New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-04

find nv pen at fault, when / attempt TO de-
scribe the impression produced by the splendid
portico. The twenty four columns each OF
which is sixty feet in hight and eight feet In
diameter, crowded upon surface Of one hundred
feet by seventy, are oppressive IN their grandeur
The dim light, admitted through the half closed
front, which faces the north, spreads mystic.
rious gloom around these mighty shafts, crowned
with the four.lold visage Of Athor. still rebuking
the impious hands that have marred her solemn
beauty. On the walls between columns of HE
roglyphics, and the cartouches Of the C4sars and
the Ptolemies, appear the principal Egyptian
deities-the rgid Osiris, the stately Isis and the
hawk headed Orus. Around the bases of the
columns spring the leaves and blossoms Of the
sacred lotus, and the dark.blue ceiling is SPAN
qed with stars, between the wings of the divine
emblem. The sculptures are all in raised relief,
and there is no stone in the temple without
them. l cannot explain to myself the unusual
emotion felt while contemplating this wonder
full combination of a simple and sublime arch-
tectural style with the utmost elaboration OF or
nament. My blood pulsed fast and warm on my
first view of the Roman Forum, but in Dendera
was so saddened and oppressed that | scarcely
dared speak for fear of calling to my eyes
most embarrassing weakness. My friend walked
silently between the columns, with face as
rigidly sad as if he had Just looked on the coffin
t--.2------s~rces~ rcrusrvc. nvugu SUCH niuvu
was more painful than agreeable, it required
| some effort to leave the place, and after stay
of two hours, we still fingered in the portico and
walked through the inner halls, under the spell
of a fascination which we had hardly power to
break.
The portico opens into hall, supported by six
beautiful columns, of smaller proportions, and
lighted by square aperture in the solid roof. On
either side are chambers connected with dim
and lofty passages, and beyond is the sanctuary
and various other apartments, which receive no
light from without We examined their sculp
lures by the laid of torches, and our Arab at
tendants kindled large fires of dry corn stalks,
which cast strong red light on the walls. The
temple is devoted to Athor, the Egyptian Ve-
nus, and her image is everywhere seen, receiv-
ing the homage of her worshipers. Even the
dark staircase, leading to the roof-up which
we climbed over heaps of sand and rubbish-is
decorated throughout with professions of sym
bolcal figures. The drawing has little of that
erotesque stiffness which we expect to find in
Egyptian sculpture, and the execution is so ad
mirable in its gradations of light and shade, as
to resemble, at little distance, monochromatic
painting. The antiquarians view these remains
with little interest, as they date from the CON-
paratively recent era Of the Ptolemies, at which
time sculpture and architecture were on the de-
cline. We, who have seen nothing else of the
kind, are charmed with the grace and elegance
of this sumptuous mode Of decoration. Part of
the temple was built by Cleopatra, whose por-
trait with that of her son Casaron, may still be
seen on the exterior wall The face of the CO.
lossal figure has been nearly destroyed, but there
is smaller one, whose soft, vouptuous outline
is still sufficient evidence of the business Of her
renown The profile is exquisitely beautiful
The forehead and nose approach the Greek
standard, bat the mouth is more roundly and deli
cately curved, and the chin and cheek fuller.
Were such an outline made plastic, were the
blank face colorel with pale olive hue, through
which blushed faint, rosy tinge, lighted with
bold black eyes and irradiated with the lightning
of a passionate nature, it would even now
move the mighty hearts of captains and of
kings"
Around the temple and over the mounds of the
ancient city are scattered the ruins of an Arab
village, which the inhabitants suddenly deserted
two or three years ago, without any apparent
reason. Behind it, stretches the yellow sand Of
the Desert The silence and aspect of deser-
ton harmonic well with the spirit of the place,
which would be much disturbed, were one be-
set, as is usual in the Arab towns, by a gang Of
naked beegars and barking wolfdogs. Besides
the temple, there are also the remains Of chapel
of ISIS with pylon, erected by Augustus Caesar,
and small temple, nearly whelmed in the sand,
supposed to be one of the manmeisi, or lyng.in
houses of the goddess Ather, who was honored
in this form, on account of having given birth to
the third member Of the divine Triad.
At sunset, we rode back from Dendera and set
sail for Thebes. In the evening, as We were
sweeping along by moonlight, with afull wind,
large daha5iyth came floating down the stream.
Achmet, who was on the lookout, saw the
American flag, and we hailed her. My delight
was unbounded, to hear in reply the voice of
my friend, Mr. Degen, of New York, who, with
his lady and two American and English gentle |
men, were returning from voyage to Assouan.
Both boats instantly made for the shore, and for
the first time since leaving Germany had the
pleasure of seeing familiar faces. For the space
of three hours forgot Thebes and the north
wind, but toward midnight we exchanged
parting salute of four guns and shook out the |
broad sails Of the Cleopatra, who leaned her |
cheek TO the waves and shot ef like a sea-gull |
am sure she must have looked beautiful to my
friends, as they stood on deck in the moonlight. |
This happened last night. Tonight the moon
is shining, the same wind is blowing, and we see
in the distance the three peaks of the mountains