iSz The Great Pyramid iit Egypt. [April, 



least an undistinguished extension towards the north of 

 that flattened area of worked rock surface on which the 

 Pyramid immediately stood. 



An extension, however, that was in so far decidedly the 

 right thing in the right place ; for, so close is the Great 

 Pyramid to the northern brink of the hill, as almost to 

 threaten danger to its foundations on that side. A safer 

 site might have been found further south and west on the 

 same hill, or on the southern one, or on the so-called 

 Arabian hill on the eastern side of the Nile, — whence, too, 

 the builders had, even as it was, to derive all their best 

 qualities of stone for facing the outside of the Pyramid and 

 lining its interior passages. But they preferred that spot, 

 whereon the Great Pyramid now stands, with its one only 

 passage of communication with the exterior air looking 

 right away northward from the very brink of the cliff, 

 without any interruption, over the fertile delta land of 

 Lower Egypt. 



Now this opportunity of free and open view in that direc- 

 tion would not have been commanded from any of those 

 other sites ; and the Great Pyramid has wholly, if not in a 

 manner visibly, arrogated this particular and unique site to 

 itself after a most remarkable fashion. For all the other 

 pyramids of Egypt are, by their places, kept away south- 

 ward of it, or behind it, in its lee as it were, forming a ruck 

 of lame and impotent ones ; or a servile suite of attendants 

 waiting silently on their Lord, while he advances in calm 

 and single majesty to indulge in his own thoughts as he 

 gazes northward from the end of the high rock, where it 

 looks down into, upon, and over the river-formed and 

 populous, triangular plain. One unfortunate, ill-omened, 

 pyramid was indeed begun in advance of the imperial 

 monument of the land, or about six miles to the N.N.W. 

 at a place now called Aboo-Roash. But never did exception 

 better prove a rule ; for that pyramid has remained ever 

 since miserably unfinished ; and, whatever the reason was, 

 all men may go to the place now, — trace by the large ground 

 plan, and steep angle, the ambition of the design, — but on 

 looking at the few feet of height accomplished, and the 

 small portion of building material lying about, they may say 

 with supreme significance, and with as much certainty as 

 though they had been eye-witnesses of what took place 4000 

 years ago, " This man began to build and was not able to 

 finish." 



Thus much any one can see for himself with his own natural 



