Pygmies of Western Africa. The existence of pygmy races of human beings in Africa has often been asserted, and many circumstances less easily cred- ible than their diminutive size have been reported. Du Cliaillu has recently discovered the actual existence of a pygmy race, but of whom the diminutive size is the only remarkable characteristic. He found them in the mountainous country on the east of the southern great branch of the Ogobai. They are called Obongos, and live in the midst of negro tribes of ordinary stature. They showed extreme timidity on being visited by a white man. In stature they are only about four feet and a half. They subsist chiefly on animal food, but partly also on the roots, berries, and nuts which they find in the forests. In their mental calibre, these pyg- mies vary as greatly as ordinary races. Hence there is no settled theory as to their religious tendency, some of them comprehending their religious need, while oth- ers seem to be almost void of any religious conscious- ness. See Pre- Adamites ; Religion.
Pyle, Thomas, an eminent Anglican divine, was born at Stodey, near Holt, Norfolk, in 1674. He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge, and, after tak- ing holy orders, distinguished himself as minister of St. Margaret's parish, in King's Lynn. He was afterwards made prebendary of Salisbury by Dr. Hoadlv for Ins services in the Bangorian Controversy. His Paraphrase on the Acts and all the Epistles is an excellent work, of- ten reprinted. He published, besides, Paraphrase of the Books of the Old Testament (Lond. 1717-25, 4 vol's. 8vo) : — The Scripture Preservative against Popery (ibid. 1735): — and three volumes of Sermons. He died at Lynn in 1757, greatly respected and highly admired in all England for his excellency in purpose and superior- ity in scholarship. See Hook, Eccles. Biog. viii. 172; Gentleman's Magazine (Lond. 1783), p. 659, 692; Nich- ols, Literary A necdotes.
Pynchon, William, an English divine, was born in the second half of the 16th century, and, after mi-
PYNE
82!
PYRAMID
t^@
Hieroglyph of Memphis,
grating to this country, settled at Roxbury, Mass., in t lie pyramids was co-
1630, aged 71 or 73. In 1637 he removed to Springfield, eval with that of the UiiiU ■
Mass. lit- finally returned to England, and died at city. It is probable /wwvw
Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1662. He published, thai the title of being
Th Meritorious Pria of Christ's Redemption (Lond. tin- builders <>l them,
l655,4to); which was so heretical in tendency and the honor of being buried in them, were given
that ii offended tin- Puritanic fathers, and was burned t" the monarcha by whom they wen- finished. The
on ii.,- Common by order of the authorities of Massa- pyramids arc solid unds raised over the sepulchral
//,. Jewes, Synagogvu (1652, 4to): — Tim* chambers of the kings, the firel an ..fan Egyptian
and Manner how the First Sabbath was Ordained, etc. monarch being to prepare hi- future "eternal abode."
Ho). For this purpose, a passage of the size of the intended
Pyne, Smith, D.D, a clergyman of the Protestan. ™<*>&*S™. ™ '->' •"■"""-'l "■ •»"• ™ck at a suit-
Episiopal Church, was a native of Ireland, and was ed- . a1, ' incl1,ne " lowei l!- :""! al ;l 71-';""' ^pth a
' , , , | , . ,. • • rectangular chamher was e\.a\ate< m the solid rock.
ucated al l-.tmi and Oxford. England. Alter arriving /.,-,, , ■ ,
, ■ . i- i i i i i < >ver this chamh.r a cuhica mass o masonrv. o sonare
in this conntrv he stmlie.l thcolou'v. ami was admitted ,, , , , , , • , •••,'. Z
, , , ", ,■ , ,, , , , „. .i Mocks, was then paced. ha\ inur the on ice o the shaft
to holy orders by lushop Ilohart m L826. !!<■ was n> , . .. . ' , & . ,. ,. ,
open. Additions continued to be made to tin-- cubical
mass both in heighl and breadth as long as the mon- arch lived, so that at his death all that remained to he done was to lace or mi th the exterior of the step- formed mound. Bui in Bome cases the masonry passed bevond the orifice of the shaft, which involved the (-on-
to holy order- by bishop
turn rector of a parish al Elizabeth, N. J.; Christ Church, Middletown, Conn.; St. John's Church. You- kers. N. Y. : Calvary parish and St. John's Church, Washington. In the latter position he remained up- wards of twenty years. During the war. Dr. Pyne worked in the camps and hospitals and among the sol- ,
diers, He was at one time a trustee of th! General iT" "' "' ,"'' ""w Bh*ft' ha™g lU onfic* ^yon* Jf- Theological Seminary, and of Trinity College, Han- I hep^id was faced by adding courses ol long blocks
io,d. lie died in New York , 7. 1875. "" T'' la-VIT '" fch* M"l- and th.en ,)",""-1 ,lu' w,,".le
to a ti.it or even surface, commencing from the summit.
Pyramid (-con/tic, perhaps from the Egyptian The outer masonry, however, or casing, as il is called, br I, a -tincture of the shape of the geometric figure so has in most instances been partially stripped off. Pro- called, erected indifferent parts of the Old and the New vision was made for protecting the vertical joints by World, the most important being the pyramids of Egypl placing each stone half way over another. The ma- aud .Mexico. Those of Egypl were considered one of sonry is admirably finished, and the mechanical means the seven wonders of the world. They arc in all seventy by which such immensi masses of stone were raised to in number, of different sizes, lying between 29 and 30 their places has long been a mysten ; the discovery, N.lat., and are masses of stone or brick, with square bases however, of large circular holes in some of the stones