Ohfervations in Egypt. 4.IJ' 



there being alfo a large Space left on each Side of it, by dif- 

 continuing feveral of the parallel Rows of Steps, which, in other 

 Places, run quite round the Tyram'id ; theie Circumftances, I 

 fay, in the Architedure of this Building, feem to point out 

 to us feme further Defign, and that originally there might 

 have been intended a larse and magnificent Tortico. Neither γα^ ^ιφ to 



^ *=* be filled up 



were the Steps or little altars, as HerodotiM ' calls them, tow./piifma- 

 remain in the fame Condition they have been in from the earli- 

 eft Records of Time. For thefe were all of them to be filled 

 up, in fuch a Manner, with prifmatical Stones, that each Side 

 of the Tyramid, as in That of Οββίίίό at Rome, was to be 

 fmooth and upon a Plane. Now nothing of this Kind appears to 

 have been ever attempted in the leiTer or greater of thefe 

 Tyramidsy (the latter of which wants likcwife a great Part of 

 the Point, where this filling up was probably to commence;) 

 but in the fecond, commonly called CJjephreness Tyram'id, which 

 may hint to us what was intended in them all, we fee near a 

 Quarter of the whole Pile, very beautifully filled up, and end- 

 ing, at the Top, like the Point of a Diamond. Thefe Stones, 

 agreeable perhaps to the Depth of the Strata from whence 

 they were hewn, are from five to thirty Foot 'long; and from 

 three to four Foot high. Yet, notwithftanding the Weight 

 and Maflinefs of the greateft Part of them, they have all been 

 laid in Mortar, which, at prefent, is eafily crumbled to Pow- 

 der, though originally perhaps it might be of greaterTenacity, as 

 the Compofition of it feems to be the fame with That oiBarhary ?. 



The Antients^ inform us, that the Stones of the TyramidsThe pyrami- 

 were brought from the Mountains oi yirabia. Yet, notwith- tlJiT/rm 

 ftanding the great Extravagance and furprizing Undertakings ^^' TrJan" 

 of the Egypian Kings, it doth not feem probable, that they ^^''■'■"^'''"■'• 

 would have been at the vaft Labour and Expence of bringing 

 Materials from fo great a Diftance, when they might have 

 been fupplyed from thofe very Places , where they were to 

 employ them. Now the Stone which makes the Bulk and 



Eut. 5• i2y• '-• - 



tuf «μίνων Kg]' imr>s{ <η( y^efvif. Diod, Sic. 1. I p, 40. Pjramis impViiTima ex JraHcis hpidicinis 

 conftar. Plvi. 1.^6. cap. 12, 



Μ m m m m X Outfide 



