Although Alexandria was built for the accommoda tion of trade, and became the emporium of foreign merchandise ; yet it also became the residence of kings, and flourished with grandeur and the arts ; and now, in its forlorn condition, it exhibits many curious re mains, which command our reverence, while they ex cite our regret. The ancient Pharos was a superb building, worthy of kings, but it has long ago been ut terly destroyed; and the present Pharos is an inferior fortification, at the end of a causeway projecting into the sea. Upon the shore, to the eastward of this tower, are two obelisks, or Cleopatra's needles, above 70 feet high ; one of them continues erect upon its basis, while the other has been overthrown, and was partly sunk in the sand, till Lord Cavan, after the British victories, had it raised from the earth, with the view of transport ing it to London. Not being able to have his design accomplished, he deposited various specimens of British and Turkish coins in the hole of the pedestal, where the shaft had been inserted, and covered them with a marble slab, upon which was inscribed an account of the British exploits in subduing the French and reco vering Egypt for the Grand Signior. These obelisks are inscribed with hieroglyphics, which might assign them a very ancient origin ; but it is impossible to termine whether they have a just to such an tiquity, or whether they were constructed to adorn the royal buildings of the Ptolemies, and afterwards dedi cated to Cleopatra. As to the hieroglyphical figures, they may only have been imitations, and performed with the view of giving the obelisks an air of antiquity. But to whatsoever age these or other obelisks of Egypt may have belonged, it will continue to be a matter of .astonishment, how such vast pillars were hewn out of the rock, conveyed to their place of destination, in those times of little knowledge in mechanics, how they were elevated, and placed securely in an erect alti tude.
Nearly on a line with Pharos, without the walls of ancient Alexandria, and not far from the lake Mareotis, is the magnificent pillar of Pompey. Its height is about 90 feet, whereof the pedestal is 10, the base above 5, the shaft rather more than 63, and the capital com pletes the rest of the measurement. Its principal parts are of the Corinthian order, though the proportions and ornaments are of a mixed species. This superb monu ment has been ascribed to Ptolemy Philadelphus, in memory of his beloved Queen Arsinoe ; and others have assigned it to Ptolemy Euergetes. A few have sup posed, that it was erected for the Emperor Adrian or Severus, while the power of Rome prevailed in Egypt; but the Greek inscription upon the column dedicates it to the Emperor Dioclesian, under the government cf Pontius, the prefect of the country. Ignorance might ascribe its origin to different persons of note, and flattery might dedicate the building to persons of influence or authoOty, in the same manner as Sonnini indulged ad hope, that the pillar in question might in time be deno minated the pillar of the French. But why should net the name lead us to the founder ? It is called the pillar of Pompey, and might be erected to his memory ; for WC. know that Caesar not only lamented his death, but or dained honours to his memory, and, by the assistance of Cleopatra, his favourite, he might easily accomplish the thing which he desired, although expensive and superb. But Dr White of Oxford supposes, that it was original ly connected with the temple of the god Serapis; and it: his conjecture be true, its erection must have been in the time of the Ptolemies, and it might afterwards be named in honour of Pompey; and his head, which was presented to Cxsar, might be deposited there, and the building afterwards held sacred to his name.
The vaults in Alexandria are monuments of ancient designs for public convenience. The celebrated well of Joseph, at Grand Cairo, is of the same description ; and the mikkeas at Roda, for measuring the risings of the Nile, is a building of considerable elegance, and a rem nant of the Saracen grandeur.
The pyramids of Egypt have been more taken notice of than any other ancient monuments of that country. Of the various pyramids of Giza, on the Lybian side of the bill, and nearly opposite to Grand Cairo, there are three, which, for their size and notoriety, more especial ly demand our attention. The height of the highest has been differently represented, and owing to incorrectness, or different standards of measure, it has been stated at all the gradations from about eight hundred to five hun dred feet. But perhaps the height cf the three greatest pyramids may be stated in the following manner:—the first at 477 feet high, founded by Cheops ; the second at 428 feet, ascribed to Chefrenes; and the third, which Miserinus is supposed to have built, is about 160 feet high. St Peter's church at Rome is 437 feet high, and therefore is 40 feet lower than the highest pyramid of Memphis. St Paul's, in London, is 344 feet in height, and consequently is 133 feet lower than the first pyra mid, and 93 feet lower than St Peter's church at Rome. The stones of the pyramids are shaped in the form of prisms, and there are various passages and chain, hers within ; at least such have been found in the largest one at Giza.
Farther to the south there are other pyramids, which ;,hoot far into the deserts of Lybia, and are generally called the pyramids of Saccara. These erections appear to be more ancient than those about Giza. They are less perfect, and sonic of them arc formed of unburned bricks. The most ancient bricks of Egypt were only dried by the heat of the sun ; and that they might stick more closely together, the clay was mixed with chopped straw; and hence the Israelites, while in slavery in Egypt, made use of straw in making bricks. There are also pyramids in India, and one at Benares is form ed of earth and covered with bricks. A pyramid at Mediln, in Egypt, is formed of different stories, every one less than another, as it rises in height ; and in this manner, it is said that the followers of Buddha construct ed their pyramids in India. Such was the form also of the tower of Babel. The antiquity of the pyramids is not easily ascertained, and Diodorus Siculus says, that in his time some of them were 1000 and others 3400 years old. Neither are men agreed in their conjectures about the original design for which the pyramids were built. The greater number are of opinion, that they were erected for the tombs of kings and conquerors, which should hand down their memory to the latest posterity, and preserve their remains inviolate. Others have imagined, that they were meant for altars of the gods, and that their tapering form was in imitation of flame, as the Persians and other nations worshipped fire. It is well known, that the Brah mins consider them as connected with religious ceremo nies. While otheis imagine that they were constructed as a permanent memorial of the proper length of the cu bit, of which it is said, that all their dimensions contain a certain number of multiples. But one thing is certain, that they were constructed on scientifical principles, and give evidence of a certain progress in astronomy ; for their sides arc accurately adapted to the four cardi nal points.