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infer that that splendid capital was enriched with the spoils of Thebes, in the reign of Cambyses, and that the monarch accompanied the spoil with Egyptian workmen.'* We should amazingly like to discover a pyramid or two in Persia.

Modern discoveries make strange havoc with imagined facts and poetical fancies and phrases. The reader will doubtless be startled, and feel that violence is done to all his classic recollections, when he is told that the Egyptian sphinx is a male. The red colour, does not, indeed, sufficiently characterize the sex; but, remarks our Author, the beard found between its paws, leaves little doubt on that point.'

The lower part of this venerable piece of antiquity, which had for ages lain buried under a load of sand, had been, a few months before, uncovered by the exertions of Captain Caviglia, with the assistance of two other gentlemen. At the time, however, that we visited it, the Arabs and the wind had replaced the greater part of this covering, and : the lower extremities of the Sphinx were equally invisible as before his operations. The breast, shoulders, neck, and head, which are those of a human being, remain uncovered, as also the back, which is that of a lion; the neck is very much eroded, and, to a person near, the head seems as if it were too heavy for its support. The head-dress has the appearance of an old-fashioned wig, or periwig, projecting out about the ears, like the hair of the Berberi Arabs: the ears project considerably, the nose is broken. The whole face has been painted red, which is the colour assigned to the ancient inhabitants of Egypt, and to all the deities of the country, except Osiris. The features are Nubian, or what, from ancient representations, may be called Egyptian, which is quite different from the negro feature. The expression is particularly placid and benign; so much so, that the worshipper of the Sphinx might hold up his god as superior to all the other gods of wood or stone which the blinded nations worshipped. The whole of it is cut out of the rock, which is calcareous, casily sectile, and abounding in small bivalve shells, and probably the large excavations in front, and on each side of it, furnished part of the stones for the building of the pyramids. There was no opening found in the body of the Sphinx, whereby to ascertain whether it is hollow or not. The back is about 120 feet long; the elevation of the head from 30 to 35 feet above the sand; the paws were said to stretch out on the platform in front of it, to the distance of 50 feet. Between the paws were found the remains of a trilithic temple, adorned with hieroglyphics. In front of the temple was a granite altar, with four horns, one of which remained, and the marks of fire, from the burning of incense, were visible upon it. Several Greek inscriptions were found on the paws of the Sphinx, but none of them older than the second century. Vol. I. pp. 153, 4,

Eclectic Review, N. S. Vol. xvi. Art. Porter's Travels, pp. 316-18.

Here, in the style of sculpture, an art so wholly distinct from that of masonry, in the physiognomy, and in the hieroglyphics, we recognise again the native Egyptian character, and feel it more than ever difficult to refer to the same people the pyramids and the Sphinx. The most important fact established by the uncovering of the abou el hôl, or father of terrors, as the Arabs call the Sphinx, is, that writing in the hieroglyphic or sacred character of the Egyptians, was used in the second century.

Before leaving Cairo for Upper Egypt, Dr. Richardson had the melancholy satisfaction of rendering his utmost professional aid to poor Burckhardt, in his last illness, attending him till his death. We have a very minute and accurate account, in these volumes, of the temples and excavations already familiarized to the public by the labours of Belzoni, whose merits as an antiquary and correct writer, are not, however, quite equal to his claims as an operator. Dr. Richardson's remarks will be read with much interest. The Temple of Dandera (Tentyra), he is of opinion, was built in the time of the Greek sovereigns of Egypt, and repaired in the time of the Romans.' The supposed zodiac is minutely described, and the absurdity of the hypothesis ably exposed, on which modern infidelity has attempted to construct an objection against the Scripture chronology. The result is, that the whole assemblage of devices is a mythological exhibition of the most interesting objects in ⚫ the Egyptian theology, without having any reference to astronomy whatever.' The same remark applies with equal force to the zodiacs at Esneh and at Dair.

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Dr. Richardson's explanation of the procession which forms so striking an object among the wonders of Biban el Melook, differs from that given by Mr. Belzoni and his learned expositor. Instead of four groupes of captives, consisting of Persians, Ethiopians, Jews, and Egyptians, Dr. R. considers the very prominent personages alluded to, as four orders of Theban priests, joined in procession according to their precedency of rank. His reasoning is rather more ingenious than satisfactory; but they certainly look more like priests or nobles than dejected captives. The disgusting representation of the three headless men, and the erect serpent, our Author regards as meant, undoubtedly, for a human sacrifice to the serpent-god, affording a decisive proof of the prevalence of ophilatria, or serpent worship in Egypt. The narrow passage which goes off from under the sarcophagus, and which Mr. Belzoni pursued to the distance of 300 feet, Dr. R. is of opinion, from the quantity of bat's dung found in it, will prove to end in a common passage running completely through the mountain: it must at least communicate with the open air, as the bats could not have

entered from the tomb. The direction in which it runs, would seem to sanction the conjecture that it ends in a ruined temple. at Northern Dair, designed to conceal the entrance. Mr. Jowett subsequently visited these many-chambered tombs of the kings, if tombs they be, and his comment is striking.

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The scene brings many allusions of Scripture to the mind; such as Mark v. 2, 3, 5; but particularly Isaiah xxii. 16. "Thou hast "hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth a habitation for himself in a rock.” For many of the smaller sepulchres are excavated nearly half way up the mountain, which is very high. The kings have their magnificent abodes nearer the foot of the mountain; and seem, according to Isaiah xiv. 18, to have taken a pride in resting as magnificently in death as they had done in life- All the kings of the nations, even "all of them, lie in glory; every one in his own house." The stuccoed walls within are covered with hieroglyphics. They cannot be better described than in the words of Ezek. viii. 8, 10. " Then said he unto me, Son of Man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, go in; and be"hold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and "saw; and behold, every form of creeping things and abominable

beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed on the "wall round about." The Israelites were but copyists: the master sketches are to be seen in all the ancient temples and tombs of Egypt.' pp. 133, 4.

Assouan, the ancient Syene,* is the southern frontier town of ancient Egypt; the last, in this direction, in which the Arabic is spoken as the vernacular tongue. The river is here divided by the beautiful island of Elephantina, called the island of Assouan, the island of Arte, and el Sag: it is about 2000 feet long and 600 broad. On the Northern end are the ruins of Roman fortifications, and other memorials referrible to the same nation.

• Many broken pieces of red earthen ware, shreds of the potsherd, are found, which appear to have served as tickets to the soldiers, assigning them their portion of corn. The name of Antoninus was found on some of them. They are written in Greek, and in black; in a running-hand very similar to that which is used in a Greek letter at this day. They are in small pieces, about half the size of a man's hand; and each one appears complete, though it is difficult to decipher them. This seems to illustrate Ezek. iv. 1. Jowett, p. 140.

The island is entirely inhabited by Nubians, perfectly black,

Ezek xxix. 10. xxx. 6. "I will make the land of Egypt utterly "waste and desolate from Migdol to Syene, even to the border of Ethiopia." For so the passage should be rendered.

but differing essentially from the Negro, in the smallness of their lips, aquiline nose, and an expression of countenance sweet and animated, and bearing a strong resemblance to that which is generally found portrayed in the temples and tombs of the ancient Egyptians.' The inhabitants of Assouan are of the Arab race, but swarthy; partly,' says Dr. Richardson, from the climate, and partly from a mixture of • Nubian blood.' They are of a strong, healthy appearance, greatly superior to the Nubians.

'I saw here,' adds Dr. R., several families that seemed to belong to a third race, differing both in complexion and features from the inhabitants of Assouan and Nubia. Their hue was more of a bronze or reddish brown, resembling mahogany; approaching nearer both in feature and complexion to that which is called the head of the young Memnon, and to the figures in the lately discovered tomb in the valley of Biban el Melook, than any of the human race that ever fell under my observation. They are as different from the Copts in Egypt, both in hue and feature, as a Hindoo is from a Frenchman.'

The children of both sexes here, and in the other villages, run about completely naked. Between Ishkid and Absambul, the barren scenery is diversified with a prodigious number of pyramidal mounds, some of which are artificial and have doors on the side; some natural, though shaped in some measure by art; their forms are either quite conical or truncated. The 'stream of pyramids,' says Dr. R., like the stream of civilization, appears to have descended the Nile.' We cannot fol low Dr. Richardson minutely in his exploration of the Nubian temples. The Earl of Belmore has the honour of being the first English nobleman who ever ascended the Nile to the Second Cataract; but ancient Ethiopia lay far beyond, invested with all the mysterious interest of a geographical enigma. Nubia appears to be a term of doubtful application. The name now distinguishes a tract of country, on each side the Nile, about 400 miles in length, extending from Assouan to Saie. From Cairo, indeed, to the Second Cataract, the valley of the Nile forms one vast parallelogram of seven or eight hundred miles a side, bounded on each side by a low mountain range,' and enjoying the finest climate in the world. Nothing,' says Dr. R. can exceed the mornings and evenings in Nubia. The air is light, and clear, and cool. All of us had seen the skies of Italy and Greece; but for brightness, the nocturnal sky of Egypt and Nubia surpasses them all, as much as they do that of England.'

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A very minute description of Thebes, illustrated by an ichnographical plan, forms not the least valuable portion of Dr. Richardson's second volume; but on this seductive topic we must not trust ourselves to enter. They devoted nearly a

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month to exploring its magnificent ruins. The vocal Memnon still sits to watch the rising and the setting sun; and the report. of his musical powers is still preserved in the country; the Arabs call it Salamat, or the statue that bids good morning. But our Author listened for the magic voice in vain. The name of the hundred-gated city, he thinks, is to be discovered in that of the village of Medina Thabou; and Goshen, he is disposed to identify, on stronger grounds than a distant resemblance in the name, with Gheeza, the district containing Memphis.

Here we must take leave of this interesting and intelligent Traveller, whose volumes form, certainly, one of the most valuable additions that have recently been made to our topographical litetrature. They abound with illustrations both of sacred and profane history, and every where exhibit marks of an enlightened, reflective, and pious mind. Our extracts, will have shewn that Dr. Richardson is capable of writing in a very nervous and impressive style; yet, it is evident that authorship has not been his profession, and in the next edition, we should be glad to notice some corrections and a few retrenchments. While true simplicity of mind is displayed in the sentiments, the style is not always equally unaffected, but occasionally partakes too much of the florid. But how can this be objected to in an author fresh from the East? The palmary excellence of his work is, that we feel we can depend upon his statements; and this, even should it not immediately obtain the extensive circulation gained by the works of some fortunate predecessors, will ensure it a more permanent popularity.

Mr. Jowett's volume contains, in addition to the notices and remarks of which we have availed ourselves, much highly important information relative to the present state of the Greek, Coptic, and Abyssinian Churches; the Jews and Mahommedans; the Ethiopic, Amharic, and Tigré versions of the Scriptures; the most eligible stations for Missionary labourers, and the best means of extending the influence of Christianity in the regions bordering on the Mediterranean. The topics are too multifarious for us to attempt a regular analysis of the volume, and our limits will not admit of further extracts. We must content ourselves with strongly recommending it to all those readers who are interested in the moral aspect of the world and the brightest prospects of humanity. Two neat maps are given, of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean, and the countries bordering on the Red Sea.

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