OF THE GREAT PYRAMID. 679 



the abstract circular analogy, or Mr Taylor's first proposition, — an angle C 30° must 

 come out very like what we have educed : no matter in what Latitude soever of 

 the earth such a Pyramid were planted down. 



That is quite true : but then, on the other hand, we are assured by the observa- 

 tions of the French Academicians, for the azimuth of the sides of the Pyramid, 

 and which they found under 20' of error, — that astronomy had a most im- 

 portant share in the foundation of this Pyramid : and therefore, when we find 

 appended to the above-mentioned construction-angle of 29° 59' 59*2" a certain 

 other angle of 26° 18', which astronomers have already proved before the world, 

 to have been intended for the lower culmination of the Pole star of the Pyramid- 

 building period, — there seems hardly anything else that we may conclude, except 

 that the first angle is astronomical also, and represents the latitude at the time. 



For the mere purpose of checking a determination of the terrestrial polar 

 compression, the difference of 53", or less, in the ancient and modern latitude is 

 of no great importance. But is that difference explainable by a slow change of 

 the latitude of places on the earth, insensible from year to year, though notable 

 in 4000 years ? Perhaps it is so ; for the latitude of Greenwich has been similarly 

 decreasing under its three last Astronomers-Royal, to the extent of almost 2" in 

 100 years ; partly from other known or suspected causes, but not entirely. 



It may again be objected, that if the latitude of the Pyramid is to be typi- 

 fied, as above, in the proportions of certain of its parts, — there is only one parallel 

 of latitude, where such a Pyramid could be set up, and preserve alike both its 

 geometric truth, and its astronomical and geographical indications. 



To this, we may say, that the remark is perfectly just, and will prevent other 

 Pyramids in Northern or Southern countries ever competing with the scientific 

 importance, and fullness of meaning of the Great Pyramid ; while if, as we may 

 be presently able to show, the founders of the Great Pyramid were not native 

 Egyptians, but came into Egypt from a country in another latitude, and went 

 back to it again after finishing the Great Pyramid in Egypt, but built no similar 

 Pyramids in their own country, it would almost appear that they understood 

 the weight of the modern objection to any other parallel of latitude than that 

 which they employed, and even went out of their way to seek. 



In the meantime, we merely conclude this section with a few of Col. Howard 

 Vyse's measures of the Pyramid, to check his drawing, or rather our small repro- 

 duction of it, before going forward to some more important consequences. 



Approximate Pyramid Dimensions. By Col. Howard Vyse, 1839. 



Inches. 



9168 



Present base, 746 8952 



Present height, vertical, ...... 450 9' 5409 



Perpendicular height from base to bottom of entrance, . 49 588 



Distance of centre of the entrance, eastward from centre of 



Feet. Inches. 



Former base, 764 



746 



450 9' 



49 



Pyramid, . . . ... , . . } ^4 6 ' 294 



VOL. XXIII. PART III. 8 U 



