New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-06-25

r,A..,,.d a. i the effect OF the grand 'front.', u"
..u -;,ho,t ,srnlleI in the world. | had not
a ousht il possible that in statues Oh sucn enV'-
Mona MAGNITUDE there could be sucn singular
A..utv Of expression. The face OF kemeses tns
ssu,e in each, is undoubtedly portrait, as ~ TO.
..n.be, the faces Of the statues in the nterer aud
,ho,. Of the King in other places. Besides, there
/, an individuality in some OF the features winch
too marked to represent any general type OF 'n'
Tsyptjap head. The fullness Of the drooPing eye
lid. which vet does not cover the large, so''"s
Es,,,,.n eve the noee, at FIRST slightly inclinlng
=, ,hs .ou;Iipe. but carving TO the round, broad
-.,x;,.. the generous breadth Of the calm lips,
and the placid, serene expression OF the lace are
worthy Of the conqueTor Of Africa and tho builder
Of Ksrnak and Medeenet Abou.
The statue next the door. the southern SIDE,
has been shiyered to the throne on which IT IS
seated, and the fragments arc not to be seen, sx-
cent few which lie upon the knees. The rIdics-
Ions vanity Of tourists has not even spared these
,...blime Monuments, and they are covered, wher-
ser band can reach, with the names oil noois
snd ienoble snobs. The enthusiastic antiquaIies
who cleared away the sands have recorded the
fact in modest inscriptions, near the door, where
they do not offend the eye; and one readily par
dons the liberty the writers have taken. But
there are two Germans, Whose names will not
mention, since it would help give them the very
noto,tty they covet,l who have carved their names
in letters foot long, on the thigh Of one oil The
statues, and afterwards filled them with black
psint. | should like To see them subjected TO
uerciless bastinado, on the same part Of their own
h.d;es Certainly to have OF the statues seated
on their breasts ss nightmare every night Of their
ives, would not be too much punishment for such
desecrution.
The great doorway Of the temple is 20 choksd
ND with sand that | was obliged to creep IN on my
knees. The sun by this time had risen exactly TO
the only point where it can illunDe the interior,
and the rays, taking a more yellow hue from the
rock and sand on which they fell, shone down the
long drift between the double row of colossal stat
ues and lighted up the entrance to the second nall
of the temple. sat down in the sand, awed and
half frightened by the singular appearance OF the
place. The sunshine, falling Cbliqury on the
sands struck dim reflection against the scup-
tured roof and even GIFTED up the fartbest re-
cesses of the grand hall sufficiently to show its
imposing dimensions. Eight square pillars-four
on either side of the central aisle-seem to uphold
the roof and on their inner Sides facing each other,
are eight statues Of the King. The features OF all
are preserved, and have something of the grace
and serenity, though not the majesty of the great
statues outside. They look into each others eyes,
with an eternal question on their fixed counte-
nances, but none give answer. There was
something SO stern and strange in these eight
faces that felt shudder OF fear creep over me.
The strong arms are ali crossed on their breasts and
the hands hold various sacred and regal symbols,
conspicuous among which is something resem-
bling a fail, which sees often in Egyptian
scripture. Thought of a marvellous story once
read, in which genie, armed with brazen fail,
stands at the entrance Of an enchanted castle,
crushing with the stroke of his terrible weapon all
who come TO SEEK the treasure within. For mo-
ment the CHILDISH faith in the supernatural was
strong as ever, and looked at the gloomy en-
trance beyond. wishing to enter, but fearing the
stony fails of the terrible Remesi on either hand.
The faces were once paI TALLY colored, and the
black eyeball, still remaining on the blank eye OF
stone, gives them an expression of stupor ofdcath-
in-liic, which accounted TO me for the nervous
shock experienced on entering.
There is nothing IN Egypt which can be hkened
to the great temple OF AbOu- Slmbel. karnak is
sranoer, but its grandeur is human. This belongs
rather to the superhuman fancies of the East
the halls of the Arites-er to the realm Of the de-
throneo Tltans, of early Greek mythology. THIS
impression is not diminished, on passing the second
hall and corridor, and entering the adytum, sa-
cred Cd amber of the temple. There the granite
altar J ct stands in the centre, before the unde
stroyed figures of the geds, who, seated side by
side, calmly await the offerings Of their worship
er. The peculiar individuality Of each deity is
strikingl, shown in these Large statues, and their
stttuoc is much less constrained than in the sit
ting statutes in the tombs Of I'hebcs. These look
as il they could rise, if they would. The walls
covered with sculptures Of them and Of the contem-
plar deiies in the grand bold sty lie of the age of
Reneses. Some visitors had left a supply of dry
palm trenches near the entrsnce and of these
made torches, which bazed and cracked fercely,
nsrirg with rich red light on the scuipturcd and
painted walls There was sufficient TO enable the
to examine all the smaller chambers, of which
there ure eight nine cut aterally into the rock
without any attempt at symmetry Of form reg.
nlarty of arrangement Several Of them have
seats running around three sides, exactly like the
dNsns in modern Egyptian houses. They were
probably designed for the apartments Of the priests
or servants CONNIE cted with the temple.
= The sculptures on the walls Of the grand hall
are, after those Of Medeenet Abou, and on the OK.
terror wall of karnak, the most interesting have
seen in Egypt. On the end wall, either side of
the enhance, is colossal bas-reef representing
Remes,s staying group of captive kings, whom
he holds by the hair of their heads There are
ten or twelve in each group, and tho features,
though the, are not coored, exhibit the same dis
tinetion of as had previously remarked in
Beizom's tomb, at Thebes. There is the Negro,
the Persian, the Jew, and one other form Of coun-