Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/131

 The Place of Jud^îa in History. 113 religion that had its being in the shadow of the temple ; and is the outcome of their spiritual and monotheistic dogma. Albeit different in kind and degree, Jerusalem and Athens are the real capitals of the ancient world in its highest communings. The budding of Christianity was due to the fusion of religious and philosophical speculations elaborated in these respective sanctuaries. The temples seemingly so far apart, are in fact near and supple- ment each other : one looking towards the city where preached the prophets ; whilst the other is turned towards the portico where Plato discoursed and Socrates questioned. Suppose a comparison between the two edifices were possible, and we could place them side by side, what artist but would cast his vote in favour of the Parthenon, simple in outline, albeit grandiose, noble, and diversi- fied ? Ere long, however, the memories of early days would assert themselves, and the promptings of curiosity in looking at the plan and decoration of the temple would give way to respect and awe. People whose early associations are not altogether obliterated will not deem it strange, therefore, that we should have desired to form a just conception of this once famous temple, now so utterly demolished that not a stone remains; but which, twice rebuilt and destroyed — aided, no doubt, by the sublime poetry of Holy Writ — has taken such hold on the imagination of peoples reared on the teachings of the Bible, as to distance every other and assume colossal proportions. Our essayai at restoring it, will epitomize the history of Jewish art in Judaea, during the whole period preceding the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, 586 b.c. It is a monument unique in the world ; in that, having left no traces on the site it once occupied, yet it has lived and lives in the memory of almost all classes of men. Our survey will not extend beyond works that were executed before the Captivity, such as sepulchral and religious oedicula, and aqueducts laboriously constructed in the rocky hill side. As for the richly decorated tombs rising in the Kedron valley and around Jerusalem, they belong to a much later epoch, and are coeval with the Asmonsean princes, Herod, and his successors. Throughout the first portion of our work, which will end the fourth volume, our attention will be exclusively directed to edifices indebted for their creation to Eastern influence, ere Greek style and taste in all matters pertaining to art productions had supervened. If here and there we shall break through our self-imposed limits, vol. 1. 1