This celebrated work of antiquity was built by Sostratus, by order of Ptolemy Philadelphus. It was a species of tower, erected on a high promontory or rock, on the above mentioned island, then situated about a mile from Alexandria. It was 450 ft. high, divided into several stories, each decreasing in size; the ground story was hexagonal, the sides alternately concave and convex, each an eighth of a mile in length; the second and third stories were of the same form; the fourth was a square, flanked by four round towers; the fifth was circular. The whole edifice was of wrought stone; a magnificent staircase led to the top, where fires were lighted every night, visible from the distance of a hundred miles, to guide the coasting vessels. Sostratus is said to have engraved an inscription on stone, and covered it with a species of cement, upon which he sculptured the name of Ptolemy, calculating that the cement would decay, and bring to light his original inscription. Strabo says it read, _Sostratus, the friend of kings, made me_. Lucian reports differently, and more probably, thus, _Sostratus of Cnidus, the son of Dexiphanes, to the Gods the Saviors, for the safety of Mariners_. It is also said that Ptolemy left the inscription to the inclination of the architect; and that by the _Gods the Saviors_ were meant the reigning king and queen, with their successors, who were ambitious of the title of Soteros or Savior. DINOCRATES' PLAN FOR CUTTING MOUNT ATHOS INTO A STATUE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.