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ron, and of the fatal rock, appeared to me less fabulous. It seemed to me, as a dream, that I was about to land on the dark abode of Tartarus, condemned, by a new destiny, to bear my funeral torch along with me. Happily, however, these gloomy illusions were of no long continuance, the strait was soon passed, and I was going to disembark in life and health upon the opposite shore.

As we continued, the vault, suspended over our heads, still shewed the same irregularities; at one time raising itself to a prodigious height; and at another, suddenly falling, as if to close up our way. All around me, I perceived a quantity of plants and small petrified animals; but the fear of using our lights made me lose the desire I should have had in any other circumstance, of leisurely considering them.

The appearance of another small lake, just before us, gave me hopes that we had come to the end of our journey; besides, I saw no boat wherein to cross it. It was a smaller lake than the former, and from one brink we could readily discover the other. My guide took me upon his shoulders, and carried me over without any accident.

A little further we perceived a small rivulet, whose current ran in the same direction which we were to follow. The path was damp, slippery and sometimes so narrow, that we scarcely had room to place one foot before the other. Notwithstanding these obstacles, I gladly pursued the course of the subterraneous stream. Every object which I could discern, in this region of darkness, appeared marvellous. My mind wandered in a maze of pleasing reveries, when, instantly, a harmonious murmur, as if from afar, resounded in my ear.

I stopped my guide to ask him from whence these sounds came, which had so agreeably roused my imagination. He replied, that I should soon be informed of it. At each alternate step this sound, which, at a distance, was confused and indistinct, became gentle and regular; and the noise it occasioned might be compared to drops of rain. It was a small cascade, whose waters, divided in their fall, fell in a thick foam, and whose sound, lengthened by the echoes under the silent vault, produced a delightful combination of modulated harmony. I already beheld these drops sparkle as diamonds by the light of our torches, but for fear of extinguishing them, I dared not approach too closely, lest we should

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be reduced to the necessity of seeking, perhaps in vain, our way through most profound darkness.

As we still advanced, I remarked large openings in the rock, which, doubtless, led to new caverns. For a moment I viewed them, regretting that I could not explore them. To create an agreeable surprise, my guide desired me to shut my eyes, and allow myself to be conducted by him. I gave him my light, and followed him, blind-folded, holding him by the skirt of his coat. He suddenly stopped me, and, on opening my eyes, I found myself in a stately temple, the nave of which, irregularly suspended on huge pillars, had all the imposing beauty of the finest works of nature. I could not forbear kneeling, in this subterraneous temple, to adore the Eternal Majesty, by whose almighty power it seemed to have been raised.

With regret I parted from this place, to continue our route, which I supposed could not be much longer. The faithful stream conducted us to the extremity of the cavern, where the rock completely closes. The vault unites with the water, and so tightly locks up the passage, that the most intrepid traveller cannot pass the boundary which nature has here opposed to his curiosity.

We had begun to retrace our former steps, and I imagined that we should have to return by the way we came; but I

soon

saw my guide turn to the left through one of the side-openings of the rock. I foresaw that I should experience much fatigue in this new march, and that it was requisite to creep, for a certain extent, under a rock which almost united with the ground. As my guide found me firm in the resolution to follow him, he warned me to take great care of my light.

For a considerable time, we were obliged to move on hands and feet, over a humid sand; and, at times, the passage was so very narrow that we could hardly force our bodies through. Rising, at length, from this painful attitude, I perceived a very steep hill, whose summit seemed, at last, as a cloud among the dark shelvings of rocks which surmount it. The side of this hill was so slippery by its humidity, that I was driven backwards at every step I made to ascend. My guide, more expert, took me by the hand, and by his assistance I gained the summit. I shuddered at the terrific appearance of the depths which surrounded me on all sides. He desired me to sit down,

and wait his return. He instantly disappeared, leaving me in this solitude, and, descending rapidly, was entirely lost to my view. On a sudden he re-appeared yet not he, but his light, which shone as a spark in a dark abyss.

..

Leaving me to enjoy, for a moment, this coup d'œil, my guide returned. I descended with him into that depth where he had so lately shrunk from my sight. He remounted the hill, and, through a fissure of the rock thrust his light, whilst I placed mine at a distance. The scene seemed me as a very dark night; I saw, as though it were a single star sparkle through a small aperture between two dark clouds.

This place affording no more objects of curiosity, we resumed our creeping jour ney, in order to gain the rivulet, and return by the way we had first come. I again beheld, with the same emotion, the grand temple heard, with the same delight, the harmonious murmur of the cascade; and was less terrified in repassing under the vault, which I had before supposed as my tomb. I fancied myself as Theseus returning victorious from his infernal expedition; and, what was my joy when, after restoring to the ancient Sybil the remnants of her lights, which she extinguished, I at length perceived the feeble light of day, which I blessed after so long an obscurity. we tell t

I joyfully advanced through an imposing mixture of light and shade, and, at each step saw the veil of darkness brighten. The approach to the mouth of the cavern, enlarging, represented Aurora opening the brilliant doors of the morning. I arrived upon the horizon, as in a new world, where the sun delayed on the borders of the west, surrounded by clouds of purple and gold, to contrast, by a pompous spectacle, the dismal scenes which still were present to my memory. 1970 to b

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came into sa plain, and passed the night in the cottage of a peasant. The next day was uncommonly fine, and we pursued our way in good spirits. The aspect of the country was more agreeable than on the preceding day, and the cottages were more numerously scattered....

"Soon after sunset, we came to Zibolané, a large village, finely situated, and surrounded with groves; and a river ran through the middle of it. The habitation of one of the villages was again our home: they spread their best mat on the floor, in the midst of which the fire burned bright and cheerfully, and prepared a good supper of fowls and eggs, followed by coffee and the chibouque; and we found the luxuries of Damascus had not spoiled our relish of this simple and friendly reception.

"Demetrie, the servant of Mr. G., was a bigoted Greek, and true to his country, though not a little of a rogue, and a great gourmand. Every evening he said his prayers to the Virgin, accompanied with crossings, which, after the Greek fashion, were drawn from his chin to his middle; and the constant subject of his prayers was, that the Virgin would give him plenty to eat and drink, and send him home safe to his family.

ruins

"On the third day we came to the of Balbec, which, being approached from Damascus, are not seen till you are almost close on them. The village adjoining is very mean, and contains a few hundred inhabitants: it has a mosque and minaret. This place was situated just between the limits of the rival pachas, and was under the jurisdiction of neither. We made our way to the wretched residence of a Greek priest, who looked the picture of squalid ness and poverty, and resides in this lonely spot, to minister to two or three score of Christians. He drew a key out of his pocket, and unlocked, with great care, a waste and dark apartment, a few yards from his own.

the ruins; and, after much altercation, and violent threats, on his side, the sum was reduced to twenty-seven piasters; on

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receiving which, he went troubled us no more.

away, and "The sun set on the vast temple, and the mountains around it, with indescribable grandeur: the chain of Anti-Libanus in front was covered with snow; and the plain, wild and beautiful, stretched at its feet farther than the eye could reach. The pigeons, of many-coloured plumage, flew in clusters around the ruined walls, at whose feet were a variety of trees and flowers, amidst which ran a clear and rapid stream. The outer wall, that encloses the great area of the building to the north, is immensely high, and about six hundred feet long; the western wall is lower, being more broken; and midway of its height are three enormous stones, about sixty feet long, and twelve wide. The temple itself is near one hundred and eighty feet in length, and half that in width, and is surrounded by a single row of pillars, fortyfour in number, nearly sixty feet high, and twenty-six feet in circumference; they are, as well as the temple, of a fine granite of a light red colour; their capitals are of the Corinthian order, of exquisite workmanship, and are very little defaced: indeed, the entireness and preservation of the decorations of this superb temple are surprising. The architrave and cornice are beautifully carved; three or four of these columns, separated from the roof, recline against the wall of the temple; and, on the south side, one noble pillar has sunk from its position into the clear and beautiful pool formed by the fountain beneath the temple, against the body of which, half its length and rich capital still support themselves.

"The magnificence of this corridor can scarcely be imagined. Its western aspect is towards the plain; and at your feet lie masses of broken pillars, capitals, and friezes, over which you must pass to approach the temple. From the north you look down on the vast area within the walls; the sides of which are lined with ruined chambers, elegantly carved and adorned, and numerous niches for statues, now, however, empty. The south hangs over the fountain and sheet of water below, in whose bosom it is clearly reflected. The interior of the building is above a hundred and twenty feet long, but is narrow in proportion to its length. In the sides of the walls is a double row of pilasters, and between these are numerous niches, where statues formerly stood. In many parts of the temple, around the place of entrance, and on the roof of the corridor, are sculptured, in an exquisite

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manner, figures of the heathen deities, of the eagle with outspread wings, &c. The roof of the interior is entirely gone.

"The hands of the natives have, no doubt, committed many ravages here. Faccardine, prince of the Druses, destroyed or injured several parts of these ruins; but when he afterwards visited Italy, and contracted a taste for its architecture, he bitterly lamented the sacrilege he had committed at Balbec. The Turks have, without doubt, used it as a fortification, as they have made additions to some parts of the walls, and left many vestiges of their barbarian architecture, blended with the colossal remains of the temple.

"About a hundred feet from this edifice is a row of Corinthian pillars, much loftier and more slender than those of the great corridor; they stand alone, on an elevated site, and their rich capitals and architrave are still entire. Six only now remain, and their appearance is peculiarly elegant. On them the setting sun lingers, the last of all the ruin; and their slender and dark red. shafts, beheld at some distance in the purple light, as they stand high and deep, have a solemn and shadowy appearance, as if they stood on the tomb of former greatness.

"On the south-east side, nearer to the village, is a small circular building of marble, richly ornamented with sculpture, and supported by pillars. It is in a rather ruinous condition, but appears quite unconnected with the mass of buildings adjoining. Its roof, in the form of a dome, though shattered, is still standing.

"About a mile down the plain is the quarry from which the enormous stones, used in the construction of Balbec, were hewn. One still remains, the chief part smoothed and prepared with great labour for building, but adhering by one of its sides to the native rock; it is of a coarse granite, and its dimensions are much superior to either of the three great stones in the middle of the wall. The labour of removing such enormous masses, and then of elevating them to so great a height, must have been immense; how the latter could have been achieved, is marvellous. A few of the smaller pillars appear to be of a solid piece of coarse marble; but the large columns are composed of three or four pieces of the native material.

"Covered galleries, several hundred feet in length, with walls of prodigious thickness, are hollowed beneath the temple. The interior of the temple was divided into three aisles; but most of the pillars which formed them are destroyed; at the upper

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end, a few steps lead to the altar, or sacred place; but the idol, formerly worshipped here, is gone from its place; which, however, is adorned with a variety of beautiful sculpture. Exposed as the roofless temple has been for so many ages to every storm, it is surprising the decorative parts of it have not suffered more; but the shafts of many of the pillars without, which face the north-east, have been rent and hollowed in some parts. "At Balbec, as at the other eastern ruins, a traveller must luxuriate on the pleasures of imagination, for he will get no luxury more substantial. The darkness and misery of the good father's habitation were extreme: his hair hung long and bushy, like that of a Santon; and his whole garb and person looked as if water had long been a stranger to them. He stood in extreme fear of the Turkish governor.

"Before sunrise in the morning we were at the ruin, and the spectacle soon was magnificent. As the purple light covered the snowy mountains in front, the line of vapour at their feet had so entirely the appearance of a river, that we could not, for some time, persuade ourselves it was not so. The description in Lallah Rook, of the plain and its ruins, is exquisitely faithful; the minaret is on the declivity near at hand, and there wanted only the muezzin's cry to break the silence. The golden light now rested on the six lone and beautiful pillars, and gradually sank on the temple, and the various portals and broken masses that crowded the area around it."Carne's Letters from the East, vol. ii. p. 99.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE DARK AGES. NO. I.

MR. EDITOR,-Sir, Poets treat of the golden age, the iron age, &c. but, as men say, I am no poet, be it mine to treat of the age of stone.

We behold numbers of ancient and stately structures, and a great number of imposing ruins, venerable from their antiquity, built of solid masonry, in almost every part of Europe, all of which indicate that at a period antecedent to our own, architecture was cultivated up to a state of great perfection, viz. during the ages in which these edifices were brought into being. But, when we look into history, we find, to our surprisc, that these edifices owe their origin to what history calls the dark ages. It appears from these premises, that architecture flourished when the other arts and the sciences were at the lowest ebb in Europe. Some years ago, I became a member of a literary and philosophical

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King Square, Dec. 1, 1828.

I know of no age in the annals of man, which may with greater propriety be denominated the age of stone, literally as well as symbolically, than the middle or dark age. During this period, the feudal system of government, and the superstitious rites of Rome, covered Europe. It was a long and dreary age, wherein the tyrants of both muscle and mind bore unlimited sway; and woe unto that man who dared to oppose either of those ruthless tyrants. It was the age of dungeons; when imprisonments, racks, and tortures, hung upon the lips of lords, and priests as lordly; wherein miseries and deaths held carnival, and ricted on the human race. All that knighterrantry fought to rescue, that novels dwelt upon with horror, or that romances poured forth to after-ages, in volume after volume, had its hydra reality in this awful age. Man was armed against his fellow, and the law of the largest sword ruled in havock; while superstition, dismal as Hades, prostrated mind, and held, in inquisition's dungeons, sway over the very perceptions of man. Not a word could be uttered, not an action could be done, nor could a thought arise, which was not subdued to these, but the arm of vengeance reared its imposing sword, and the stroke, even unto death, was simultaneous with the tyrant word which pronounced the doom. It was an age wherein innocence was a captive, wherein righteousness was a crime, wherein truth was forlorn upon earth; and wherein the wilderness, the rocks, and the deserts alone, contained real devotion to Him, who created, and who sustains all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The mode of warfare in use, and the prevalence of war during the feudal system, were causes which called forth multitudes of strong buildings, composed of solid ashlar, erected in a peculiar manner, to subserve the purposes of chiefs and warriors. The chiefs under this system were numerous, contiguous each to each, and each existed in defiance of the rest. Hence the