the ruins of
the ancient city, not a village nor a hut is to be seen. The corn,
which still partly covered the fields, looked stunted and poor; the
beds of the streams were dry, and the grass was burnt up. The
majestic ruins, which become visible directly the brow of the last
hill is gained, atone in a measure for these drawbacks; but we were
not satisfied, for we had expected to see much more than met our
gaze.

We wended our way along stony paths, past several quarries, towards
the ruins. On reaching these quarries we dismounted, to obtain a
closer view of them. In the right hand one lies a colossal block of
stone, cut and shaped on all sides; it is sixty feet in length,
eighteen in breadth, and thirteen in diameter. This giant block was
probably intended to form part of the Cyclops wall surrounding the
Temple of the Sun, for we afterwards noticed several stones of equal
length and breadth among the ruins. Another to the left side of the
road was remarkable for several grottoes and fragments of rock
picturesquely grouped.

We had sent our horses on to the convent, and now hastened towards
the ruined temples. At the foot of a little acclivity a wall rose
lofty and majestic; it was constructed of colossal blocks of rock,
which seemed to rest firmly upon each other by their own weight,
without requiring the aid of mortar. Three of these stones were
exactly the size of one we had seen in the quarry. Many appeared to
be sixty feet in length, and broad and thick in proportion. This is
the Cyclops wall surrounding the hill on which the temples stand. A
difficult path, over piled-up fragments of marble and pieces of rock
and rubbish, serves as a natural rampart against the intrusion of
camels and horses; and this circumstance alone has prevented these
sanctuaries of the heathen deities from being converted into dirty
stables.

When we had once passed this obstruction, delight and wonder
arrested our footsteps. For some moments our glances wandered
irresolutely from point to point; we could fix our attention on
nothing, so great was the number of beauties surrounding us:
splendid architecture--arches rising boldly into the air, supported
on lofty pillars--every thing wore an air so severely classic, and
yet all was gorgeously elegant, and at the same time perfectly
tasteful.

At first we reviewed every thing in a very hasty manner, for our
impulse hurried us along, and we wished to take in every thing at
o