Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 2.djvu/145

 The Egyptian Orders. 12 the upper part of the cone ; besides which it realiy plays no part in the construction, as the surface of the abacus above it is no greater than a horizontal section through the highest and most slender part of the shaft. Of all the Egyptian capitals, that which seems the happiest in conception is the campaniform. This capital, far from being folded back upon itself, throws out a fine and bold curve beyond the shaft. But we are surprised and even distressed to find that the surface thus obtained is not employed for the support of the architrave, which is carried by a comparatively small cubic abacus, Fig. 97. — The Nymphasa Xelumbo : from the Description de l' Egyplc : Hiit. Katurelle, pi. 61. w^hich rests upon the centre of the capital. At Karnak and Medinet-Abou this abacus is not so absurdly high as it afterwards became in the Ptolemaic period,^ but yet its effect is singular rather than pleasant. We feel inclined to wonder why this fine calyx of stone should have been constructed if its borders were to remain idle. It is like a phrase commenced but never finished. Without this fault the composition, of which it forms a part, would be worthy both in proportion and in decoration, of being placed side by side with the most perfect of the Greek columns. ^ A good idea of this can be gained from the building known as Pharaoh's bed, at Philge. It is shown on the right of our sketch at p. 431, Vol. I.