RECENT MEASURES AT THE GREAT PYRAMID. 



403 



have the cubit of the Nilometer ; an accidental length of trifling character, and 

 incommensurable evenly with anything noble under the sun ; but for the linear 

 standard of the Great Pyramid, you have no less precise or suggestive a quantity 

 than one ten-millionth of the earth's radius of rotation. 



At the other end, — in the star Sirius, Soth or Sothis, the Great dog-star, which 

 the Egyptians voluntarily, even obstinately selected out of all the host of heaven 

 to identify the history of their country with, — modern astronomy shows, that 

 what with its very large amount of proper motion, historical change of that 

 proper motion, and orbital movements round some dark body unknown, they 

 could not have picked out for long chronological referring purposes a more inac- 

 curate or unsatisfactory star. 



But in the star, or star-group of reference chosen for the Great Pyramid, viz., 

 the Pleiades, though not the brightest and most glaring in the sky, yet is it a group, 

 (as particularly shown by the extensive researches of Mr R. G. Haliburton of 

 Halifax, Nova Scotia),* connected of old by all primeval nations and primitive 

 tribes of men with " sweet influences," and with deeply wise traditions too, 

 dating from as early and mysterious an origin, as human language itself ; while 

 by the latest advances of modern physical astronomy this favoured Pleiades group 

 is supposed to contain the orb, which is the central orb, of all the sidereal globes. 



APPENDIX I. 



The numerical observations so very shortly alluded to in the foregoing Address, 

 occupy in MS., as prepared for intended future publication, rather more 

 than 300 pages, and are distributed in subject, thus : — 



Part A. — Linear Measures. 



Introduction, ... 



Entrance Passage of Great Pyramid, 



First Ascending Passage, 



Horizontal Passage and Queen's Chamber 



Grand Gallery, 



Antechamber, 



Kings Chamber, 



The Coffer, 



Azimuth Trenches, 



Height and Breadth of Base of Great Pyramid, 



1 to 



5 



6 



39 



40 



51 



52 



65 



66 



94 



95 



106 



107 



120 



121 



131 



132 



135 



136 



145 



* " New Materials for the History of Man, derived from a Comparison of the Calendars and 

 Festivals of Nations," by R G. Haliburton, F.S.A., Halifax, Nova Scotia. 1863. Printed 

 privately. 



