Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1888 — What Fanaticism Did. [ARTICLE]

What Fanaticism Did.

Ex-Mayor Harrison in Chicago Mail. No other ruins in Egypt are so massive as . these of Karnak, though there are others in a better condition. The Nile has done more to bring the mighty temples of old Thebes (Luxor) down than has the hand of man. But religious fanaticism, both Christian, under the eastern empire, and Mohammedan, within a thousand years has done its best to deface all that was purely artistic. Modem, taste would find little to admire in the beautiful sculptures on any of the old temples if the rock had not been too hard for the fanatic hammer, or the elevation too great for a lazy priesthood to reach, or if the massiveveness and multitnde of tiuer Bcttiptures had noibeeu"— too great for indolent muscle to pick away. The temple of Luxor, close to the river, is a grand one but failed to impress me as did Karnak The ruins of Medeenet Aboo, across the river on the west bank, however, in many respects a pleased me more. But it would be waste of space to attempt to describe, this, or even any more of them. Thebes was a mighty city, and left many ruins .to. attest its grandeur. One who would know of the half of these must read of them in books —not in a letter. Baek of the old city in some gorges in the mountains on the west bank are the “tombs of the kings,” whose mummies and payrus rolls have been so valuable to the world of letters. These tombs are cut into the solid stone, all sloping downward and running under the mountains from a hundred to five hundred feet, in long galleries from twelve to twenty odd feet wide and nine to twelve feet deep. In different parts of them are large chambers whose walls as well as those of the long galleries are covered with sculptures in deep relief with hieroglyphic writing beautifully sharp. The sculptures are the figures of the king for whom the tomb was built, of the, kings and peoples whom he.conquered, of his battles and victories, of the spoils of war, in captives and beasts and treasures brought back and offered to the gods, and of the gods themselves receiving the gifts. Many bi these sculptures are tian), and when not defaced are bright in colors as when first painted.