each side of the face, and ribbed all oyer. There are several horizontal
veins of softer strata in the rock, which have mouldered
away, and give it a singular appearance behind. The neck is so
decayed, that it’s original form is entirely lost.
That this chimerical figure, having the head of a woman, the
paws of a lion, and the body of a dog, should have been designed
as a type of some important occurrence, is highly probable: and
that it was emblematical of the rising of the Nile, which took
place in the months of ju ly and august, when the Bun passes
through the signs of Leo and Virgo, is by no means a far-fetched
conjecture. I f this be the true import of a representation common
in Egypt, though of much smaller dimensions than that we are
now considering; and it be also a fact, that the sphinx is met
with as a sacred or mystical figure in Hindostán, which has been
reported; this would be a strong argument to prove, that in ancient
times a migration from Egypt to Hindostán took place,
instead of the hindoos having peopled Egypt.
But whatever the sphinx may have been intended to typify,
the situation of this colossal statue with respect to the second p y ramid
and it s temple pretty clearly indicates it’s connexion with
them. Pliny informs us, that in his time there was a subterraneous
communication between the body of the sphinx and one of
the pyramids. At present there is a hole on the summit of the
head about five feet deep; and how much farther it may extend
is unknown, as from that depth it is choked up with sand. W e
have little reason to question therefore, that this sphinx was once
connected with the temple, before which it stood, by a secret pas