Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-04-21

H~~ - -. 1sunse.iirG
Mr. BUCKLNuE2AJrS LEC7URR-NO. IN
Upoa visiting Alexandria ose i sesuck With the
singularity e its locaiios. TIE vieiaisy 10
neither fertile, picturesque ooe veil wasseed 10
thing 10 to be seen growing nese this city; he
ground u level and barren the water Tor use dis
tant 60 miles. However, Alexander, taught BY
Aristotle to venerate Egypt, seeing NJ place Tor
tho concentration Of trade, and thinking this =
connecting link between the Orient and the Oc-
cidcnt, determined build city worthy his name.
Forcsccing the advantages Of its situation aud
Knowing the supers,itious feelings Of the people,
ne consulted the oracle If Jupiter Ammon
which Of course, gave q favorable reply to tho
sovereign, and the city therefore founded
and n process Of time realized tho cxpectatious Of
t. founder.
UninHuenced by regard for expenditure, which
is one reason that all the works Of the ancients
were completed in such grand and harmonious
proportions, the architect skctchcd the plan q
royal scaie.-The form was that Of bow when
bent; and the main street was TO cross this how
arrow Just before it is sent from the string.
This avenue was straight, five miles in length
and proportiouatcy bruad with . colounade on
either side to shelter foot passengers. Modern
avenues dwindic into insigniicance when compar-
cd with this.
The disadvantage Of fiat ground in building
the temple Of Scraps, was obviatcd by bold de-
sgn--In the middle Of the city . vast platform,
!
steps Of marble every side; the temple SUR
mounting 1t seemed hung in mid air and with
its white steps presented an imposing appear
ance both far aud near.
In this City was the famed Alexandrinn libra
ry.-Ansony, fred with the charms Of Cleopatra
and knowing her fondness for literature, made
her present which makes all modern love pre-
ent dwindic in into insgn6cancc. He took the H.
brary at Pergamos consisting Of 100000 volumns
in manuscript, ind cent it to the queen wi'h his
regret that it was not more worthy her accept
ance. Cleopatra built . splendid cdifico 20 re.
ccivc il which covered Is acres. Then Alcxan'
dria became the point to which all learned men
were attracted. They often took books, or rstheI
manuscripts with them; and decree was issued
ordering every one TO be left.
With singular propriety, however, after two
copies had been Transcribed, ono Of them beside
and the other was deposited in tho library, which
thus rapidly increased. Far different is the just
ice Of the English law to encourage literature
which required a copy Of every book TO be giceS
to eleven different libraries; thus loading the au
thor with burden he may not always be able
or willing to bear.
In nftcr time, when excessive wealth had rem
dcred the inhabitants luxurious, the CaIiph Omal
laid siege to Alexandria. Amrou, his general
sent MIN I'm account Of the city still extant. Ar
ter mentioning the 1000 900 Of inhabitants, its
1000 baths and the 400 theatres, he says, "You'
Highncss should know there is one thing they
, prize above all the rcst"-they say, edo with us
as you please, but spare our ibrsry."-Thc roply
. Of Omar was Enthusiastically barbarian. I'll
the books are in accordance with the Koran, lei
them be burned, Cor tho Koran 10 enough with
out them. II on OK animation, they aro not in nc
!. cordamce with it, let them DO burned for rcviIn,
= our holy religion Amron, thinking he nigh
|. very appropriately omit the examination, obeyc
the command Of his sovereign and the barbarian
y had tho qualification he alone c".'ld 1~~;-e fro,
their destruction.
Beneath the city still exist reservoirs miles j,
, length. Enough were constructed to contain
e supply Of water for year; into which II was con
Quoted by long subterranean aqueducts from thu
Nile. Their windings are intermiaable.
a At Sais the Monolith. Tho Sovereign
y Amasis, taking fancy to have . temple Of on
single stone sent artists to execute his purpose
A solid rock was quaried, Is cubts in length, am
followed out with proper apertures for doors an
!; windows. 1t took three years to transport il dow
,f the Nile a raft to its destination, which wa
= 500 miles from the quarry.
!. The ancients were able to move huge masse
:, which seem to defy the power Of the modern race
n The united French and English armies, consist
4 ing Of 50 900 men, NOV ed an obel:sk prcsese
. the Pacha, only six inches in rs many weeks
aud Of course gave up the design Of taking home
4 Yet this small compared with many other
n which have been formerly brought 6OO miles fsos
the quarry to their present place.
Among others is Pompey's pillar, the large'
=. circular one in the world.
d The pedestal is Is feet high, the shaft 90. An
o. and lOA in diameter, in one entire piecc-of ros
i. coloured granite, polished smoothly to r.
r. feet like mirror and yet this is only one Of
ID which formerly sustained the portico Of a tempt
\ in Alexandria. The pillar was altered in son
r. particulars and dedicated to the honor Of Doclc
>, ian, who supplied the inhabitants with 10
4 time offamine, and the name Pompey inscribe
Of it, is ascertained to be that of the magstra'
,e in whose administration it was erected instead
n the illustrious general of the same name.
An laporsans Temperance Movement.
ii, The Legislature Of Massachusetts, the mo
numerous delibera tive body in tho U. States, Il
n popular braach containing 600, and the Seoa
IA 40, passed in tho former House by vote Of q
ed to lO6 the ball In prohibit the sale Of ardent
rits, in less Quantities than Is gallons, except
he licensed aposhecaries and physicians, for medic
C. purposes, for the use Of the manufactures q,
n. the arts.
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