ous answers of the oracles, he conducted a large
army into the field against Cyrus, the future conqueror of Babylon, but
was defeated, and obliged to return to his capital, where he shut
himself up. Hither he was soon followed and besieged by Cyrus, with a
far inferior force; but, at the expiration of fourteen days, the
citadel, which had been deemed impregnable, was taken by a stratagem,
and Croesus was condemned to the flames. When the sentence was about to
be executed, he was heard to invoke the name of Solon, and the curiosity
of Cyrus being excited, he asked the cause; and, having heard his
narrative, ordered him to be set free, and subsequently received him
into his confidence.

[Illustration: SARDIS.]

Under the Romans, Sardis declined in importance, and, being destroyed by
an earthquake, for some time lay desolate, until it was rebuilt by the
Roman Emperor Tiberius.

The situation of Sardis is very beautiful, but the country over which it
looks is almost deserted, and the valley is become a swamp. The hill of
the citadel, when seen from the opposite bank of the Hermus, appears of
a triangular form; and at the back of it rise ridge after ridge of
mountains, the highest covered with snow, and many of them bearing
evident marks of having been jagged and distorted by earthquakes. The
citadel is exceedingly difficult of ascent; but the magnificent view
which it commands of the plain of the Hermus, and other objects of
interest, amply repays the risk and fatigue. The village, small as it
is, boasts of containing one of the most remarkable remains of
antiquity in Asia; namely, the vast Ionic temple of the heathen goddess
Cybele, or the earth, on the banks of the Pactolus. In 1750, six columns
of this temple were standing, but four of them have since been thrown
down by the Turks, for the sake of the gold which they expected to find
in the joints.

Two or three mills and a few mud huts, inhabited by Turkish herdsmen,
contain all the present population of Sardis.

* * * * *

MARTELLO TOWERS.

[Illustration: Letter A.]

At a time when there appeared to be good reason for believing that the
invasion of England was contemplated, the Government turned their
attention to the defence of such portions of the coast as seemed to
present the greatest facility for the landing of a hostile force. As the
Kentish coast, from East Were Bay to Dymchurch, seemed more especially
exposed, a