[185] Ex. vii. 11, etc., and 2 Tim. iii. 8.
[186] America also has had her ancient pageantry. Antonio de Solis gives the following description of the Mexican shrine:—“The site of that temple devoted to the worship of the Sun, and its altar for human sacrifices, was a large square environed by walls, cloisters, and gates; in the centre was raised a high tower of a pyramidical form, broad at the base, and narrowed towards the top, having four equal sides in a sloping direction; in one of which was a flight of one hundred and fifty steps to the top, covered with the finest marble, with a square marble pavement, guarded with a balustrade: in the centre stood a large black stone, in manner of an altar, placed near the idol. In the front of this tower, and at a convenient distance from its base, stood a high altar of solid masonry, ascended by thirty steps: in the middle of it was placed a large stone, on which they slaughtered the numerous human victims devoted for sacrifice; the outside being set with stakes and bars, on which were fixed human sculls.”
[187] The regular pyramid is a section of the cube, whose altitude is equal to half the diameter of the base, and is contained within a semicircle. The great pyramid is not of this precise order; its height or altitude being found more than half the diameter of its base. A second order is that whose altitude is equal to half the diagonal of the base, and is also bounded and contained within a semicircle; and consequently, if the diagonal be given at 1000, the altitude will be 500: but the true height of the Egyptian pyramid being determined at less than half its diagonal, is therefore found to be not exactly of this order, but nearly approaching to it, and probably aimed at in the original design, though failing in the execution.—Dissertation upon the Pyramids.
[188] Astronomy began very early to be cultivated among the Egyptians; and to them is attributed the discovery of the magnitude of the solar year, or, as it is distinguished, the Egyptian year of 365 days; which discovery appears to be noticeable, and memorialised in the construction of their Great Pyramid. The ancient measure of length being the cubit, and that measure being determined common with the Hebrews and Egyptians, as nearly as Dr. Cumberland could determine it, and reduced to English measure, a certain standard is obtained: but we find also another, called the longer cubit, to have obtained, on which we may with equal propriety calculate the measures of the Egyptian Pyramid, on which to infer the number of days contained in the solar year; the measures of the base of the Great Pyramid being found, if not exactly, yet nearly approximating to it.—Dissertation upon the Pyramids.
[189] I have not the least doubt but the ancient Egyptians measured by the cubit, whatever it then was; that the number of cubits was designedly fixed upon by them in laying the base of the Pyramid; and that if we divide the ascertained sum of 752 feet by 2, the quotient will be 376, which is a number exceeding 365 by 11: consequently, if we estimate their ancient cubit at 2 feet 7⁄10 of an inch, that measure will be ascertained, and found to approximate nearly to the longer Hebrew cubit; and so will the measures of the Pyramid be found to agree with the number of days in the solar year.—Dissertation upon the Pyramids.
[190] Then Major Fitzclarence, March 2, 1818.
[191] Asiatic Researches.
[192] Scientific Tourist through Ireland, p. 33.
[193] Usher’s Primord, c. xvii. p. 846.
[194] Journal, pp. 21, 23.