Memorandum on the subject of the Earl of Elgin's pursuits in Greece (London, 1811)

35

nople, the celebrated Bqustrophedon in-
scription, from the promontory of Sigaeum*
a monument which several ambassadors
from Christian Powers to.the.Porte, and
even Louis XIV. in the height of. his
power, had ineffectually endeavoured .to
obtain. Lord Elgin found it forming a
seat or couch at the door of a Greek
chapel, and habitually resorted to by
persons afflicted with ague ; who, deriving
great relief from remaining reclined upon
it, attributed their recovery to the marble;
and not to the elevated situation and sea
air, of which it procured.them the ad-
vantage. This ill-fated superstition had
already obliterated more than one half
of the inscription, and.in a few years
more it would have become perfectly
illegible. . :o . , j

■ By the aid of this valuable acquisition.
Lord Elgin's '. collection of inscriptions
comprehends specimens of every remark-
able peculiarity in the. variations of thé
P ,