prevent the vessel from reaching the Western coast of America, but actually would drive the ship BACK to China or Japan! This last sentence is not given to refute Mr. Stephens, but those writers who may have (as he states) even "supposed" the possibility of vessels being accidentally "thrown upon the Western coast of America." Nature would prevent it. This celebrated "East-wind" we shall have occasion to analyze and explain, in the investigation of the first voyage around the Continent of Africa by the Tyrians. In the Pacific Ocean the East wind would prevent accidental arrival on the shores of the Western Continent; but in the Atlantic Ocean the same wind would aid and expedite such an arrival, which, however, would be upon the Eastern, and not the Western coast of America!

"The monuments of India have been made familiar to us. The remains of Hindu architecture exhibit immense excavations in the rock, either entirely artificial, or made by enlarging natural caverns, supported in front by large columns cut out of the rock, with a dark gloomy interior. Among all these American Ruins there is not a single excavation. The surface of the country abounding in mountain sides, seems to invite it; but, instead of being under ground, the striking feature of these Ruins is, that the buildings stand on lofty artificial elevations; and it can hardly be sup. posed that a people emigrating to a new country, with that strong natural impulse to perpetuate, and retain under their eyes memorials of home, would have gone

so directly counter to National and Religious associations."

The reasoning in the latter part of the foregone extract, is founded upon Nature, and therefore just,— it cannot be shaken,-it cannot be even assaulted ;— we claim this admission, however, for our own position also, when in the next chapter we bring forward the "memorials of home," and the "national and religious associations," for upon the Analogies, the corner-stone of this Epoch is founded.

"In Sculpture, too, the Hindus differ entirely. Their subjects are far more hideous, being, in general, representations of human beings, distorted, deformed, and unnatural,-very often many-headed, or with three or four arms and legs thrown out from the same body."

The Hindu is rejected, and justly, from the want of similitude; the field is now narrowed for the combat, -the argument is brought, in his estimation, to one nation only.

"Lastly, we come to the Egyptian. The point of resemblance upon which the great stress has been laid, is the Pyramid. The pyramidal form is one which suggests itself to human intelligence in every country, as the simplest and surest mode of erecting a high structure upon a solid foundation."

We grant that the first suggestion of an habitation would be of a pyramidal character, as instanced in the tents of wandering tribes, formed by poles rising from a base, more or less broad, and meeting in a common

centre; but we deny that the "pyramidal form" is one followed "in every country," as a principle for rearing "a high structure." If it was so generally practised, why is Egypt the only country where it is found? Why did not China, Japan, Hindustan, Greece, and Rome practise it? Egypt alone claims it as an Architectural practice,—the principle of the Pyramid identifies her amid the wreck of Empires,-it stands out on her tableau of History as the prominent characteristic,-it was, and is, nowhere found but in the Nation of the Nile, and now in the Ruins of Ancient America! In the latter country the Aborigines modified and improved upon the original; but sufficient is shewn there, even in the base of the pyramid, to proclaim the association of the builders with Egyptian knowledge; nor does it follow that the Architects of Palenque should have been, of necessity, Egyptians.

"The pyramidal form cannot be regarded as a ground for assigning a common origin to all people, among whom structures of that character are found, unless the similarity is preserved in its most striking features."

The Traveller says, "to all people." [i. e. nations] Why, his own rejections prove that no other people practised the pyramid but the Egyptian,-upon that fact is he now arguing; for having failed to find the pyramidal form in all the nations of the earth, he says, "Lastly, we come to the Egyptian."

If in America an entire pyramid, from base to apex, had been found, he would not have rejected the use

less mass, but instantly have claimed it for Egyptian; or of that nation only, having intimate knowledge of, and association with, that country. Why then reject, -or rather why does he not bring forward the same reasoning when the essential part of the pyramid is found there? It will be shewn why he did not ad

vance it.

"The Pyramids [of Egypt] are peculiar and uniform, and were invariably erected for the same uses and purposes, so far as those uses and purposes are known. They are all square at the base, with steps rising and diminishing until they come to a point."

The general truth of the previous quotation is apparent; but that the Pyramids of Egypt had "steps" in their original construction, cannot be supported by any History, or by the absolute facts visible even at the present day. All their sides were smooth; and commencing at the apex in placing the facial stones, the "steps" were used as successive scaffolds from the base to the top. On the following page to the above extract, Mr. Stephens contradicts his own reasoning, and when that can be proved in the work of any Author, no other refutation of a false conclusion is required. We have shewn that he says the Egyptian Pyramids had "steps rising," and in the very next page he

writes

"Herodotus says, that in his time [484 B. c.] the great Pyramid was coated with stone, so as to present a smooth surface-[consequently no "steps rising"]on all its sides from the base to the top. The second

Pyramid of Ghizeh, called the Pyramid of Cephrenes, in its present condition (1842), presents on the lower part ranges of steps, with an accumulation of angular [triangular] stones at the base, which originally filled up the interstices between the steps, but have fallen down. In the upper part the intermediate layers are still in their places, and the sides present a smsoth surface to the top. [Thus is Herodotus confirmed.] There is no doubt that originally, every Pyramid of Egypt was built with its sides perfectly smooth. The STEPS formed no part of the plan! [This is true, but a direct denial of himself.] It is in this state only that they ought to be considered, and in this state any possible resemblance between them and what are called the Pyramids of America, ceases !"

Now not only does the Traveller contradict himself in writing of the original character of the Egyptian Pyramids, but worse,-a direct denial of himself upon the ground that the American cannot be Egyptian, because all " resemblance ceases" upon contemplating the sides of the structures of both countries in their original character,-or in other words, if the American Pyramid (or any part of it) had been derived from Egypt, the sides would have been faced with stone, so as to present a smooth surface. Granted. Here follows, then, his own description, where the fact of identity is established at Palenque !

"The Palace [Temple] stands on an artificial elevation of an oblong form, forty feet high, three hundred and ten feet in front and rear, and two hundred and