LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC. 297 



The pyramidal temples of Hindostan present a greater resemblance, and the 

 pyramids of the Mexican empire, those of Cholula, Papantla, and Teotuiachan, 

 present such striking analogies, and bear so much upon the last question, that I am 

 induced to offer some brief remarks. The pyramids of Teotuiachan are situated in 

 the valley of Mexico, about eight leagues N. E. of the capital. They are placed 

 due cardinal points — two are of considerable size : Toniteuh, dedicated to the sun, 

 has a base of 682 feet, the height under 200 — and Meztli, of smaller dimensions, 

 is dedicated to the moon. They are approached through long avenues of small 

 pyramids, placed in lines N. to S. — E. to W., and occupy a plain called Micoath, 

 road of the dead. The smaller ones are said to be the burial places of the chiefs. 

 Similar tombs occur round the base of the great pyramid of Egypt — the two larger 

 ones differing about the same in size — they are four square, facing the cardinal 

 points, are subdivided into steps, the edges of which are in many places evident — 

 they are said to be hollow, to contain treasure, and to have been used for the pur- 

 pose of interment. I observed, at about the same relative point of elevation on the 

 N. side, an opening witli a sloping passage, similar to that in the great pyramid. 

 The Alcalde who accompanied my friend and self was little disposed to allow of our 

 taking any admeasurement, and hardly were we allowed to remain at the base or on 

 the sides. Not far from this to the south stands the pyramid of Papantla, of hewn 

 stone, and covered with niches and hieroglyphics — that, however, of Cholula is the 

 most ancient. It stands near to the city of Puebla, about ten miles to the east, and 

 is called at this day 'Monte hecho a manos,' the mountain made by hands; it is 

 terraced, and placed exactly to face the cardinal points— the base is nearly double 

 that of the great pyramid, being 1423 feet; its height very inconsiderable — 177 feet. 

 This building has been proved to possess chambers, and to have served the purpose 

 of interment ; it was anciently called Tlalchihualtepce (mountain of unbaked brick), 

 and is reported to have been dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, God of Air. He dwelt with 

 these people, supposed the Olmecks, twenty years, which time the pyramid was said 

 to have consumed in erecting — the same is related of Chaeops. This Quetzalcoatl 

 taught the inhabitants the science of astronomy, the intercalation of time, the re- 

 cording of events. There is a tradition that goes still further, and says it was the 

 work of Xelhua, one of the giants, who built this mountain to represent Tlaloe, in 

 which seven people were preserved from the general inundation. To commemorate 

 this event may we not suppose that a like tradition existed in Egypt, else why 

 should the children of Israel have evinced fear on crossing the Jordan, stating they 

 had seen the buildings of the sons of Anak, of whom they could only have heard in 

 Egypt? 



" Pyramidical buildings are not confined to Egypt — there are Chinese, Hindoos, 

 Mexican, and other nations, all people of the highest antiquity, all famed for the 

 recording of events and the cultivation of astronomy, each possessing pyramids, 

 the history of which is involved in mystery, but each having ends in common- 

 record, religion, sepulture. 



" Thirdly. Is there, then, any circumstance, traditional or recorded, that could 

 have led to the peculiar form of erection, their character being too arbitrary an.l 

 their resemblance too uniform to have been the result of chance ? The earliest 

 settlement of the postdiluvian world was marked by the erection of a high place 

 which all commentators agree to have been of the pyramidical form, ' Go to, let us 

 build us a city and a tower whose top shall reach to heaven, and let us make to 

 ourselves a name.' The word sem (rendered name) used by the sacred writers 

 signifies sign (Greek (noytta, latin signum). Engaged in this work mankind was 

 scattered over the face of the whole earth, carrying with them a recollection of their 

 employment, migrating under the sons of the patriarch. With their numbers, 

 their pride increased, causing them to forget their divine protection. The sons of 

 Shem in their earliest settlements in the east erected monuments recording their 

 arrival, or by observation marking the time of their dispersion : the sons of Japhet, 

 prompted by similar feelings, and having in recollection the same event, followed 

 the like idolatrous example in the north and west. The sons of Ham, under 

 Misriam, the founder of Egypt, and a name by which Egypt is still called, famed 

 from the earliest time for their wisdom, to surpass which was the pride of Solomon, 

 ever profuse of labour and lavish of expence, with conceptions engendered in 

 mystery and heightened by the character of their religion, taking magnitude and 

 durability for their model?, surpassed their brethren in this the transmission of their 



