he
gazes upon it, can scarcely resist letting fancy restore the scene as it
was before the hand of ruin had swept over it. In imagination he beholds
it perfect in its amplitude and rich decoration, and occupied by the
strange people whose portraits and figures may perhaps adorn its walls.

Illustration of Ruined Temple of the Three Tablets.-----

We must now describe the more important of the remaining structures of
Palenque. Glancing at the plan for a moment, we see to the south-west
of the palace a ruin marked 2. This is the site of a pyramidal structure
known as the "Temple of the Three Tablets," or "Temple of Inscriptions."
The pyramid is not as large in area as the palace, though of a greater
height. It measures in height one hundred and ten feet on the slope, but
we are not given the other dimensions. All the sides, which were very
steep, seem to have had steps. Trees have grown up all over the pyramid
and on the top of the building. This illustration, taken from Mr.
Stephens's work, can not fail to impress on us the luxuriant growth
of tropical vegetation, and we can also see how such a growth must
accelerate the ruin. The stone steps leading up the sides of the pyramid
have been thrown down, and such must be in time the fate of the building
itself. The building on the summit platform does not cover all the
area. It is seventy-six feet front by twenty-five feet deep and about
thirty-five feet high.

This small cut is a representation of the same building on a small
scale, but cleared of trees and vines. The roof is seen to consist of
two parts, sloping at different angles. The lower part was covered with
stucco ornaments, which, though too much injured to be drawn, gave the
impression that, when perfect and painted, they must have been rich
and imposing. The upper slope is of solid masonry. "Along the top was a
range of pillars, eighteen inches high and twelve apart, made of small
pieces of stone laid in mortar and covered with stucco, having somewhat
the appearance of a low, open balustrade."

Illustration of Elevation Temple of the Three Tablets.-------

In this wood-cut the front wall, as in the palace, presents more the
appearance of a row of piers than any thing else. Each of the corner
piers contains on its surface hieroglyphics, each of which contains
ninety-six squares. The other piers have ornaments of stucco similar to
those we have already examined on the palace. In the building itself we
h