1871J The Great Pyramid of Egypt. 29 



pyramids ; of which it is now an old remark that " every- 

 thing else fears time, but time fears the pyramids." 



Let us come to close quarters, then, with these Egypto- 

 logists, and on their own Egyptological grounds. What they 

 say about Egyptians in general, and their terrific and 

 undying propensities for lasting tombs, is perfectly true ; 

 but there are certain turning points in the modern Egypto- 

 logical doctrine where the pundits thereof are exceedingly 

 hazy, and yet these are the very corners at which clear 

 light is needed to explain the Great Pyramid. 



Thus, why the form of a square-based pyramid, such as 

 the Egyptian (the subsequent Greek pyramids were triangular 

 based), was first chosen for a tomb, the hierologists do not 

 say a word upon ; though they are eloquent enough on the 

 form having been enthusiastically used by the Lower 

 Egyptians for tombs, after its shape had once been invented 

 and practically exemplified amongst them. They also 

 agree that pyramid building for king's tombs went on only 

 during the early dynasties of the " Old Empire " — the 

 dynasties of the pyramid builders as they are often 

 called — and that it was replaced long before the culminating 

 period in population, power, and wealth of the Egyptian 

 monarchy by a totally different method ; viz., by the sub- 

 sequent kings excavating their tombs in the gorges of rocky 

 hills, as in the now well-known valley of the tombs of the 

 kings at Thebes. 



" Why, then," I asked recently of a most astute Egypto- 

 logist, "why did pyramid building cease so early in the 

 history of ancient Egypt; in fact, before the nation had 

 arrived at its full maturity?" 



"Ah!" said the semi-Coptic philosopher, with a deep- 

 drawn sigh, " men began to be frightened at the facility with 

 which the pyramids were broken into, and their contained 

 mummies extracted or destroyed." 



A rather clever suggestion was this, but not altogether 

 sufficient ; because, although there are evidences that the 

 pyramids were broken into during days of Egyptian civilisa- 

 tion, still there is no document in existence showing that 

 that violation took place so early as the close of the 

 Pyramid builders' era. In fact, the suspicion is with many 

 persons that the violence was done a thousand years after- 

 wards ; and, if not by orders of Cambyses, by some of the 

 same Ethiopian fanatics shortly before his period, who also 

 broke open the valley tombs of the kings at Thebes, and 

 robbed them of all their Royal remains just as completely as 

 the Pyramids are found to have been likewise harried. 



