{ 5^r ] 
And hence, in my Opinion, came the Origin of 
Obelisks in Egypt , which abounding with the fineft 
Quarries in the World, gave them an Opportunity of 
pitching Stones of the largeft Size over the Burial- 
places of their eminent Men. And you may obferve, 
that this Stone, of which you have the Plan marked 
(b), is fomewhat in the Form of an Obelisk ; being 
Ten Feet high, and Two Feet fquare at the Bottom, 
diminilhing gradually to a Point at the Top. 
It is remarkable, that fome of thefe Stones mani- 
fcftly appear to have been reduced to the Form they 
are in by Art; particularly that one laft-mentioned, 
as well as the one marked N. 7. which is reduced 
into an hexagonal Form, the inward and the outward 
Front being fimilar, with an Angle in the Middle, as 
reprefented in the Ground-plan. There is no Ap- 
pearance of any Mark of a Tool, fothat it is probable,, 
that this was done with great Labour, by the Affiftance 
only of lharp Stones ; which, before the Invention of 
Iron, or of that Metals being common, feems to have 
been the ufual Inftrument of Operation in other Cir- 
cumftanccs as well as this. For it is oblervedof Zip - 
porah , the Wile of Mofes, when fhewas ordered to cir- 
cumcile her Son, that fhe took a (harp Stone , and cut off 
the Foreskin of her Son (Ex. iv. 25.) And, when G o' d 
orders Jofoua to circumcife the Ifraelites , he fays, 
make thee (harp Knives , as wc tranllate it ; but, in the 
Original it is, Knives of (harp Stones (JoJh.v. 2, 3.). 
Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus both take notice, 
that it was the Cuilom among the antient Egyptians, 
at the time of embalming the Dead, to cut open the 
Body with an Ethiopic Stone {Herod. Euterp . 
Hiod. Lib. I. c~ 5 -) : End Ovid } in deferibing the 
Origin; 
