Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-02-20

cording 10 Demon, the whole French ar.
my, On coming in sight, stood still, struck
as II were with electric shock. The
scene, according to Joilois and Deviliers,
appears 10 be rather the produce ot an
Imagination, surrounding itself with ina
ges OF a fantastic grandeur, than any,.
Thing belonging TO real existence. Bel.
zonl, IN particular, declares that the most
sublime ideas which can be formed from
the most magnificent specimens Of our
present architecture, would give a very
inadequate picture Of these ruins. Ii an
peared TO him that he was entering a CITY
OF departed giants. He seemed alone IL
the midst OF all that was most sacred ID
the world. The forest of enormous col.
umns, adorned all around with beautiful
figures and various ornament the high
portals seen at a distance from the open.
ings to this vast labyrinth of edifces !;
the various groups of ruins in the other
temples these, altogether, had such an
effect upon the mind, as to separate him IN
imagination from the rest ofmortals. For
some time be seemed unconscious whether
he was on terrestrial ground, or some other
planet.
III harnac is u~nrivalled in the grandeur
and extent OF its remains, the temple of
Luxor, as a single and beautiful object,
seems superior to anything else in Egypt.
The view from the river is peculiarly
beautiful, when, across the verdant isl.
ands with which it is studded, appears
a white plain, covered with palm trees,
over which these colossal masses throw
their shadows; while, behind, the Arabian
Mountain chain forms the boundary ofthe
landscape. The approach is through the
village of Luxor, whose crowded and
miserable huts form Il strange contrast
with these monuments ofancient splendor.
At length the por,ico appears, by the sides
OF which are seen, two Of the most beau.
tifui obelisks in the world, each rising to
the height Of so feet, yet composed Of a
single block Of the finest granite from the
quarries ofSyrene. By what means such
colossal masses were conveyed to so great
a distance, and placed in their present po-
sitlon, surpasses the conception Of modern
art.
Behind them are two colossal statues,
now studiously defaced and deep sunk in
the sand, but which must have been 40
feet high, and composed of d single block
of the same granite. The ~propylon is
200 feet in length, rising AZ feet above
the present level Of the soil, the interior
is equally grand. 1t presents 10 the view
upwards of 900 columns of different di,
mansions, many of them 10 feet in diane.
ter, and most in an entire state. But
nothing is more remarkable in this edifice
than the ~profusion ofscuIpturcs with which
the obelisks, the walls, and all the apart
menis are covered. These, indeed, are
i%avorlte ornaments on all the Egyptian
edifces, and remarkably frequent in the
palace of karnac but they occur here in
unexampled profusion, and executed with
as much care and delicacy as if they had
been the work of the most skilful Seal
Engrayer. They appear 10 represent
the history and triumphs OF an ancient
Egyptian sovereign, probably the founder
OF the edifice. One compartment, in par
t%!cular, exhibits a great battle, in which
the Egyptians, armed with bow and ar
rows, gain a complete victory we their
Aslatic enemies, armed with the spear
and the j~ayelin.
The forms of pursuit and retreat, the
attitudes of the %victors, the wounded, anc
the dying, are so varied and striking, thai
Mr.. Hamilton imagiaes it probable, this
and n similar representation at Karnac
may have furnished Homer with materi.
ais for many Of the varied description,
with which his narrative is filled. Ii
another compartment, the conqueror il
represented as seated on his throne, Will,
the captive monarch is fastened to a car
and the chiefs arc treated with all tha
studied and rathless cruelty which the an.
cient laws Of war were supposed 10 au.
thorise.
From the New York Mirror.