A pilgrimage to the temples and tombs of Egypt, Nubia, and ...

208 TEMPLES OF IBSAMBOUL.
be what was aimed at and attained by those
who executed this monstrous conception, and
no attempt either at expression or finish was
made. The proportions of the human body
are well preserved, but there is no grace of
limb, no dignity of attitude, no approach even
to the semblance of a muscle in the uncovered
parts of the limbs. There they sit, with their
hands placed upon their knees, and their im-
moveable faces expressive only of a stony calm
but the effect produced by them when all the
four were uncovered to the pedestals, must have
been stupendous indeed, for they measure, as
they sit, from their feet to the summit of
their mitres sixty-five feet ; and you may ima-
gine what their bulk is, as it is proportioned
to what their height would be standing. Be-
tween their legs are placed smaller statues,
pigmy-looking productions, which at first we
believed to be about the average height of a
man ; but upon the tallest person with us mea-
suring himself with one of these figures, we
found that it overtopped him by the head and
shoulders ; other statues of the same dimen-
sions are placed between the colossi, and, com-
pared with them, have the appearance of pup-
pets, for which we had mistaken them until
;