New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-09-25

that they resemble enormous natural boulders
Ion bv the deIuge, till at last you look up to the
six glorious pillars, towering nigh hundrtd feet
above your head, and there is a sensation in your
brain which would be shout il you could give it
u,terancs, of faultless symmetry and majesty,
,uch az no conception of yours and no other crca-
tion Of art can surpass.
know Of nothing so beautiful in all remains
of ancient Art as these six columns, except the
colonnade of the Memnonium, at Thebes, which
is Of much smaller proportions. From every
position, and with all lights of the day or night,
they are equally perfect, and carry your eye con-
tinually away from the peristyle Of the smaller
temple, which is better preserved, and from the
exquisite architecture OF the outer courts and
pavlons. The two temples OF Baalbec stand
On an artificial platform of masonry, 1000 feet
in length, and from 10 to 30 feet according to
the depre sson of the soil) in hight. The larger
one, which is supposed to have been Pantheon,
occupies the whole length Of this platform. Tho
entrance was at the north, by grand fight of
steps. now broken away, between two lofty and
elegant pavilions which are still nearly entire.
Then followed a spacious hexagonh cosrt, and
three grand balls parts of which, with inches for
statues, adorned with cornices and pediments OF
elaborate design, still remain entire to the roof.
This magnificent series Of chambers was teimin-
ated at the southern extremity Of the pla tfom
by the main temple, which had originally twenty
columns on a side, similar to the six now stand
ing.
The Temple of the Sun stands on smaller and
lower platform, which appears to have been subse-
quenty added to the greater one. The celia, or
body of the temple, is complete except the roof,
and of the coonsde surrounding it, nearly one half
of its pillars are still standing, upholding tho
frieze, entablature and cornice, which altogether
form probably the richest specimen of the CORN
THAN order OF architecture nov extant. Only
four pillars of the superb portico remain, and the
Sa,acens have nearly ruined these by building
sort Of watch-tower upon the archltrave. The
same interruptions race completely shut up
the portal Of the temple with a blank wall,
formed Of the fragments they had hurled down,
and one is obliged to creep through narrow hole
in order to reach the interior. Here the Original
doorway faces you-and | know not how to de-
scribe the wonderful design of its elaborate sculp-
tured holdings and cornices. The genius OF
Greek art seems to have exhausted itself ia in
venting ornaments, which, while they should
hisbten the gorgeous effect Of the work, must yet
barmonize with the grand design Of TIE temple.
The enormous keystone over the entrance has
sioped down. no doubt from the shock of an
earthquake, AMI hangs within six inches Of the
bottom of the two tlocks which uphold it on
either side. When it falls, the whole entablature
of the portal will be destroyed. On its low side
is an agile vita outspread WINGS and on the side
stones genius with garlands Of flowers exqu-
stey sculptured in bas relief. Hidden among the
w,eatbs of vines which adorn the jambs are the
auehipg heads of fauns. This portal was con-
tipual study to me. every visit revealing ne re-
6neme nts of ornament, which had not before
observed The interior Of the temple, with it's
rich Corintbian pilasters its inches for statues,
surmounted by pedments Of elegant design, aad
its elaborate cornice needs little aid Of the inns
oination to restore it to its original perfection.
| Like that Of Dendera, in Egypt, the Temple of
| the Sun leaves upon the mind an impression Of
| complete ness which makes you forget far grander
remains.
Rut the most wonderful thing at Baabec is the
foundation platform upon which the temples stand.
Even the colossal fabrics of Ancient Egypt OWN
die before this superhuman masonry Inc pat
fo,m itself | 900 feet long, and averaging ~ ieet
in hight. suggests vast mass OF stones, but wheh
,on come to examine the single blocks OF which
| y ;s COMPOSED, you crushed with their III
,,sdbIe bulk. On the western side is roSo
.over foundation stones each Of which is - 10 t
:, ,ers,b 10 in hight and 10 thickness forming a
nall 35o feet long! But while you ale walking
on thinking of the art which cut AMI raised these
onornous blocks, you turn the southern corner
and come upon three stones, the united length OF
| L.oh :. lS7 feet-two Of them being 90 feet, and
,ho cher 63 in length There they are, cut with
! f,,,t,ess exactness and so smoothly joined To
each other, that you cannot iorce camorc
eodle into the crevce. There is one JOINT 50 per-
&C.. ,bot II can ONLY be dscened by the mnutest
.ao,ch . !, is not even so perceptole as the juno
| ,;on Of two pieces uf paper which have been
,.s,sd together. In the quarry there still lies a
Gn;sbed block, ready for transportation, which Ii
q fret in length. The weight OF one oil these
roosses has been reckoned at near 9,OO0 tuns, vel
thev do not form the base Of the foundation, eu'
,s..d upon other courses, fifteen feet iron
chs Ground. Il is considered by some antiquarlan'
that they are of date greatly anterior 10 That
the temples, and were intended as the base men'
of different edihce.
In the village of Baalbsc there is snr'll circu
ia, Corinthan tempt, Il very elegant design. II
i not more than 80 feet in diameter and may hav,
hen Intended as tomb. A spacious IN mosque
now rooaess and deserted, was constructed almost
entirely out Of the remains OF the temples Adjoin
ing the court, ard and fountain there are FIVE rows
ofaacent pillars 40 1.-THE sacred numberl in ALL su p
porting light saractnic arches. Some of then
o.. marble, with Cornthian capitals, and Is are
SINGLE shaft, If red Egyptia granite. Beside the
fountain lie suall broken pillar of porphyry, o
IL r;ole, hue and OF so fns a grain that tbs