me, lord," answered Sem. "Look at snails, each one of them
has a different shell: one is winding, but blunt; another is winding,
but pointed; a third is like a box. In the same way precisely each'
people build edifices according to their blood and disposition. Be
pleased also to remember that Egyptian edifices differ as much from
those of Assyria as the Egyptian people differ from Assyrians. Among us
the fundamental form of every building is a pointless pyramid, the most
enduring form, as Egypt is the most enduring among kingdoms. With
Assyrians the fundamental form is a cube, which is injured easily and
is subject to destruction.

"The proud and frivolous Assyrian puts his cubes one upon another, and
rears a many-storied structure under which foundations yield. The
obedient and prudent Egyptian puts his truncated pyramids one behind
the other. In that way nothing hangs in the air, but every part of the
structure is resting on the ground. From this it comes that our
buildings are broad and endure forever, while those of the Assyrians
are tall and weak, like their state, which at first rises quickly, but
in a couple of generations there is nothing left of it but ruins.

"The Assyrian is a noisy self-praiser, so in his buildings everything
is put on the outside: columns, sculpture, pictures. While the modest
Egyptian hides the most beautiful columns and carving inside the
temples like a sage who conceals in his heart lofty thoughts, desires,
and feelings he does not ornament his shoulders and breast with them.
Among us everything beautiful is hidden; among them, everything is made
to show. The Assyrian, if he could, would cut open his stomach to
exhibit to the world what peculiar foods he is digesting."

"Speak speak on!" said Ramses.

"Not much remains for me to say," continued Sem. "I only wish, lord, to
turn thy attention to the general form of our edifices, and those of
the Assyrians. When I was in Nineveh a few years ago, I observed the
Assyrian buildings towering above the earth haughtily; it seemed to me
that they were raging horses which had broken from the bit and reared
on their haunches, but would soon fall and perhaps break their legs in
addition.

"Now try, holiness, to look from a lofty point on some Egyptian temple.
What does it recall to thee? This a man prostrate on the earth and
praying. The two pylons are his arms. The hall 'of columns,' or 'the
heavenly chamber,' is his head, the chamber of 'divin