grand on the edge of the defart; their foundation is on the natural foft ftone, covered deep with fhifting fands, and mixed with thofe curious pebbles which have so often been brought to Europe. The fphinx is not built, but fashioned out of the foft rock as it ftands. There is an intrenchment forming three fides of a square, with feveral small rooms running parallel with three fides of the fecond Pyramid. The labour required for the foundation must have been prodigious, exclufive of the building itfelf. The mafons of ancient Egypt feem to have been unacquainted with the art of forming an arch. In Mr. Dalton's view of the gallery or narrow paffage in the great Pyramid at Gize, and in the two rooms of that which is opened at Sacara, the vault over-head is formed by gentle projections of the ftones one above ano. ther till they approach to near a point at the center. The outfide finihing, or face of the Pyramids, is not alike in all. The largest of those at Gize feems never to have been compleated; the fecond certainly has, as appears by the covering near the top remaining in its proper ftate; and that opened at Sacara has the fame appearance. They were finished to a point with a plane even furface; and it is obfervable, that the fepulchre of Caius Sertius, at Rome, has been found to imitate their conftruction in this particular; one of the fmaller ones at Gize was covered with granite, as its ruins evidently demonftrate. A voyage up the Nile, when at its greateft height, prefents a view of leveral other Pyramids between Gize and Sacara, and of fome above Sacara; they are not all alike in form or materials. There is one of five stages like fteps; another feems to have been left halffinished; and numbers are mouldered away into heaps of rubbish. The natural foft rock of the country has afforded opportunity for thofe excavafations which are called catacombs; thefe extend into a variety of almoft endiefs pallages and caverns, appropriated to the reception of the dead. It is there the mummies are found in wooden cafes, and those birds preferved in pots, and nicely ftowed, which are defcribed by fo many travellers: but it is difficult to bring away the mummies entire; and a vifit to thefe caverns is fometimes not lafe, and is always difagrecable. Mr. Dalton never intended to have given himself the leaft trouble about thefe plain objects, publifhed from his drawings fo long ago, if the drawings of Norden had not been miffing, or lifhed the different real views, fections, any moderate draughtfman had pub&c. of the Pyramids; but he now finds himself obliged to vindicate the truth. that the publick may no longer be fo egregioufly impofed on, and therefore has given a plate with this differtation, in which is fhown the comparative pro portions, and the inclination of the angles, of the great Pyramid, more clearly to explain what has been faid in that refpect; to which he has added the tops of the two large ones in their external appearance, in contraft with that given by Savary, which, inftead of a fection, as it is called, is the upper part diminishing with even steps or degrees of a moft regular ftone wall, gradually on the fides towards the top, and finishes with five ftones like battlements or tops of chimnies. ley, drew the whole ground-plan on Mr. Davidfon, when with Mr. Wortwhich the Pyramid of Gize ftands, with remains of great walls, pillars, &c. which labour the company with Lord Charlemount had not time to execute of the great Pyramid, as taken by the in twice vifiting them. The proportion abovementioned company with Lord Charlemount, is 443 feet Perpendicular height One fide of the bafe The proportion of that given by Sa771 feet. height, and 9 one fide of the bafe. vary is 8 to 9 parts; 8 its perpendicular Abort Sketch of the Life and Character T The founder of SUNDAY SCHOOLS was born in the city of Gloucester in the year 10 year 1735, of as worthy and refpectable parents as any in that city which gave him birth, or in any other. Mr. Raikes, his father, had for many years diftinguished himself as the editor and fole proprietor of a Weekly Journal, which, as it was remarkable for the judicious felection of its contents, was, of course, very extenfive in its circulation, and very generally approved: the Gloucefter Journal for a confiderable period ftood unrivalled, extending itfelf thro' the counties of Gloucefter, Somerfet, Hereford, Monmouth, and even to the fartheft part of South Wales. The education which this excellent man received was liberal, and well adapted to his future defignation. At a proper time of life he was initiated into the employment of his father, which was not limited to the bufinefs of a journalist, but extended itself to other branches of typography: and, though I will not compliment my hero by comparing his literary attainments with thofe of a Bowyer, or a Franklin; yet I can venture to pronounce, that he entered on his line of business with acquirements fuperior to the nature of his employment; which, however, has always been confidered, when conducted by men of fcience and education, as very refpe&table; and in which he is not lefs remarkable for his accuracy, than he is for his fidelity and integrity in every part of his conduct. The first object which drew forth the exertions of this friend to mankind, was the wretched state of the county-bridewell within the city of Gloucefter, which being a part of the county-gaol, the perfons committed by the magiftrate out of feffions for petty offences, affociated, through neceffity, with felons of the worst defcription; with little or no means of fubfiftence from labour; with little, if any, allowance from the county; without either meat, drink, or cloathing; dependent chiefly on the precarious charity of fuch as visited the prifon, whether brought thither by bunefs, curiofity, or compaffion. We fhall not wonder to find the "Father of the poor" exerting himself in behalf of thefe forlorn and deftitute creatures, in order to render their fitu ation fupportable at least, if not, in fome degree, comfortable. He was earneft in his folicitations, through the channel of his paper, and in perfonal applications to his friends, for money to procure them the neceffaries of life. We remember to have feen remonfrances, memorials, and addreffes, to thofe whom it more immediately concerned, to remedy an evil which did fuch difhonour to our national humanity. And whereas extreme ignorance was very properly confidered by him as the principal caufe of thofe enormities which brought them into their deplor able fituation, precluding all hope of any lafting or real amendment from their punishment; his great defire was, if pollible, to procure for them fome moral and religious inftru&tion. If among the prifoners he found one that was able to read, he gladly made use of him to inftruct his fellow-prifoners, encouraging his diligence and fidelity in this undertaking by pecuniary re wards, and procuring for him fuch other kinds of indulgence as his fituation would admit of. Having thus put them in a method of improving their time, he has met with inftances of perfons, efpecially among the younger offenders, who have attained to a competent proficiency in reading; which has ferved both as an amufement to them during their confinement, and as a recommendation of them in their reftoration to the community. It may more cafily be conceived than expreffed, what that benevolent heart must have felt (and this pleasure he has often received), when he has heard the prifoner thank God, that by being detected in his crimes, apprehended, and imprifoned, he has had opportunities afforded him of learning that good, which otherwife he would probably have never known in his whole life. The choice of books being judiciously made, and religious inftruction going hand-in-hand with other information, the teacher himfelf has often learnt while he was inftructing others, and, from the very nature of his employment,became imperceptibly a better man. But the care of this philanthropist was not confined merely to the business of literary improvement; it was not lefs his defire to form their hearts, if it were poffible, to fentiments of kindnefs to each other. Indeed, it was one of his principal endeavours to fubdue in them, if it were poffible, that favage ferocity of temper and behaviour which only ferved to render their fituation more hateful and intolerable. Obferving that idlenes was the parent of much mitchief among them, and that they quarrelled quarrelled with one another becaufe Mr. Raikes could not but have found, from painful experience, what up-hill work he was engaged in, while he was endeavouring to humanize thofe difpo * See Thoughts on Prifon, in a Letter to W. Mainwaring, Efq. fold by Gardner, No. 200, Strand; in which there is a striking defcription of the œconomy of a well-reguated prifon. On this occafion the truly refpectable names of HOWARD and HANWAY will be uppermost in the mind of every reader; the firit of whom has raised himself a monument, are perennius; and the latter of whom is reaping the fruits of his labours in the harveft of a bleffed eternity. fitions which had been long inured to habits of uncontrouled ferocity and felfwill. He could not but have obferved the flowness and dulnefs of scholars unhabituated to any application of the mind, except to mischief, and must needs have feen with concern how very unfufceptible even fuch as were willing to learn were of literary, moral, or religious inftruction. He could not but have frequently reflected, in his intercourfe with thofe wretched delinquents, on the profound ignorance in which they had grown up to maturity, in an utter contempt of the whole fome reftraints, and a profeffed disregard of the facred duties, of religion. The return of every Sabbath, which gave liberty to the lower claffes of the people to fhew themselves, exhibited to his view multitudes of the rifing generation of the poor, purfuing, as he conceived, precifely the fame plan which had been fo unfortunately adopted by thofe already mentioned within the walls of the prifon. The streets were full of noise and disturbance every Sunday; the churches were totally unfrequented by the poorer fort of children, and very ill-attended by their parents; they were no where to be feen employed as they ought to be. Had they been difpofed to learn, or attend to any thing that was good, their parents were neither willing nor able to teach or to direct them; they were, therefore, a perpetual nuifance to the fober part of the community. They were riotous, impudent, and regardless of all authority whatfoever; in their mode of behaviour, difrespectful in the extreme, and frequently detected in fuch petty offences, as plainly indicated that they were in the high road to perdition unless fomething could be done to refcue them. It occurred to him, and to a worthy clergyman (Mr. Stock) to whom he complained of the diffolute fate of thofe poor children, that infinite would be the benefit, as well to the community as to themfelves, if any method could be contrived of laying them under fome proper reftraint, and inftilling fome good principles into their minds. The foundation, they well knew, must be laid in the fear and love of God, in a reverence for the duties of religion, and for all things relating to the divine honour and lervice. Mr. Raikes foon began to make known his intentions to the parents, and, without much difficulty, obtained their content, that their children children fhould meet him at the early fervice performed in the cathedral on a Sunday morning. The numbers at first were finall, but their increafe was rapid. The gentlenefs of his behaviour towards them, the allowance they found him difpofed to make for their former mifbehaviour, which was merely from a want of better information, the amiable picture which he drew for them, when he reprefented kindness and benevolence to each other as the fource of real happiness; and wickednefs, malice, hatred, and ill-will, as the caufe of all the mifery in the world; the intereft which they foon difcovered him to have in their welfare, which appeared in his minute enquiries into their conduct, their attainments, their fituation, and every particular of their lives; all thefe circumstances foon induced them to fly with eagerness to receive the commands, and be edified by the inftruction, of their beft friend. Mr. Raikes very foon faw himself furrounded with fuch a fet of little raggamuffins as would have difgufted other men, lefs zealous to do good, and lefs earnest to diffeminate comfort, exhortation, and benefit, to all around him, than the Founder of SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The children now began to look up to him with fuch a mixture of refpect and affection as endeared them to him, and interefled him til more and more in their welfare. At firft they were, as it may be fuppofed, utter strangers to the common forms of public worship, and it required fome time to drill them to a decent obferv. ance even of the outward ceremonies of religion; I mean, to teach them to kocel, fland, and fit down, in the different parts of the fervice. But they had their eyes fixed on their commander in chief; and they borrowed every motion from him before they could be made acquainted with the reafon of it. But it was by no means his defire or intention that their obfervances of the Sabbath fhould end here. To prevent their running about in wild diforder through the freets during the reft of the day, was the great object which he had in view; and to place them under the care of proper perfons, to inftruct them in their Chriitian duty, was the prevailing object of his wishes. But how to effect this, and whence the refources were to arife, hic labor, hoc opus. He loft no time in communicating his ideas to thofe of his friends who were as fenfible of the need of fome reform in this refpect as himself, and a fufficent fum of money was fpeedily raised to procure mafters and miftreffes for a large number of children of both fexes, to be educated in the principles of Chriftianity. The city of Gloucester foon began to wear a very different afpect on the LORD's Day. Inftead of noife and riot, all was tranquillity and peace; inftead of quarrelling and fight ing, as heretofore, all was concord and harmony; inftead of lying, fwearing, and all kinds of profligacy, the children gradually imbibed principles of honefty and truth, of modefty and humility. Inftead of loitering about the ftreets in a ftate of indolence, as painful to the observer as it was mischievous to themfelves, they were now feen, in decent regularity, frequenting the places of public worship, evidently much happier in themfelves than in their former ftate of irreligious idleness. The labours of the teachers have been much affifted, and their fuccefs has been promoted, by the unwearied attention of Mr. Raikes to thefe children on every Sunday morning. When the early fervice is ended, it has been his conftant practice to enquire minutely into their conduct, and even to infpect their perfons, to reprove fuch as come dirty and flovenly, and to commend thofe who are neat and decent, however homely in their apparel. The diftribution of little rewards, and the flighteft expreffion of difpleature, from the man they love, have each its proper effect; and even the external appearance of thefe children demonftrates their advancement not lefs in civilization than morality. It is needlefs to obferve how happily Mr. Raikes's ideas have met the public approbation, and how generally his excellent plan has been adopted and encouraged. Some few perfons have looked upon it with coldness and difregard; ftill fewer have ventured to oppofe and object to it. The former, we venture to pronounce, have mifconceived the nature and defign of the inftitution; the latter are advocates for a Aavish fubjection in the poor, which *Of the effect of thefe enquiries we gave a remarkable inftance in an extract of a letter from Mr. Raikes, inferted in our laft vol. 、 P 948, where he fays, "A woman told me laft Sunday, that her boy enquires of her every night, before he goes to bed, whether he has done any thing in the day that will furnish a complaint against him on Sunday.” they |