next adjoining to it. In the south and north sides of the chamber there are two inlets opposite to one another, seven-tenths of a foot broad, fourtenths of a foot deep, evenly cut, and running in a straight line six feet and farther into the thickness of the wall: that on the south side is larger and somewhat round, not so long as the former, and by the blackness within seems to have been made use of for setting of lamps in."*

Such are the extracts from these authors which we have thought it requisite to give, not only for the gratification of curiosity, but in order to form a just conception of the subject of these pyramids. And in discussing it, there are three questions that occur to our minds. 1. Whence the funds and labour by which they might be erected? 2. How the materials for such immense structures could be procured, and conveyed, and placed? And, 3. For what purposes were they built? As to the first question-no European monarch could have funds sufficient at his disposal, nor is it easy to conceive how any Asiatic king could provide them in the common course of events.† But the Scripture supplies us with a solution of the difficulty. In the time of Joseph there was a famine in the land of Egypt: that famine was so extreme,

* Univ. Hist. pp. 187-189.

+ Thevenot remarks, that no prince now in the world (without disparagement to any) is able to raise such a pile of buildings.— See Univ. Hist. vol. i. p. 192.

that for the sake of obtaining food from the stores that had been laid up through the wisdom of Joseph, the Egyptians not only parted with their money and cattle, but also with themselves and their lands. In this extremity, what did Joseph? He bought all their lands for Pharaoh, and then returned them all but a fifth part to be reserved for the king. Now in this way, how great must have been the revenue of Pharaoh, and how great must have been his accumulation of wealth in a course of years! And being at the disposal of their kings in succession, how easy to conceive of their ability to employ their subjects in such structures, especially as, through the fertilising effect of the overflowing of the Nile, such subjects would not be employed in agricultural labour, as other nations must necessarily be. Thus, then, we can, in the light of Scripture, account for the supply of both funds and labour for these and other stupendous structures, for which Egypt has been so celebrated.

The second question that occurs is, How the materials for such immense buildings could be procured, and how they could be conveyed and placed in their respective positions? For an answer to which question we refer the reader to what has been already said concerning Stonehenge; and we shall add to it the statement of Herodotus. After speaking of a causeway for conveyance of the stones—a work of ten years" the ascent of the

pyramid," says he, "was regularly graduated by what some call steps, and others altars. Having finished the first flight, they elevated the stones to the second by the aid of machines constructed of short pieces of wood; from the second by a similar engine, they were raised to the third, and so on to the summit. Thus there were as many machines as there were regular divisions in the centre of the pyramid, though in fact there might only be one, which, being easily manageable, might be removed from one range of the building to another, as often as occasion made it necessary: both modes have been told, and I know not which best deserves credit. The summit of the pyramid was first of all finished, descending thence, they regularly completed the whole.”*

But another difficult and interesting question occurs. For what purposes were these stupendous buildings erected? Were they designed for astronomical observation? If so, why all those chambers and galleries, such numberless rooms and apartments, built too of such costly materials? Is this "the wisdom of the Egyptians?" Was it to convey to the remotest period their national history, by means of the hieroglyphic characters written thereon? But why in hieroglyphics, their sacred language, a language that would be generally unknown? Besides, they might have erected

* Beloe's Herodotus, p. 113.

immense pillars for this purpose. Moreover, time and the weather might obliterate them. Nor need they construct such chambers and incur such expense in the interior. As repositories of corn? Would the wisdom of the Egyptians devise a structure so costly, so adorned in the interior for such a purpose. Were the pyramids, then, as generally supposed, for the sepulchres of their kings? Herodotus says, that the vaults of the hill upon which the pyramids are erected, were intended as a place of burial for Cheops, who himself is the reported builder of the largest of them, but he does not say that the pyramid itself was so intended. Besides, if for a sepulchral purpose, why such numberless rooms and apartments, and why built with such costly materials? It is true that the most ancient record in the world, the book of Job, speaks of "kings and counsellors of the earth building desolate places for themselves;"* but this they might do, and yet these pyramids might not be built for such purposes. Aided by the light of Scripture, as before, we will venture to suggest, that they were not built for one purpose alone, but for several purposes. 1. For a sacred purpose.† The tomb in the interior, which

* Job, iii. 14.

† At Benares pyramids are seen corresponding in all respects save that of size, to those in Egypt, having also subterranean passages beneath them, which are said to extend even for miles together. O'Brian, on the Round Towers of Ireland, p. 74. And

by the way can scarcely be called a tomb, not having a covering, might be the repository or shrine or pedestal of their supreme divinity: the "galleries, chambers, antechambers, closets, passages, benches, square holes, &c. might be for the residence and convenience of the priests: and around the pyramid, on their set feasts, might the people be assembled for worship. Let it be recollected that Solomon's temple had its chambers for the priests, &c. If the buildings were not of a sacred character, why covered with hieroglyphics, which were sacred? Would such expense be incurred for any other than a sacred purpose? Was it not usual among the heathen to enshrine their deities within temples or immense buildings? Did not the heathen imagine that in some way or other the spirit of the god inhabited or rendered sacred the object of worship, even that of obelisks or pillars? Indeed it does appear that such structures were worshipped as images of deities.* Coetlogon, under the head "hieroglyphic," has the following remark:-" By the figure of a triangular pyramid or obelisk, the ancients understood the divinity, as considering the number three the most perfect number.” Not that the pyramid

he thinks that pyramids were built for religion and science. On hearing Wilford's description of them, the Brahmins said that they were places appropriated to the worship of Padma-devi.

* Univ. Hist. vol. i. p. 186; from Solin. Polyhist. c. 45; Ammian. Marcel. 1. 23.