2[>2 On the Origin of Ike Pi/ramids of Egypt. 



3. That the present state of the prhicipal pyramid may pos- 

 s'lbh/ be owing to the circiunstunce related in their history^ 

 of the removal of Joseph's rehques from the Soros in which 

 they had been preserved. 



4. That from the records of Jewish and Egyptian historians^ 

 as well as from the traditions of the country, we may attri- 

 bute the origin of some of the pyramids to the Hebrews 

 themselves ; and may assign to others a period even more 

 remote than the age in which this people inhabited Egypt. 



Ill the principal point to be determined, namely, the use for 

 which these structures were erected by the ancients, there cannot 

 remain even the shadow of a doubt. That they were sepulchres 

 has been demonstrated beyond the )5ossibility of a contradiction ; 

 and in proving this all tlie best authorities have long concurred *. 

 In their whole extent from Djiza to Succara, the Pyramids, and 

 all their contiguous subterranean catacombs, constitute one vast 

 coemetery, belonging to the seat of the Memphian kings f, the 

 various parts of which were constructed in different periods of 

 time. Some learned writers however, as Shaw, and tlie author 

 of Philosophical Dissertations on the Egyptians and Chinese, have 

 exercised their erudition in attempting to prove that the Pyra- 

 mids were mythological repositories of Egyptian superstitions ; 

 and they have described the Soros, in direct opposition to Strabo, 

 either as a tomb of OsirisX> or as one of those k'kttoh Isgu) in 

 which the priests kept their sacred vestments §. Nor, perhaps^ 

 would these conjectures have appeared so visionarv, if those 

 distinguished writers had carried the investigation somewhat 

 further. If the connection between ancient Egvptian mvthology 

 and Jewish history had been duly traced, an evident analogy, 

 founded upon events which have reference to the earliest annals 

 of the Hebrews, might be made manifest. The subject, itself 

 sufficient to constitute a separate dissertation, would cause too 

 much digression ; although an endeavour may be made to con- 

 centrate some of its leading features within the compass of a 

 note||. The main object at present is to prove the intention 



for 



* See tlie authorities aiu} argiuncnts stated hj' Perizonius, c. xxi. p. 393. 

 ANo Grcavrs's PyramitlosMaplihi, p. 43 Lond. i646. 



f Tafm -riiv (iairiXiut (8Eral)(>ll. Gcog. lib. xvii. p. 1145. Ed. Oxon.) Ill 

 tin; thrcatciiings ricnounced against the Israelites (Ilosea ix. 6.) it is said. 



" iVlK,MPntS SHALL KIMIY THEM." 



I See Pauw oil the Kgvpt. and the Chinese, vol. ii. p. 48. Lond. 1793, 

 § SiC Shaw's Travel.'i, p. 37). London 1757. 



II Perhaps, with duo attention to facts collected from ancient and mo- 

 (iern writeis. tl'e wl ole connection niii^ht be traced between tlie history of. 

 Josepli, and the EgyfUian niytbolo;;y founded thereon. For this purpose 

 the reader may be. referred to all tliat Vossim has written upon the subject 

 (\id. lib. i. c;ip. '2'J. tuiu. i. p. ^liO. c/t Theulo^ia CentUi; Amst. 1613), who-, 



considers 



