Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-04-07
A VISIT TO THE PARTHENoN.

From the Travels in Europe and the East,
by SAMUEL IRESAEus PRIMr, just published
by the HARPERs, we extract the following pas
sages describing his visit to the Parthenon:
All impatient 10 see the antiquities Of Ath-
ems, and with guide and Interpreter, we left
the house Of DIR. King. The narrow streets,
winding and irregular, we could not have
threaded alone. But we were led along to the
Lantern Of Demosthenes, small round stone
building, with eight columns and Corinlhan
capitals supporting cupola, curious monu-
ment Of the ancients, whose design is lost in
obscurity. Near il is the house in in which
Byron lived, when he, strange exile from
home and from God, was leading his yagabond
life in these classic lands. We we're seeking
the Acropolis. II can be seen from any part
Of the town. A circular path around the base,
and by the temple of Bacchus. an indistingush-
able ruin, leads to the remains of the theatre,
which must have covered an immense extent
of ground, as the massive walls and broken
columns plainly attest. We come TO rough
wooden gate, which porter opens, and we
show him permit from the government which
DIR. King had given us to secure admission -
For in this day Of devotion 10 the ''almiphiy
dollar" even the Parthenon is to be seen for
piece OF silver. The Acropois was the cen
tire Of ancient Athens. A rocky hill, one hun
dred and fifty feet high, and four or five hun
dred feet across, rising almost pcrpendicularly,
1t doubtless indicated the site for the city, Of
which it was at once the ornament and defence.
Other cities Of Greece are built around similar
heights, and the Acropolis of Corinth is visi-
BILE sometimes from that of Athens.
We are now ascending within the nclosure;
collection Of statues, broken marbles, and in
teresting remains Of ancient ART is shown at the
door. But we are in too great haste to pause
over these, however they might instruct and
please us at another time. We pass the tenn
pie of Victory, standing on the spot whence ii
is said that Hgeus threw himself of aud per-
ished, when his son was coming into port and
forgot to hoist the signal he had promised as
sign Of his success. 1t is beautiful building.
and Of comparatively recent discovery.
And now we are in front of the Propyle, or
"the entrance - magnificent columns that might
have formed the gateway to the palace of all
the earth A wide marble stairway leads up
to and through these columns steps which
have been but lately uncovered from the rub
bsh Of centuries steps up which the men of
Athens trod long before the days of Christ and
Paul. II requires no Imagination to inspire
thoughtful man with strong emotions when he
puts his feet where he knows that Plato and
Socrates, Pericles and Demosthenes, have often
walked; where the marble is worn away by
the sandals Of great men whose names he has
associated from boyhood with philosophy, po-
etry, and eloquence.
We are looking on the Farihenon "The
most splendid temple on the most splendid site
for temple in the whole World" is the build
ing now before us. In its effect upon art in
past and future ages, as the model Of the beau
uiul and sublime in architecture, this pile is
indeed the most important of any that was ey-
er reared. "Parthenon" is ''ths Virgins
Chamber, and was so called because il was the
temple of Minerva, and contained her shrine.
the great work of Phidias. Ii is in the purest
style of Doric architecture, with eight columns
IN front and rear, and sixteen on each side
built OF Pentelic marble, two hundred and TWEEN
~ seven feet long, one hundred feet broad, and
sixty-hve feet high. One long, central build
ing is surrounded by a peristyle of forty-six |