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Article THE CONTEST. Page 1 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Contest.
THE CONTEST .
u HE moon , not yet a perfect orb , rode high in the azure heavens , throwing her beams over the large sheet of water which yearly , for one hundred days , overspreads and fertilizes the land of Egypt . The channel of the Nile was lost in a mimic sea , stretching to the east as far as the Arabian hills , and on the west , restrained in its bed only by the woody mountains which separate the fertile plains from the burning deserts of Lybia . The wide expanse was studded with innumerable islands , for such appeared each mighty citytowering majesticallfrom the clear
, y bosom of the waters , as though the glorious works of man alone could bid defiance to the insidious tide which had slowly and silently crept over tbe pastures of the fruitful land . On the banks of the hidden Nile , stood Memphis the superb , enthroned in all the vast magnificence of age , its splendid halls and ornamented fanes reflecting the rays of the summer moon on their polished columns . South of tbe cityand washed btbe silver streamwas the
, y , rampart of a hundred stadia , which Misraim , the son of Ham , built to save his rising palaces from the encroaching waves ; and far above it rose , in pillared glory , the temple of Anubis , erected by the same proud founder of the Egyptian monarchy , to emulate in beauty and immense proportions , that far-famed Babel tower , in whose ruin his father ' s was also involved . In terrace upon terrace rose the varied buildings , till the whole structure seemed the work of magic , rather than the labour of an
oppressed people , toiling for a thousand years . Overlooking the loveliest gardens in the world , and extending the whole length of the city , appeared the palace of the Pharoahs , conspicuous by its isolated situation , and by the many lofty pillars of green porphyry , which , sculptured in
imitation of the desert palm , supported the flat roof of the building . Here stood Mycerinus , the reigning monarch of Egypt , attended by the high priest of Osiris , gazing mournfully upon the scene before him . " Will the wrath of the gods , " he exclaimed , " never be appeased ? Will this doomed city , whose magnificence is already the earth's wonderwhose giant temples , reared by the labour of ages , and the sweat of millions , are at once the boast and curse of Egypt—never be completed ?" As he spokehe pointed his golden sceptre towards the vast buildings still
, in progress , which , though inferior in size to the fane of Anubis , still occupied a million of the cunning artificers of the land . Unlike his stern predecessors , be employed them only in tbe cool night season , and treated them with mildness and humanity . The glare of innumerable torches shone on the wonderful machines and engines , now unknown , by aid of which the ponderous stones were raised , casting a red glare on the rafts which , groaning beneath tbe weight of huge blocks of granite and
porphyry , hewn in the quarries of Ethiopia , were slowly towed along the current of the stream . These blocks , when landed , were to be engraven with the mystic characters of the priests , and then elevated , by mighty efforts , to be curiously mounted in giant steps , inclosing a perfect square at the base , but gradually diminishing the space as the building proceeded , till its apex was crowned by a single stone—a solid cube , whence the wide land of Egypt might be viewed , its cities , temples , obelisks and groves . " We cannot anticipate the hour assigned by destiny , " gloomily answered the priest , in reply to the almost despairing question of die VOL . IX . 11
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Contest.
THE CONTEST .
u HE moon , not yet a perfect orb , rode high in the azure heavens , throwing her beams over the large sheet of water which yearly , for one hundred days , overspreads and fertilizes the land of Egypt . The channel of the Nile was lost in a mimic sea , stretching to the east as far as the Arabian hills , and on the west , restrained in its bed only by the woody mountains which separate the fertile plains from the burning deserts of Lybia . The wide expanse was studded with innumerable islands , for such appeared each mighty citytowering majesticallfrom the clear
, y bosom of the waters , as though the glorious works of man alone could bid defiance to the insidious tide which had slowly and silently crept over tbe pastures of the fruitful land . On the banks of the hidden Nile , stood Memphis the superb , enthroned in all the vast magnificence of age , its splendid halls and ornamented fanes reflecting the rays of the summer moon on their polished columns . South of tbe cityand washed btbe silver streamwas the
, y , rampart of a hundred stadia , which Misraim , the son of Ham , built to save his rising palaces from the encroaching waves ; and far above it rose , in pillared glory , the temple of Anubis , erected by the same proud founder of the Egyptian monarchy , to emulate in beauty and immense proportions , that far-famed Babel tower , in whose ruin his father ' s was also involved . In terrace upon terrace rose the varied buildings , till the whole structure seemed the work of magic , rather than the labour of an
oppressed people , toiling for a thousand years . Overlooking the loveliest gardens in the world , and extending the whole length of the city , appeared the palace of the Pharoahs , conspicuous by its isolated situation , and by the many lofty pillars of green porphyry , which , sculptured in
imitation of the desert palm , supported the flat roof of the building . Here stood Mycerinus , the reigning monarch of Egypt , attended by the high priest of Osiris , gazing mournfully upon the scene before him . " Will the wrath of the gods , " he exclaimed , " never be appeased ? Will this doomed city , whose magnificence is already the earth's wonderwhose giant temples , reared by the labour of ages , and the sweat of millions , are at once the boast and curse of Egypt—never be completed ?" As he spokehe pointed his golden sceptre towards the vast buildings still
, in progress , which , though inferior in size to the fane of Anubis , still occupied a million of the cunning artificers of the land . Unlike his stern predecessors , be employed them only in tbe cool night season , and treated them with mildness and humanity . The glare of innumerable torches shone on the wonderful machines and engines , now unknown , by aid of which the ponderous stones were raised , casting a red glare on the rafts which , groaning beneath tbe weight of huge blocks of granite and
porphyry , hewn in the quarries of Ethiopia , were slowly towed along the current of the stream . These blocks , when landed , were to be engraven with the mystic characters of the priests , and then elevated , by mighty efforts , to be curiously mounted in giant steps , inclosing a perfect square at the base , but gradually diminishing the space as the building proceeded , till its apex was crowned by a single stone—a solid cube , whence the wide land of Egypt might be viewed , its cities , temples , obelisks and groves . " We cannot anticipate the hour assigned by destiny , " gloomily answered the priest , in reply to the almost despairing question of die VOL . IX . 11