The most remarkable ruins are the temples at Carnac and at Luxor, on the East side of the Nile. On the opposite side are the sepulchres of the kings in the sacred valley of Beban-el-Malook, which begins at Gournou, and runs towards the West; the Temple of Gournou, partly buried in the sand; the Memoonium, where anciently was the colossal statue of Osymandyas, and the two sitting gigantic figures, each fifty-two feet high, which remain in their, original position. It was from the Memnonium that Mr. Belzoni brought the colossal bust of the young Memnon, now in the British Museum. The present natives of Gournou live in the entrance of the caves of the sepulchres. Here, having made some partitious with earthen walls, they form habitations for themselves, as well as for their cows, camels, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and dogs. They cultivate a small tract of land, extending from the rocks to the Nile; but even this is in part neglected; for they prefer, to the labours of agriculture, the more profitable but disgusting employment of digging for mummies, The Engraving, in the next page, is the usual entrance of an Egyptian Tomb :: It is the representation of one at the bottom of the narrow valley of Beban-elMalook. The rocks into which they are cut are of calcareous stone, of an extremely white colour. These entrances are generally surmounted with a bass-relief, representing an oval, in which are *The art of embalming the dead, so as to remain perfect for centuries, has been comparatively unknown to all nations, except the Egyptians. Herodotus and after him Diodorus Siculus, inform us, that bodies were embalmed in three different ways. The most magnificent was bestowed on persons of the most distinguished rank; the expense of which amounted to a talent of silver (about 1387.) In this ceremony several hands were employed. Some drew the brain through the nostrils, by an instrument; others emptied the bowels and intestines, by cutting a hole in the side; after which the cavities were filled with aromatics and various odoriferous drugs. After some time, the body was swathed in lawn fillets, which were glued together with a kind of very thin gum, and then crusted over with the most exquisite perfumes. The body thus embalmed, was delivered to the relations, and placed upright in a wooden coffin against the wall, either in sepulchres, or in their private houses. + According to Strabo, the ancient city of Thebes might vie with the noblest cities in the universe. Its hundred gates, celebrated by Homer, are universally known; and acquired it the surname of Hecatompylos, to distinguish it from the other Thebes in Bootia. Its population was proportionate to its extent; and, according to history, it could send out at once two hundred chariots and ten thousand fighting men at each of its gates. The Greeks and Romans have celebrated its magnificence and grandeur, though they saw it only in its ruins; so august were the remains of this city. GENT. MAG. May, 1821. sculptured ( SELECT POETRY. ADAM GORDON1. A Ballad. WHOE'ER the Chronicles hath read Of Paris or of Fordun 2, Can speak of heroes long since dead, In field, in closet, and in hall, They equally were noted; But one who takes the shine' from all No hall had he, where blythe to be, The open fields were all his own, His trade was arms, like Robin Hood's, That while he took the rich man's goods On Dunstaple's bleak down he kept On what could cause this ceaseless ill The neighbours us'd to ponder, Some said that ghosts by night were seen, For such, he said, must be the case, Like others, for his creed he'd fight; One night, upon his palfrey's back, He pac'd along a beaten track And for some secret charge alarm'd, He join'd a stranger who was arm'd Arm'd with a sword and gun, you'll say, This happen'd in third Henry's reign, Our heroes each a cudgel bore, Made of an old crab tree, Which oft had done them good before, "Sir Priest," the stranger cried, "let's on, It is well known to the readers of Matthew Paris, the Annals of Waverlie, T. Wykes, Chronicon of Dunstaple, &c. that Prince Edward (afterwards the first King of that name) engaged in a single combat with Adam Gordon; astonished at his bravery, he persuaded him to forsake the course of an outlaw, and follow him. Historians add, that he served the Prince with the utmost fidelity. See Hume and Heury. When he died is unknown. 2 Matthew Paris, compiler of an elaborate History of England, to the reign of Henry III.-Fordun, author of the "Scotichronicon." * Erroneously called Dunstable, from the supposition that a robber named Dun, kept his table there. The real etymology is,-Dunum, a hill, and Staple, an established mart, which Dunstaple antiently was, and called Forum Dianæ. 4 Hugh Lord Bolebec founded Woburn Abbey in 1145; as his father had been one of the Norman invaders, Saxon charity would, no doubt, feel no scruples in assigning him such a station after death. For some particulars concerning him, see the History of Woburn. Of this person, William Woston, little can be traced beyond his mere existence; he was buried in the Chapel of Ease to Birchemore, now forming the town church of Woburn. 6 That neighbourhood was so remarkable for plunderers, that Leofstan, abbot of St. Alban's, was obliged, a short time before the Conquest, to clear the Chiltern hills of their forests, which afforded a retreat to banditti. 7 Nicholas de Tingre, Tingrei, or Tingryth, resided at Flitwick, and was a valuable benefactor to the monks of Dunstaple; he sold them, in 1247, a rent-charge of 10s. per annum, for 9 marks sterling; and in the following year gave them all his lands in Husborn-Crawley, excepting one mill, which they afterwards obtained from him. At the "A Franklyn he, who loves good cheer, His bounty is no fable; King Henry when he winters here, Can boast no better table. "But since these parts are new to me, Pray give some information, Who dwells in the vicinity, And who in distant station? "For I've been told a robber dwells No distance from this place, And should we meet him on the hills, 'Twould prove an awkward case." "I've heard of him," the Friar replies, They say his name is Dun; For aught I know, those tales are lies, "But should his Dunship stop us here, He'll find Will Woston does not fear "For, ere I enter'd Woburn's wall, For then we part-there lives a knight He courted Bidun's sister. "How he for such a stake could play, But now at court he makes his way, "Then Conquest, Houghton's lord, a name By which he's not belied; He scours the land for gold and fame, "He hangs his pris'ners on a tree, Nor leads them to a judge; You'll find his law a fudge. [May, "John Lathbury 's11 a gallant knight, Within a safe and true port, I'd seek his roof in light or dark, Two Sovereigns and their Queens, they say, "E'en in adversity he's great, Tho' fall'n from wealth and power; To him, whose race to Woburn's house "But Night proclaims declining Day, To Stepingley and Ampthill." "Thanks for your news," the stranger said, "But largess. Friar, largess; I feel the want of ale and bread, And coin to bear the charges. "Come, Priest, no words, produce thy purse, Or I'll produce a bludgeon Shall meet thee with a weighty curse, And put thy life in dudgeon. "Hadst thou but sought thy comrade's aid, Nor talk'd in strain so bold, In peace thou hadst thy journey made, "But thou must prate of early feats, His thrall in Adam Gordon. the same time he feasted them on St. Thomas's Day, and the Prior with his friends lay at his house, giving him, for all these good things, his fealty and homage. 8 Paulinus Peyvre, the subiect of this and the following stanzas, was originally a child of Fortune; from beggary he rose to riches, and built a splendid mansion at Todington, of which now not one vestige remains. He married sister of Sir John Bidun, of Lavendon, Bucks, which led to the making of him. 9 Sir John Conquest, of Houghton-Conquest; he accompanied Edward I. into Scotland, and held a command in his army. 10 Nigel de Salford, of Salford, Kuight of the shire for Beds. 11 John Lathbury, of Lathbury, ancestor (it seems) to the Abbot of Lavendon, elected in 1312. 12 John Mansel, Clerk, Chancellor to Henry III. in whose cause he lived in affluence and died in exile.-The Chartulary of Snelshall Abbey records several benefactions to the Monks of Woburn by his family; probably part of the wealth so profusely bestowed by Henry III. To this the Priest rejoined straight, "Since bick'ring is begun, I raise my crab, beware thy pate, And so have at thee, Dun." With courage stout to sticks they went, Was answer'd by the Friar. Who stagger'd, fell, or dead or maim'd, But just as Gordon turn'd his horse, He found him stopp'd by countless force, "Where is the wretch," said one-he knew That voice was Conquest's own; 'By Wardon's 13 Cross, for every loss Go, take him to the nearest tree!" Fair Justice's dues should baulk! He knew himself" as good as dead," He cast within his pate How some release from durance vile Can make a happy man. Luck was his own-'neath Night's dark shade They found him gone, as well they might, "Farewell," he cried,—“ to seek for rest, My very wits must muse hard; For refuge with a Buzzard 15 ̧” (Though foes and rope by speed were past), Alighted at au inn, He jeer'd mine host, and quaff'd his ale, And chuckling o'er the evening's tale, For hunger, the Sicilian 16 knew, Is sauce to homely meat; And when we're safe and hungry too, While thus they sat, Love's gentle ray Mary of Farnham! 'twas thy charms Could soothe him 'midst the din of arms, As, bending o'er the rising fume, As other folks might be, perplex'd, He rais'd his head, and round he look'd, No time to see his victuals cook'd, 13 Wardon Abbey, near Bedford. 14 Travellers are well acquainted with this chalk; it is the pride, and a barren one, of the district of Chiltern. 15 The origin of the cognomen of Leighton is obscure; it is usually supposed to emanate from the word Beau-desert; but, strictly speaking, it should have been Maldesert; in which case, Cacophony would have brought it to Mazzard. It is more probable, as Mr. Lysons shows, that the name came from its lords, the family of Bossard. The discoverer of this fact can only be sufficiently rewarded by the application of a line in the Poem of Hudibras: "He'll prove a Buzzard is no fowl." 16 Dionysius the first, who observed that hunger could recommend even the "black broth" of the Spartans. 17 Who Mary of Faruham was, is still open to conjecture. 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