It is the promise of the dawn to the evening and the evening
to the dawn.
With the exception of those three altars and the winged figures
about them, the whole space beneath the vast white dome is utterly
empty and devoid of ornamentation -- a circumstance that to my
fancy adds greatly to its splendour.
Such is a brief description of this wonderful and lovely building,
to the glories of which, to my mind so much enhanced by their
complete simplicity, I only wish I had the power to do justice.
But I cannot, so it is useless talking more about it. But when
I compare this great work of genius to some of the tawdry buildings
and tinsel ornamentation produced in these latter days by European
ecclesiastical architects, I feel that even highly civilized
art might learn something from the Zu-Vendi masterpieces. I
can only say that the exclamation which sprang to my lips as
soon as my eyes first became accustomed to the dim light of that
glorious building, and its white and curving beauties, perfect
and thrilling as those of a naked goddess, grew upon me one by
one, was, 'Well! a dog would feel religious here.' It is vulgarly
put, but perhaps it conveys my meaning more clearly than any
polished utterance.
At the temple gates our party was received by a guard of soldiers,
who appeared to be under the orders of a priest; and by them
we were conducted into one of the ray or 'petal' courts, as the
priests call them, and there left for at least half-an-hour.
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