so "a
bloom of youth and of the earth's morning" about them which is quite
indescribable, and which doubtless came to them because of the power
and reality of faith. They were the fresh natural originals in which a
deep primitive spontaneous adoration that dominated the whole nature
of man expressed itself; while the specimens that were executed
afterwards were slavish imitations, expressing a worship and a creed
which had become fixed and formal.

One of the most valuable results of the expedition of the great
Napoleon to Egypt, ostensibly for scientific and antiquarian purposes,
but really for military glory, was the acquisition of the Rosetta
stone now in the British Museum--which afforded the key to the
decipherment of the Egyptian hieroglyphics--and of the obelisk of
Luxor which now adorns the noble Place de la Concord in Paris. The
history of the engineering difficulties overcome in bringing this
obelisk to France is extremely interesting. Indeed, the story of the
transportation of the obelisks from their native home, from time to
time, to other lands, is no less romantic and worthy of study than the
artistic, religious, or antiquarian phases of the subject. It forms a
special literature of its own to which Commander Gorringe of the
United States Navy, in his elaborate and magnificent work on Egyptian
obelisks, has done the amplest justice. It cost upwards of L100,000 to
bring the Luxor Obelisk to Paris, owing to the inexperience of the
engineers and the imperfection of their method. But it was worthy of
this vast expenditure of toil and money; for standing in an open
circus unimpeded by narrow streets, and unspoiled by the tawdry
ornaments which disfigure the Roman obelisks, it adds to the
magnificent modern city the charm of antique majesty. It stands
seventy-six feet and a half in height, with its apex left rough and
unfinished, destitute of the gilded cap which formerly completed and
protected it. Each of its four sides contains three vertical lines of
well-executed hieroglyphics, which show that it was raised in honour
of Rameses II., to adorn the stupendous temple of Luxor at Thebes
which he constructed. When it lay on its original site, previous to
its being transported, it was found to have been cracked at the time
of its first erection, and repaired by means of two dove-tailed wedges
of wood which had perished long ago. But this defect is not now
noticeable. The companion of this obelisk is still standin