The valley of the Nile; its tombs, temples, and monuments

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1867 Excerpt: ...and object of their glorious toils, and the complete conquest of Egypt, were achieved and finally secured by taking possession of the ruins of its ancient metropolis. Here, in the depth of the stillness, lie the shattered memorials of an extinct civilization. Here was enthroned the Power of Intellect when the rest of the world was buried in darkness and shadow. Here, where the beetle crawls in the sunshine, and the bat flits to and fro in the twilight, a mighty Monarchy once displayed its grandeur, and a mysterious Faith erected its solemn shrines! Who, then, can gaze upon the wondrous scene without acknowledging its sublime influence--without reverencing the genius loci 1 Karnak is regarded as the principal site of Diospolis--that portion of the ancient capital which remained tolerably entire in the days of Strabo. Its temple, built by kings of the 18th dynasty, is pronounced without a parallel in the whole world; and such is its magnitude, such the beauty and harmony of its various details, that even the sensuous art of Greece could not create its equal. It has twelve principal entrances, each composed of several huge propyla and colossal gateways, besides other buildings attached to them, which in themselves exceed the dimensions of ordinary temples. Their sides, in many instances, are equal to the bases of the greater number of the pyramids in Middle Egypt, and are built in the so-called Rustic style, each layer of stone projecting a little beyond that which is above it. One of the propyla consists wholly of granite, and is literally covered with exquisite hieroglyphics. On each side of many of them were formerly planted colossal statues of granite and basalt, from 20 to 30 feet in height, either sitting or standing erect. Of equal magnificence were the...