the Nahar Malcha, whose capacious bosom, noble in ruins, opens to the Tigris north of where the city stood. What remains of the palace of Chosroes is thus described by Sir R. K. Porter: "Having passed the Diala, a river which flows into the Tigris, the lofty palace of Chosroes, at Modain, upon the site of the ancient Ctesiphon, became visible to us, looking exceedingly large through the refracting atmosphere of the southern horizon, above the even line of which it towered as the most conspicuous object anywhere to be seen around us. It looked from hence much larger than Westminster Abbey when seen from a similar distance; and in its general outline it resembled that building very much, excepting only in its having no towers." On the northern bank of the Diala Mr. Buckingham saw nothing but some grass huts, inhabited by a few families who earned their living by transporting travellers across the river; and to the westward, near the Tigris, a few scattered tents of Arab shepherds. On the south bank a few date-trees were seen; but, besides these, no other signs of fertility or cultivation appeared. When he reached the mounds of Ctesiphon, he found them to be of a moderate height, of a light colour, and strewed over with fragments of those invariable marks of former population, broken pottery. The surface of the mounds appeared like mere heaps of earth, long exposed to the atmosphere; but he was assured by persons well acquainted with the place, that, on digging into them, a masonry of unburned bricks was found, with layers of reed between, as in the ruins at Akkerhoof and the mounds of Meklooba at Babylon. The extent of the semicircle formed by these heaps appears to be nearly two miles. The area of the city, however, had but few mounds throughout its whole extent, and those were small and isolated; the ground being chiefly covered with thick heath, sending forth, as in the days of Xenophon, a highly aromatic odour, which formed a cover for partridges, hares, and gazelles, of each of which the traveller saw considerable numbers. 66 After traversing the space within the walls, strewedwith fragments of burned bricks and pottery, he came to the tomb of Selman Pauk. "This Selman Pauk (Selman_the_Pure)," says Mr. Buckingham, was a Persian barber, who, from the fireworship of his ancestors, became a convert to Islam, under the persuasive eloquence of the great prophet of Modain himself; and, after a life of fidelity to the cause he had embraced, was buried here in his native city of Modain. The memory of this beloved companion of the great head of their faith is held in great respect by all the Mohammedans of the country; for, besides the annual feast of the barbers of Bagdad, who in the month of April visit his tomb as that of a patron saint, there are others who come to it on pilgrimage at all seasons of the year." The large ruin which forms the principal attraction of the place is situated about seven hundred paces to the south of this tomb. It is called by the natives Tauk Kesra (the Arch of Kesra). It is composed of two wings and one large central hall. Its front is nearly perfect, being two hundred and sixty feet in length, and upward of one hundred in height. Of this front the great arched hall occupies the centre, its entrance being of equal height and breadth with the wall itself. The arch is thus about ninety feet in breadth, and, rising above the general line of the front, is at least one hundred and twenty feet high, while its depth is at least equal to its height. "The wings, leading out on each side of the central arch," continues Mr. Buckingham, "to extend to the front of the building, are now merely thick walls; but these had originally apartments behind them, as may be seen from undoubted marks that remain, as well as two side doors leading from them into the great central hall.' The walls which form these wings in the line of the front were built on a slope, being in thickness about twenty feet at the base, but only ten at the summit. The masonry is altogether of burned bricks, of the size, form, and composition of those seen in the ruins of Babylon; but none of them have any writing or impression of any kind. The cement is white lime, and the layers are much thicker than is seen in any of the burned brick edifices at Babylon, approaching nearer to the style of the Greek and Roman masonry found among the ruins of Alexandrea, where the layers of lime are almost as thick as the bricks themselves. At Babylon the cement is scarcely perceptible. The symmetry of the work bears considerable resemblance, however, both to the Birs and the fine fragments of brick-masonry of the age of the Caliphs still remaining at Bagdad. The wings, though not perfectly uniform, are similar in their general construction; "but the great extent of the whole front," says our traveller, "with the broad and lofty arch of its centre, and the profusion of recesses and pilasters on each side, must have produced an imposing appearance when the edifice was perfect; more particularly if the front was once coated, as tradition states it to have been, with white marble; a material of too much value to remain long in its place after the desertion of the city." The arches of the building are described to be all of a Roman form, and the architecture of the Roman style, though with less purity of taste; the pilasters having neither capital nor pedestal, and a pyramidal termination being given to some of the long, narrow niches of the front. "The history of Persia, from the Royut-ul-Suffa," says Sir R. K. Porter, "gives an interesting anecdote of this palace. A Roman ambassador, who had been sent to Chosroes with rich presents, was admiring the noble prospect from the window of the royal palace, when he remarked a rough piece of ground; and, making inquiry why it was not rendered uniform with the rest, the person to whom he spoke replied, 'It is the property of an old woman, who, though often requested to sell it to the king, has constantly refused; and our monarch is more willing to have his prospect spoiled than to perfect it by an act of violence.' 'That rough spot,' cried the Roman, 'consecrated by justice, now appears to me more beautiful than all the surrounding scene.' DELPHOS. CASTING the eye over the site of the ancient Delphos, one cannot imagine what has become of the walls of the numerous buildings which are mentioned in the history of its former magnificence. With the exception of a few terraces, nothing now appears. We do not even see any swelling or rising of the ground, indicating the grave of the celebrated temple. All therefore is mystery; and the Greeks may truly say, "Where stood the walls of our fathers? Scarce their mossy tombs remain!" But Though here no more Apollo haunts his grot, And thou, the Muses' seat, art now their grave, Sighs in the gale, keeps silence in the cave, And glides with glassy foot o'er yon melodious wave. Delphos is now sunk into a village-a village of wretchedness-known by the name of Castri. The city was built in the form of an amphitheatre, and was divided into three parts, one rising above the other. It was universally believed by the ancients to be situated in the middle of the earth; in consequence of which, it was called the "navel of the world." It stood upon the side of Mount Parnassus, and was not defended by walls, but by precipices, which environed it on all sides. It had temples dedicated to Latona, Diana, and Minerva Providence; also one dedicated to Apollo. This edifice was built, for the most part, of a very beautiful stone; but the frontispiece was of Parian marble, and the vestibule was decorated with paintings. On the walls were moral sentences. In the interior was a statue of the god, and such a multitude of precious things that is impossible to describe them. We must refer to Plutarch, Strabo, Pausanias, and other writers; and more particularly to Barthelemy's "Travels of Anarcharsis," since he has collected all the principal circumstances in regard to it. Our business is to state the condition to which it is reduced; but, before we do this, we must admit something of what has been written of this celebrated place. Delphos was a city of Phocis, in Achaia. Diodorus says that there was a cavity upon Parnassus whence an exhalation arose, which made the goats skip about, and intoxicated the brain. A shepherd having approached it, out of a desire to know the causes of so extraordinary an effect, was immediately seized with violent agitations of the body, and pronounced words which indicated prophecy. Others made the same experiment with a similar result, and it was soon rumoured throughout the neighbouring countries. The cavity was no longer approached without reverence. The exhalation was concluded to have something divine in it. A priestess was appointed for the reception of its inspirations; and a tripod was placed upon a vent, from whence she uttered oracles. The city of Delphos rose insensibly around the cave, where a temple was erected, which at length became exceedingly magnificent; and the reputation of the oracle greatly surpassed that of all others. The temple having been burned about the fifty |