V. 
THE PYRAMIDS. 211 
all his attention'. The humblest pilgrim, pacing chap. 
the Libyan sands around them, while he is con- 
scious that he walks in the footsteps of so many 
mighty and renowned men, imagines himself to 
be for an instant admitted into their illustrious 
conclave. Persian satraps, Macedonian heroes, 
Grecian bards, sages, and historians, Roman 
warriors, all of every age, and nation, and reli- 
gion, have participated, in common with him, 
the same feelings, and have trodden the same 
ground. Every spot that he beholds, every 
stone on which he rests his weary limbs, have 
witnessed the coming of men who were the 
fathers of law, of literature, and of the arts. 
Orpheus, Musceus, Homer, Lycurgus, Solon, Pytha- 
goras, Plato, Plutarch, contributed by their pre- 
sence to the dignity of the place. Desolate 
and melancholy as the scene appears, no tra- 
veller leaves it without regret, and many a 
retrospect of objects which call to his mind such 
numerous examples of wisdom, of bravery, and 
of virtue. To this regret, on our part, was 
added the consciousness that v/e had now 
(1) " Caeteium Germanicus aliis quoque miraculis intendit animum, 
quorum pra?cipua fuere Mcmnonis saxea effigies, ubi radiis solis icta 
est, vocjilem sonum reddens : disjectasque inter et vix pervias arenas, 
instar montium eductae Pyramidi-s, certamine et opibus regum." 
Tacit. Annal. lib, u. e. 6. torn. I. p. 308. Paris, 1682. 
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