Weekly Minnesotian and times. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1859-1860, 1860-04-07

the destruction Of the Alexandrian library
signed to the flames, and aboce all. achen an
and in affected soisdons, point to these august
structures ofother days, and attribute to their
founders objects or motives incompatible with
true greatness, their efforts would have ceased,
their arms have been paralyzed; that library
would not have been created, or destroyed,
nor would the Pyramids (ohich ignorance has
concerted into tombs) have been reared. Can
we believe that polished people like the an
cient Egyptians, would become mere slaves,
laboring in the quarries, marshes, and upon
the plains, (or Herodotus tells us that one
hundred thousand men labored ten years to
construct q causeway across a marsh, over
which to convey the stones for one Of these
Pyramids) during the period of an entire gen.
Grafton, to fashion tomb or sarcophagus for
some real or unborn person ?-these struc-
lures were never reared by an ignorant peo-
pie; they are composed of massive stones the
removal of which defes the mechanic arts Of
our time. A serUile people were inadequdte,
and a free people superior to the task of rear
ing these monuments for any other than ma
tional objects. No one familiar with human
nature can believe that the ashes Of tyrant
could rest in a tomb builded by an enslaved
people the conduct of both slapes and freen,en
attest the business of this conclusion Yet in
an evil hour the spoilcr came, as he ever has,
and ever will come, led on and maddened by
ignorance and superstition, and darkness
reigned throughout all the land of Egypt"
A notice of the entire contents of the paper
before us, would extend this sketch beyond
the limits of newspaper article. We pass
over many heads of deep interest without
comment, among others, an account of the
voyages to this country, by Eric the Red, and
other Scandinavian navigators of the tenth
century, Of their settlement in Rhode Island,
and Massachusetts, &C., &c.
He contends that the Continent Of America
was visited by the ancients that this know.
ledge was for a time, like that of Herculaneum
and Pompeii, lost; that America was again
re discovered by the Scandinavians or North.
men, in the 10th century after Christ
In this view of the subject he is sustained
by the most learned Baron Alexander Won
Humboldt, whose word, like that of Cesars.
might "stand against the world" He says
I'VE must yet draw a strong line of sepa
ration between the u'sdoubted .tirst discovery
of America, in its northern portion by tho
North'men, and its re-discovery in its tropical
regions" America was
discovered in the year l 900, by Left, the son
of Eric the Red, by the northern route, and
as far as forty-one degrees and thirty minutes
north latitude" Zone
hundred and twenty-five years elapsed from
the first settlement Of the North.men in Ice
land to Leifs great discovery Of America"
But this is not the time to speak Of the dis
coveries in America anterior to Columbus.
The desire is to turn the eye Of the astrono-
mer of our time to the subject indicated by
| the heading to this notice.
1t is stated that in and upon the north side
Of one Of the Pyramids, and directly under
| the centre of its apex, and in line With its
shadow at high twelve" and ranging with
the polar star, is found groors or trellaoe in
the wall, and SO constructed that any ono may
be seated within and under !ts southern base.
and look through this groove, ranging several
hundred feet through the wall, and at mid.
day, and under the brightest rays Of an Egyp
| tian sun, view with ease and dlstinctnoss; the
polar star, thus forming gnomon. observato-
ry, telescope, and dial, that may hasv aided
| in fixing the Signs Of the Zodiac.
| 1t is worthy of note, that from the earliest
period down to the advent Of our Saviour.
"wise men came from tho East"
| Let us continue to look to 1.-The East the
place of light" that We may LEARN wisdom
from the past"