tent of ground, and its ruins, though partially exhumed, have been traced over an area of twenty-four miles in circumference. Temples, tombs, palaces, and baths, all covered with excellent sculpture, compose these remains of a town which once undoubtedly equalled in splendor the most magnificent cities of the ancient world. The city was enclosed within a stupendous wall, and fortifications, bridges, aqueducts, dykes, and vast excavations present themselves on every side, while the beautiful bas-reliefs unfold a fragment of the history of the art of sculpture, rich and new. These sculptures give a key to the national physiognomy, as in all instances the facial outlines are made the same. The chief peculiarity is a remarkably receding forehead.

The name of Palenque is modern; that given by the natives to the principal ruins is Grand Chimu. There is a tradition that a Spaniard once did an Indian an important service, and the latter, stimulated by gratitude, told the Spaniard that he could show him where there were two fishes, one great and one small. The smaller one

was pointed out to him in a Guaca or burialplace of the Grand Chimu, and on opening it he found gold to the amount of one million and a half of dollars. That vast treasures were often deposited with the dead in the tombs of the Mexicans, as well as of those of the East, is true; and this fact is the principal cause of the mutilations of these mansions of the departed.

The houses of Palenque are principally built of sun-dried bricks, as stone is not plentiful in the neighborhood. Through the city runs a channel, varying from forty-five to sixty feet in width, and ten or twelve feet deep, which was

evidently the bed of a river. In the tombs were found vessels of black earthen ware curiously fashioned, with figures of a grotesque character upon them, and containing a kind of beer still made by the Indians. Some of them contained toys of various kinds, such as whistles and representations of dogs; and in every part of the city were found remains of utensils appertaining to civilized life.

When the Spaniards invaded Mexico, they found a people far advanced in civilization, living under wise though despotic laws, and cultivating many of the arts of peace to great perfection. In the vicinity of Tenochtitlan, or city of Mexico, are ruins of ancient temples, aqueducts, and monumental stones. The place where the archives of state were kept when Cortez took the city, were pyramids, very much resembling those of Egypt and India. Their sides were covered with hieroglyphics, and in one of them was found a colossal statue of a female deity, whom they called Teoyaomiqui. On the hills of Teotihuacan, north of the city, are still the remains of two pyramids, consecrated to the sun and moon. The one consecrated to the sun is one hundred and seventy-one feet high, its base six hundred and forty-five feet. That consecrated to the moon is thirty feet smaller. Around these two, are many small ones, probably dedicated to the stars. Each of these pyramids, according to tradition, formerly contained statues of gods, covered with thin plates of gold. In another direction from the city is a truncated pyramid, of five courses or stories, surrounded by a trench, and faced with rocks of porphyry, upon which are numerous sculptures representing human fig.

ures, sitting with their legs crossed in the Asiatic manner. The corners of all these pyramids exactly correspond with the cardinal points of the compass. Everything connected with these ancient monuments, bears strong evidence of their Asiatic origin.

When Mexico and the provinces of South America on the Pacific coast, became the property of Spain by conquest, the riches which the city of Montezuma, and the several cities of the Incas developed, enabled the Spaniards to decorate them with splendid buildings; and to this end many excellent European architects were employed. As a specimen of the manner in which they ornamented their churches, we will mention the fact, that the cathedral of Mexico, built in the gorgeous style of the beginning of the sixteenth century, is literally loaded with the precious metals and stones. In this respect it surpasses all the churches in the world. balustrade which surrounds the great altar is of massive silver; a lamp of the same metal stands upon the altar, and is of such immense size, that three men enter it to clean it; and it is enriched with lion's heads and other ornaments of pure and massive gold. The statues of the Virgin and the saints are chiefly made of silver, and ornamented with precious stones. The material of which the cathedral is built, is porphyry.

The

Lima, and other South American cities exhibit many fine specimens of sacred architecture, but like those of the United States, they are copies of European ones, and a description of them would add nothing to the history of the art.

In our republic, architecture, like other departments of the fine arts, has yielded to the in

fluences of a utile nature, which ever exists in a young and vigorous state. In our principal cities we have many fine churches, but in point of size and splendor, they bear no comparison to those of the old world. Our monuments, too, are few, and the chief of them have been raised by patriotism to the memory of some eventful struggle for liberty during the War of Independence, or in honor of some beloved patriot, whose talents and virtues adorn the pages of our past history.

CHAPTER V.

Domestic Architecture of the Egyptians-The Labyrinth-Palaces--Houses of Thebes-Palace of Solomon-Phoenician Architects-Sidon-Its Colonies-Tyre-Domestic Architecture of the Hindoos--Of the Chinese-Police RegulationsDomestic Architecture of the Romans-Theatre of Marcus Scaurus-Of Curio-Hadrian's Villa-Comparison between Greek and Roman Architecture-Rebuilding of Rome by Nero-Domestic Architecture of the Middle Ages-Its Character-Early Architecture of Britain-Improvements by the Romans-Agricola's Chain of Forts-Baronial Castles-Introduction of the Italian Style-The Alhambra in SpainDomestic Architecture of the United States-Primitive Cabins of Emigrants-Buildings of the present Period.

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE, the most important part of the art, yet the most neglected so far as the application of rules and the taste for decoration are concerned, comprehends dwellings of every kind from the splendid palace to the rude hut of the savage; in fact all edifices other than those devoted to religious purposes. We have already traced the progress of building from

man's first emergence from caves, till he began to rear edifices according to architectural rules and proportions. We will now take a brief view of this branch of the art as it exists, or has existed, among different nations.

The first buildings of which we have any record were those of Babylon, a city described by all ancient writers as very splendid. But this adjective undoubtedly applies only to its temples and palaces, for the common dwellings then were probably of the rudest construction. The Egyp tians were the first people who built solidly and well, and yet their dwellings, out of cities, were simple huts, built in accordance with the necessities of the climate. And this remark may apply with undoubted truth to all the rural dwellings of antiquity. When men formed into compacts of hundreds or thousands, for the purpose of carrying on newly invented commerce, a common interest urged them to the construction of means of defence, and walls, towers, and fortresses arose around their cities. Wealth put in the hands of inventive men, changed its form, and by the combined efforts of genius and treasure, the beautiful palace succeeded the original cabin, and stone and other costly and solid materials characterized the domestic architecture of a people thus progressing.

The best preserved knowledge of early domestic architecture is that concerning the palaces, or groups of palaces, of the Egyptians. Of these, the Labyrinth was the most remarkable This structure stood upon the shore of the great artificial lake Maris, and when visited by Herodotus was in a fine state of preservation. He affirms that it surpassed every thing he had ever