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that there were now upwards of two hundred millions of the embalmed bodies of the old Egyptians in the Catacomb's of Egypt.

SPHYNX.-The great Sphynx of Egypt laid partly buried in sand at the base of the Pyramids. This em blematic figure was common in Egypt; the sphynx being composed of the body of a lion and the bust of a virgin. The ancient Egyptians adored the Nile, and the learned men were consulted to design an emblem of this noble river and as the inundation of the Nile took place when the sun was passing out of Leo into Virgo, the Sphynx was devised as emblematic of the inundation of the Nile. The size of the great Sphynx was enormous-it being 160 feet in length on the back, and 30 feet from the top of the forehead to the chin; its eye was a little cavern, and its under lip appeared like a spacious shelf, on which a person might lay at length. The feet, with the claws, projected 52 feet and the whole length of the Sphynx was about 200 feet. In addition to its vast size, the scale of its proportions had been very much admired; but its face had been much mutilated by the Arabs, and consequently had lost all the beauty which, according to history, it originally possessed.

LABYRINTH.-The Egyptian Labyrinth was a wonderful work of art, which was thought to have been the model of the famous Labyrinth of Crete. It was composed, according to Herodotus, of twelve courts, all of which were covered; their entrances were opposite to each other, six to the north and six to the south. One wall enclosed the whole. The apartments were of two kinds 1500 above the surface of the ground, and as many beneath in all 3000. The ceilings and walls were all of marble, the latter richly adorned with the finest sculpture; around each court were pillars of the whitest and most polished marble. At the point where the labyrinth terminates, stands a pyramid 160 cubits high, having large figures of animals engraved on its outside, and the entrance to it is by a subterraneous path.

There was little doubt that for whatever purpose the Labyrinth was built, it was subsequently used for initiating the Egyptian priest into the rites and mysteries and

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impostures of their religion. Before any candidates were admitted to the priesthood, their resolution and fortitude were put to severe tests - -as would be fully seen in "The Epicurean, a work by Thomas Moore, in which a detailed and accurate description was given of these initiations. [Mr. Buckingham's Lectures on Egypt.]

THE LAKE OF MŒRIS.

The noblest and most wonderful of all the structures or works of the kings of Egypt, was the lake of Moris: accordingly, Herodotus considers it as vastly superior to the pyramids and labyrinth. As Egypt was more or less fruitful in proportion to the inundations of the Nile; and as in these floods the too general flow or ebb of the waters were equally fatal to the lands; king Maris, to prevent these inconveniencies, and correct, as far as lay in his power, the irregularities of the Nile, thought proper to call art to the assistance of nature; and so caused the lake to be dug, which afterwards went by his name. This lake was about three thousand six hundred stadia, that is, one hundred and eighty French leagues in circuit, and three hundred feet deep. Two pyramids, on each of which stood a colossal statue, seated on a throne, raised their heads to the height of three hundred feet, in the midst of the lake, whilst their foundations took up the same space under the water; a proof that they were erected before the cavity was filled, and a demonstration that a lake of such vast extent was the work of man's hands, in one prince's reign. This is what several historians have related concerning the lake Maris, on the testimony of the inhabitants of the country. And the Bishop of Meaux, in his discourse on Universal History, relates the whole as fact. With regard to myself, I will confess, that I do not see the least probability in it. Is it possible to conceive, that a lake of an hundred and eighty leagues in circumference, could have been dug in the reign of one prince? In what manner, and where, could the earth taken from it be conveyed? What should prompt the Egyptians to lose the surface of so much land? By what arts could they fill this vast tract with the superfluous waters of the

Nile? Many other objections might be made. In my opinion, therefore, we ought to follow Pomponius Mela, an ancient geographer; especially as his account is confirmed by several modern travellers. According to that author, this lake is but twenty thousand paces, that is, seven or eight French leagues in circumference. Maris aliquando campus, nunc lacus, viginti millia passuum in circuitu patens.

This lake had a communication with the Nile, by a great canal, four leagues long, and fifty feet broad.Great sluices either opened or shut the canal and lake, as there was occasion.

The charge of opening or shutting them amounted to fifty talents, that is, fifty thousand French crowns.The fishing of this lake brought the monarch immense sums; but its chief use related to the overflowing of the Nile. When it rose too high, and was like to be attended with fatal consequences, the sluices were opened; and the waters, having a free passage into the lake, covered the lands no longer than was necessary to enrich them.— On the contrary, when the inundation was too low, and threatened a famine, a sufficient quantity of water, by the help of drains, was let out of the lake, to water the lands. In this manner the irregularities of the Nile were corrected; and Strabo remarks, that, in his time, under Petronius, a governor of Egypt, when the inundation of the Nile was twelve cubits, a great plenty ensued; and even when it rose but to eight cubits, the dearth was scarce felt in the country; doubtless, because the waters of the lake made up for those of the inundation, by the help of canals and drains.

The lake Maris-an immense reservoir, of artificial construction-which was designed and executed when the twelve kings reigned over the twelve several districts called Nomes. During a period of profound peace, a Congress was held, in which they deliberated on the means of erecting a public monument, which should not only redound to their own glory, but subserve the interests of the great body of the Egyptian people. For this purpose, they concluded to construct the Lake Maris, to assist in irrigating the country, and to remedy the evils caused by the inequality in the inundations of the

Nile. This lake was constructed on the Lybian side; and canals were cut to convey the waters to and from that great river, and by this means the soil could always be overflowed whenever the Nile did not rise as high as it was wont. This important work was planned with much care and calculation. To be of great service it was necessary that it should be of vast extent; and accordingly it was the most stupendous work ever undertaken by the hand of man-being, according to Diodorus Siculus, 420 miles in circumference-according to Strabo, 450-and according to Herodotus, 500! It was situated about 350 miles from the sea, and 10 miles from the banks of the Nile-being nearly in the centre of Egypt.

In order to convey to posterity the fact that this immense lake was constructed by the. hand of man, two pyramids were erected within it, each of 400 cubits in height, one half of each being submerged in the water, and the other half rising above the surface. As these pyramids must have been built before the waters were let into the lake, they afford conclusive proof that it was of artificial construction. It was calculated that the fertility of Egypt was increased one-fourth by means of this wonderful artificial lake, and thus amply repaid the expenses of its construction.

It was supposed that the vast quantity of soil which must have been removed in order to form the lake, was used to construct the banks of the lake and the embankments of the canals, and the remainder was conveyed to the Nile, and swept away by the currents towards the ocean, and probably assisted in forming the Delta. The Lake is now diminished in size, being only about 150 miles in circumference, and is gradually diminishing.

Near to the shore of Lake Mderis stood a pyramid, built of brick, on which was an inscription implying that it was constructed of the earth taken from the lake. It was in a very dilapidated state, and the pyramids in the centre of the lake were nearly destroyed by the combined action of the water and air.

Mr. Buckingham described a light house which stood in "olden time" on the river of the Nile.

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TEMPLES OF EGYPT.

All the Egyptian temples have two massive towers in front standing as it were an advanced guard — built in the form of a semi-pyramid, and supporting an immense gateway. The famous temple of Tentyra, of exceeding beauty, was dedicated to Isis. Its architecture was peculiar, the massive capitals having on each side a face of Isis. This temple was not large, compared with many of the temples in Egypt, but was about double the size of the largest cathedrals in England, being 400 feet long, 200 broad, and 60 or 70 high. Its portico was very remarkable, it being carved with hieroglyphics and figures of the Egyptian deities, and bearing on the surface of one of the pillars a representation of the zodiac and the celestial hemisphere. This was regarded with much interest by the French savans, who thought that a clue could thus be obtained to the Egyptian records of the age of the world. It was copied, and sent to various scientific societies. But the learned expositors of this zodiac, interpreted the hieroglyphics differently, in order to support the particular theory of each individual, and hence this curious zodiac threw no light on the age of the world. This zodiac has since been removed, and is now in the Louvre at Paris.

The Egyptian Temple of Hermopolis, the body of which was in ruins, but the portico remains entire, strikes the stranger not only with admiration, but with awe. The massiveness of the pillars, the high and overhanging cornice, the mysterious hieroglyphics, all combine to produce a feeling of intense veneration and sublimity.

The Temple of Apollinopolis is on the bank of the Nile, and is remarkable for its great size. It has two massive towers in front-standing as it were an advanced guard built in the form of a semi-pyramid, and supporting an immense gateway. On the summit of the gateway which connects the two towers of the temple of Apollinopolis they were constructed a very elevated spot. The temple of Apollinopolis is 2,000 feet long-500 feet broad, and the walls are covered on every part with the most perfect specimens of sculpture. The pillars of the

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