IsHr their SUBMITS above the plains. Monv
'nese nave been discovered within the
.as, iew years, and opened by modern ,ro-
IrS' !hcre nrc vast perforations in the
u granite ocd OF the mountains, some
ee,stehdIng to the distance of two mIcs.-
Tho manner Of ornamentinp them wa. H.,
covering the rough surface of the stone win
ascoat of stucco, which when dry, became
almost equally hard with the granite i,seIf
Upon the surface Of this. the artist first pcn
cnied out his figures which still remain in all
lneir Ie original beauty and preservation. Upon
'His was then laid the various colours, adan-
ed,to the objcct,whch like all the Egvptian
So'ours' still retain their original vividness.
10 give some idea Of tho amount of Iabour
oes'owed upon these rcccptaccs of iIlustri
ous deau, VIC may state, that within width
ot'wo fcc:, and from top to bottom of tie
'unhci or arch, 272f figures might he counted.
aH Oh which were cllisclcd with the u,mos,
1eac'hess and true symmetrical proportions.
! tnen this little space presents TO the eve
oEthc beholder so much TO excite his ad-
iniratlon and surprise, how much ereo,er
tne cause of wonder when we rcflcc, tLnt
tlis ls only as ample of what for miles in cx.
tent may be discovered in the same propor.
t.en. Some of these royal tomhs had n
ceiiinS ofcerulean blue, studded with silver
stars presenting in the aspect of torcIiiehr
lhe IDEA OF the arch Of heaven. Within
separate apartment were deposited the sar
sophagi ot the dead, many Of which have
mere lam undlsturbcd for thousands of wears.
1isHoc0t Alemnon.-This gigantic mouu.
ment, which is said to have saIu,cd the
fising sun with the salutation of The morn.
ubered In melodious strains, still stands
ufon ITS ancient pedestal, although much
osiaced and now silent as motioulcss. The
~ Menn nnoninm, or temple of NJ emnom, is uov
in ruins; and the head of tho Younger
Memnon, as il was called, was carried bv
isnloni to England in 1918. The trunk
NOW lies PROSTATE at the foot tho vocal
statue, which is rabled to be the ofIsprinu Of
tle sun an' Moon, and was placed with
tts face to wards the east, so that it might
salute the parent orb as it came IN from
itehlnd the eastern horizon, with the tones
OF hllal gratitude and alteration. The di-
-menslons of this statute is about 25 feet
asross the shoulders: the instep of the foo, is
q. tIeet nigh; aud q: Inan stnudipg. upon. the
Peaestai, finds tho light Of the TOP or the
1907 above his head. The arm is nine feet
IN circumference, and the other portions of
the body in exact proportion.
ihe enormous size Of this statue (which
would weigh full ten times rs much as Pom
pey's piilar before dcscribct) has caused
many TO doubt whether it was actually COM
posed OF stone, Or whether it was not formed
by cementing together masses of matter,
which have hardened into the solid from
wiich 1t how possesses. But gigantic us
this statue IS, 1t was nevertheless originally
composed of single stone; s. i, is corrobo-
rated by the fact, the there may at present
Se ." seen at the quarrics at Elcphanta at
oyennc, many monuments, in various stages
ot perfection, and the clcfts in the cunt ain
from which other masses have been taken,
What was the mechanical power applied
by the Egyptians TO move these mighty
weights, is ~ the present day altogether
unknown; but that they had such means,
their achievements testify. =.