ead or
corner-stone of the Great Pyramid, which, though long ago removed, may
yet possibly, he thinks, be discovered in the Cave of Machpelah; though
how, why, or wherefore it should have found its way to that distant and
special locality is not in any way solved or suggested.

GREAT PYRAMID ALLEGED TO BE A SUPERHUMAN, AND MORE OR LESS AN INSPIRED
METROLOGICAL ERECTION.

Professor Smyth holds the Great Pyramid to be in its emblems, and
intentions and work "superhuman;" as "not altogether of human
origination; and in that case whereto" (he asks) "should we look for any
human assistance to men but from Divine inspiration?" "Its metrology
is," he conceives, "directed by a higher Power" than man; its erection
"directed by the _fiat_ of Infinite Wisdom;" and the whole "built under
the direction of chosen men divinely inspired from on high for this
purpose."

If of this Divine origin, the work should be absolutely perfect; but, as
owned by Professor Smyth, the structure is not entirely correct in its
orientation, in its squareness, etc. etc.--all of them matters proving
that it is human, and not superhuman. It was, Professor Smyth further
alleges, intended to convey standards of measures to all times down to,
and perhaps beyond, these latter days, "to herald in some of those
accompaniments of the promised millennial peace and goodwill to all
men." Hence, if thus miraculous in its forseen uses, it ought to have
remained relatively perfect till now. But "what feature of the pyramid
is there" (asks Professor Smyth) "which renders at once in its
measurements in the present day its ancient proportions? None." If the
pyramid were a miracle of this kind, then the Arabian Caliph Al Mamoon
so far upset the supposititious miracle a thousand years ago--(of course
he could not have done so provided the miracle had been truly
Divine)--when he broke into the King's Chamber and unveiled its
contents; inasmuch as the builders, according to Professor Smyth,
intended to conceal its secrets for the benefit of these latter times,
and for this purpose had left a mathematical sign of two somewhat
diagonal lines or joints in the floor of the descending passage, by
which secret sign or clue[273] some men or man in the far distant
future, visiting the interior, should detect the entrance to the
chambers; and which secret sign Professor Smyth himself was, as he
believes, the first "man" to discover two years ago. The secret,
however, thus averre