Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-09-03
Mystery Of tho Great Pyramid


For several thousand years the OBJ
ject for which the "Great Pyramid"
was. constructed was mystery to the
whole world, and many of the most
learned SduGnS have exhausted
surmise and speculation in their
truitless efforts to solve the riddle
A few years ago gentleman in Ions
don, Mr. Thomas Tay Tor, conceived
the idea that the structure was in
spired by Divine Providence to afford
the Egyptians standard for Their
aoetghtS and measures This theory
found but few prosely tes among
scientific men in Europe, but ianciful
and far fetched as it is, it has recently
found an advocate on this side Of the
water, in the person of Professor
Eaton, of New York, who read an
elaborate ESSAY on the subject the
other day before the University Con-
vocation At Albany. In support of
this view he said that the pyramid
was perfectly symmetrical, with five
SIDES and five angles. 1t Was origins
ally 762 feet on each side, and is now
the highest and largest building
erected by man. Sir Isaac Newton
had devoted his time aud labor in
snalyzing the ancient cubit, and
came to the conclusion that it WAS %
inches, and little more. The circle
which forms the correlative to the
pyramid, consists of 365l Of these
cubits, thus corresponding to the
year. The pyramid WAS made
plane to the meridian, without his
eroglpphics or secret inscriptions,
as all burial places of antiquity
did have which are found every
where else. The box which was
found in the centre of tho body has
bcen commonly supposed to be a sar.
cophagus, but there is no appearance
to bear this theory out. No process
sion of priests could enter, and it is
indeed difficult for any one. The
granite Of which portion Of the pyr>
amid is made is not found near at
hand, and indeed not closer than
Mount Sinai. The structure seems
to be built on the most correct prin>
ciples of geometry. 1t comedies in
pointing with the North Star, or that
star which, in the procession of the
equinoxes, 1000 years ago was the
North Star. Prof. Eaton then pros
ceeded to show that the temperature
of the central room was uniform
throughout, thus affording place for
keeping weights and measures; that
the box affords an exact liquid meas>
ure; that water was found in the
pyramid itself, thus giving pure ma
terial tor careful examination that
the opening in the pyramid looked
out on the lower elimination of the
North Star at the time of its erection,
and not the upper, because the plei-
AIDES would interfere with it's view
and that it is on the exact spot for
the purpose of taking astronomical
observations.
Thus far we have followed the
Professors remaks, but it is due to
truth that we should say the whole
matter looks marvellously like one of
the many self-delusions which scien-
tific men, from time to time, in all
ages, have shown themselves quite
apt to fall into, when they get utter
y enamored of pet subject. We
doubt if any one can produce a par
ticle of evidence to show that the
Egyptians of that day bad any
knowledge whatever of the influence
of temperature on their weights and
measures. Indeed, Professor Martin,
who was at the Albany University
Convoeation, SAID that be bad exam
ined Tsylor's theory, said it looked
to him as if the whole thing was
cooked up"