de separately or even by different sculptors,
and then joined together. All this is because the Egyptians seemed to
think of an object in parts and not as a whole. Then, too, the position
of the early statues was so unnatural and awkward. The arms were placed
close to the sides of the body, and there was no separation between the
legs; and though in some of their articles of furniture, their pottery,
and in the details of their architecture, the Egyptians made a great
advance, they did not equally improve in their sculpture.

One great hindrance to the progress of Egyptian sculpture was the fact
that figures were never represented in action. They were not figures
moving and living in stone; they were like figures petrified and fixed:
they were _statues_, and no one can forget this for a moment while
looking at them. I can learn of but one Egyptian figure sculptured as if
in action; this is a quoit-thrower in the Tombs of the Kings. A sitting
statue, whether of a man or a woman, had the hands rested on the knees
or held across the breast (Fig. 1).

[Illustration: FIG. 1.--STATUE OF CEPHREN IN THE MUSEUM AT CAIRO.]

There were very few groups in Egyptian sculpture, and these seldom had
more than two figures. It was customary to represent a husband and wife
sitting on the same chair holding each other's hands, or having their
arms around one another's waists or shoulders. Sometimes the principal
figure is of large size, and the inferior persons are made much smaller
and placed at the sides of the larger figure. In short, very few
attitudes are represented in Egyptian sculpture, and it almost seems as
if there must have been fixed rules for a certain limited number of
positions after which all sculptured figures were made.

In spite of this sameness and stiffness, Egyptian sculpture is
remarkable, and it is probable that if they had not been fettered by
prejudices and rules the Egyptians would have excelled both in sculpture
and painting.

The sides of obelisks and, more especially, the walls of temples were
covered with sculptures which gave the history of kings--of their wars
and conquests, and of their great works in their kingdoms. The
sculptures upon the temple walls could be estimated by square rods, or
even acres, better than by lesser measures. Their amount and the labor
it required to make them are simply marvellous.

I will describe the subjects depicted upon one inner wall in the
palace-temple of Medemet Ha