BY THE SAME AUTHOR. The Tasmanian Lily. With Frontispiece. Crown Svo. Cloth, price 5s. Mike Howe, the Bushranger of Van Diemen's Land. With Frontispiece. Crown 8vo. Cloth, price 58. Preparing for Early Publication: The Religion and Learning of the Ancient Egyptians. C. KEGAN PAUL & Co., LONDON. PYRAMID FACTS AND FANCIES. BY JAMES BONWICK, F.R.G.S. 66 AUTHOR OF THE TASMANIAN LILY," THE DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT OF PORT PHILLIP," ETC. C. KEGAN PAUL & Co., 1, PATERNOSTER Square. R. CLAY, SONS, AND TAYLOR, BREAD STREET HILL, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET. [The Rights of Translation and of Reproduction are reserved.] PREFACE. LONG interested as I had been in the Great Pyramid, the reading of recent pyramid literature in the free and sunny land of Australia quickened my desire to explore the building itself. A sojourn by the Nile, and subsequent study, led me to use my pen. With so many books on Egypt already published, the only apology for my authorship is that no small work of condensed information upon pyramids has yet appeared. To Prof. Piazzi Smyth belongs the honour of popularising the pyramid. Although failing to receive his theories, I respect his learning, reverence his motives, and am grateful for his labours. The French savans have been particularly interested in the pyramids, and have written so well as to become leading authorities. The question of "Why was it built?" has been here answered in nearly fifty different reported teachings from the rocky tomb. The divergence of opinion, while exciting a smile, illustrates the marvellous suggestiveness of the grand old edifice. The writer has no special ideas of his own to propound, but simply claims the merit of collecting intelligence for those whose time and opportunities will not warrant research. |