( 177 ) [April, 



IV. THE GREAT PYRAMID IN EGYPT, 



FROM A MODERN SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW. 



By C. Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland. 



(Continued from page 35.) 



Part II. 



Collecting Observations on the Present, from which to Deduce the 

 Past, Phenomena of Appearance and Fact. 



I. Principles of Observing. 

 ^\rOT"HAT a relief is it always to the over-strained soul of 

 ^SftSP man, — after being driven to and fro between the 

 storms and counterblasts of opposing theories of 

 causation, on subjects, too, where mere theories of the 

 present day can avail but little, — when the appeal to observa- 

 tion begins ! That is, at least, if the appeal be conducted 

 more or less, and mutatis mutandis, on the same observing 

 principles which are now so well followed out in most 

 astronomical observatories. 



I mention them so prominently here, because nowhere 

 else, perhaps, among all the sciences, is the arena of pure 

 and direct observation so far removed from that of theore- 

 tical investigation, in all that concerns its time, place, 

 manner, means, and often the men to be employed. On all 

 which accounts, as well as for the never ending multiplicity 

 of things to be observed, and the readiness with which the 

 apparent phenomena lend themselves as so many convenient 

 hooks whereon the observer may at once hang and duly 

 arrange all the numerical measures that he can ever make, a 

 different world of thought and exertion is opened up for a 

 time to the earnest student. 



A world, too, where such person may safely let every 

 regard for the ultimate conclusions which may be educed 

 from all his present work remain in perfect rest, while he 

 attends, not only to procuring the data of observation, but 

 indelibly recording them also; with full accompaniments, too, 

 as to their limits of probable error, from whatever cause 

 arising. Above everything, moreover, endeavouring to free 

 himself from past prejudices dependent on mere opinion ; 

 while seeking rather to cultivate a teachable, inquiring, 

 learning frame of mind, as well as sufficient of the spirit of 

 humility to perceive, that though we may be able to stand 

 so easily on the dead of ages ago, it is a lion dead that we are 



VOL. VIII. (O.S.) — VOL. I. (N.S.) 2 A 



