ON THE ARCH. 3 



confirmed by the absence of any other arch in the pyramid above 

 alluded to, or in others of those wonderful structures wherein, 

 at this period of time, it is clearly demonstrable that the 

 chambers were not coved or vaulted, but were formed by stones 

 projecting inwards, as the wall increased in height, and thus 

 gradually sloping until the sides approaching each other, the 

 roof was completed by cross stones. This will be seen more at 

 large by reference to Norden's Travels in Egypt. The internal 

 structure of the pyramid of Sakhara, which has been deemed an 

 authority for the antiquity of the arch, is shewn by Mr. Burck- 

 hardt to have a roof of two plain surfaces, meeting at a point. 

 The same principle of building by walls sloping inwards appears 

 to have been applied to ancient bridges, and, judging from the re- 

 maining ruins, modern travellers have concluded that a similar plan 

 was used in the erection of some of the stupendous structures which 

 formed the once celebrated Babylon. How strongly is the view 

 here taken, that the arch was unknown, antecedent to and during 

 the time of Pericles, confirmed by the fact that the Greeks had 

 not then a word descriptive of that order. It has been asserted 

 by Mons. Dutens, in his work " Recherches an le tems le plus 

 recule des I'usage des Vontes chez les Anciens," that Aristotle 

 applied the word >^ccXis to the expression of that figure. Had 

 there been any Greek word in general use at that period, the 

 Seventy must have known it, nor would they have used toeov to 

 describe the rainbow. Supposing Aristotle was in possession of 

 so much geometrical knowledge, a fact much doubted, let it not 

 escape our recollection that he lived one hundred years after 

 Pericles, the patron of the arts, and under whose sway Athens 

 was ornamented with the greater part of its public buildings, and 

 by whom others raised before his time were repaired and im- 

 proved. But even if Aristotle discovered the principle of the 

 arch, it by no means follows that it was applied in his day any 

 more than gunpowder was used in that of Friar Bacon, who 

 fully understood its power, or than steam in that of the celebrated 

 Marquess of Worcester, who foresaw its extraordinary properties ; 

 and we know that neither were applied until long after the 

 decease of their respective discoverers. By pursuing this subject 

 further at present, I shall intrude too much upon your space ; I 

 will therefore take my leave with requesting permission to resume 

 it in a future number, when I will endeavour to shew when the 

 arch was first used. 



I am. Sir, 



Yours, very respecfully, 

 R. F. 



