very first, and before they could have any models to imitate, to aim in all things at the grand and magnificent; and to be intent on real beauties, without fwerving ever fo little from a noble fimplicity, in which the highest perfection of art confifts. But what idea ought we to form of those princes, who confidered as fomething grand, the raising by a multitude of hands, and by the help of money, immenfe ftructures, with the fole view of rendering their names immortal; and who did not fcruple to destroy thoufands of their fubiects to fatisfy their vain glory. They differed very much from the Romans, who fought to immortalize themselves by works of a magnificent kind, but which at the fame time were of public use.

PLINY gives us in few words, a juft idea of these Lib 36. pyramids, when he calls them a foolish and ufelefs cap. 12. oftentation of the wealth of the Egyptian kings; Regum pecuniæ otiofa ac ftulta oftentatio.

And adds,

that by a juft punishment their memory is buried in oblivion, the hiftorians not agreeing among themfelves about the names of those who firft raised those vain monuments. Inter eos non conftat a quibus faite fint, juftiffimo cafu obliteratis tanta vanitatis auctoribus. In a word, according to the judicious remark of Diodorus, the more the industry of the architects of these pyramids is valuable and praise-worthy, the more the attempt of the Egyptian kings is contemptible, and deferves cenfure.

BUT what we should moft admire in these ancient monuments, is, the true and standing evidence they give of the skill of the Egyptians in astronomy; that is, in a science which feems incapable of being brought to perfection, but by a long feries of years, and a great number of obfervations. M. de Chazelles, when he measured the great pyramid in question, found that the four fides of it were turned exactly to the four quarters of the world; and confequently fhewed the true meridian of that place. Now, as fo exact a fi

tuation,

Herod.1.2.

c. 148.

tuation, was in all probability purposely pitch'd upon by those who pil'd up this huge mass of stones, above three thousand years ago; it follows, that during fo long a space of time, there has been no alteration in the heavens in that refpect, or (which amounts to the fame thing) to the poles of the earth or the meridians. This is M. de Fontenelles remark in his elogium of M. de Chazelles.

SECT. III. The LABYRINTH.

WH

HAT has been faid concerning the judgment we ought to form of the pyramids, may alfo Diod. 1. 1. be applied to the labyrinth, which Herodotus, who Plin. 1. 36. faw it, affures us was ftill more furprising than the pyramids. It was built at the most fouthern part of Strab1 17 the lake of Moris, whereof mention will be made

p. 42.

c. 13.

p. 311.

prefently, near the town of Crocodiles, the fame with Arfinoe. It was not fo much one fingle palace, as a magnificent pile compofed of twelve palaces, regularly difpofed, and which had a communication with each other. Fifteen hundred rooms interfperfed with terraffes, were ranged round twelve halls, and difcovered no outlet, to fuch as went to fee them. There were the like number of buildings under ground. Thefe fubterraneous ftructures were defigned for the burying-place of the kings, and, (who can speak this without confufion and without deploring the blindness of man!) for keeping the facred crocodiles, which a nation, fo wife in other refpects, worshipped ás gods.

In order to vifit the rooms and halls of the labyrinth, 'twas neceffary, as the reader will naturally fuppofe, for people to take the fame precaution as Ariadne made Thefeus ufe, when he was obliged to go and fight the Minotaur in the labyrinth of Crete. Virgil defcribes it in this manner.

And

very first, and before they could have any models to imitate, to aim in all things at the grand and magnificent; and to be intent on real beauties, without fwerving ever fo little from a noble fimplicity, in which the highest perfection of art confifts. But what idea ought we to form of thofe princes, who confidered as fomething grand, the raifing by a multitude of hands, and by the help of money, immense ftructures, with the fole view of rendering their names immortal; and who did not fcruple to deftroy thoufands of their fubiects to fatisfy their vain glory. They differed very much from the Romans, who fought to immortalize themselves by works of a magnificent kind, but which at the fame time were of public use.

PLINY gives us in few words, a juft idea of thefe Lib 36. pyramids, when he calls them a foolish and ufelefs cap. 12. oftentation of the wealth of the Egyptian kings; Regum pecuniæ otiofa ac ftulta oftentatio. And adds, that by a juft punishment their memory is buried in oblivion; the hiftorians not agreeing among themselves about the names of those who firft raised those vain monuments. Inter eos non conftat a quibus factœ fint, juftiffimo cafu obliteratis tanta vanitatis auctoribus. In a word, according to the judicious remark of Diodorus, the more the industry of the architects of thefe pyramids is valuable and praise-worthy, the more the attempt of the Egyptian kings is contemptible, and deferves cenfure.

BUT what we should moft admire in these ancient monuments, is, the true and standing evidence they give of the skill of the Egyptians in aftronomy; that is, in a science which feems incapable of being brought to perfection, but by a long feries of years, and a great number of observations. M. de Chazelles, when he measured the great pyramid in queftion, found that the four fides of it were turned exactly to the four quarters of the world; and confequently fhewed the true meridian of that place. Now, as so exact a si tuation,

in one prince's reign. This is what feveral hiftorians have related concerning the lake Mæris, on the teftimony of the inhabitants of the country. And the bishop of Meaux, in his discourse on univerfal hiftory, relates the whole as fact. With regard to my felf, I will confefs, that I don't fee the least probability in it. If is poffible to conceive, that a lake of an hundred and eighty leagues in circumference, could have been dug in the reign of one prince? In what manner, and where, could the earth taken from it be conveyed? What fhould prompt the Egyptians to lofe the furface of fo much land? By what arts could they fill this vaft tract with the fuperfluous waters of the Nile? Many other objections might be made. In my opinion therefore, we ought to follow Pomponius Mela, an ancient geographer; efpecially as his account is confirm'd by feveral late travellers. According to that author, this lake is but twenty thousand paces, that is, feven or Mela L. eight French leagues, in circumference. Maris, aliquando campus, nunc lacus, viginti millia passuum in circuitu patens.

THIS lake had a communication with the Nile by a great canal, four leagues long, and fifty feet broad. Great fluices either opened or fhut the canal and lake, as there was occafion.

THE charge of opening or fhutting them, amounted to fifty talents, that is, fifty thousand French crowns. The fishing of this lake brought the monarch immenfe fums; but its chief ufe related to the overflowing of the Nile. When it rofe too high, and was like to be attended with fatal confequences, the fluices were open'd; and the waters, having a free paffage into the lake, cover'd the lands no longer than was neceffary to enrich them. On the contrary, when the inundation was too low, and threatned a famine; a fufficient quantity of water, by the help of drains, was let out of the lake, to water the lands. Eighty-fror Stadia.