e life of the defunct. These are all beautifully executed, some of
the figures of animals in particular, being easily recognisable and very
accurate. The general design, as far as the ruined state of the upper
part will permit of its being seen, is very good, effect being given
by an immense number and variety of projecting or retreating courses
of squared stones in place of mouldings. The size of this structure
is about thirty feet square by twenty high, and as the traveller comes
suddenly upon it on a small elevation by the roadside, overshadowed by
gigantic trees, overrun with plants and creepers, and closely backed by
the gloomy forest, he is struck by the solemnity and picturesque beauty
of the scene, and is led to ponder on the strange law of progress, which
looks so like retrogression, and which in so many distant parts of the
world has exterminated or driven out a highly artistic and constructive
race, to make room for one which, as far as we can judge, is very far
its inferior.

Few Englishmen are aware of the number and beauty of the architectural
remains in Java. They have never been popularly illustrated or
described, and it will therefore take most persons by surprise to learn
that they far surpass those of Central America, perhaps even those of
India. To give some idea of these ruins, and perchance to excite
wealthy amateurs to explore them thoroughly and obtain by photography an
accurate record of their beautiful sculptures before it is too late, I
will enumerate the most important, as briefly described in Sir Stamford
Raffles' "History of Java."

BRAMBANAM.--Near the centre of Java, between the native capitals of
Djoko-kerta and Surakerta, is the village of Brambanam, near which are
abundance of ruins, the most important being the temples of Loro-Jongran
and Chandi Sewa. At Loro-Jongran there were twenty separate buildings,
six large and fourteen small temples. They are now a mass of ruins, but
the largest temples are supposed to have been ninety feet high. They
were all constructed of solid stone, everywhere decorated with carvings
and bas-reliefs, and adorned with numbers of statues, many of which
still remain entire. At Chandi Sewa, or the "Thousand Temples," are many
fine colossal figures. Captain Baker, who surveyed these ruins, said he
had never in his life seen "such stupendous and finished specimens of
human labour, and of the science and taste of ages long since forgot,
crowded together in so s