Litchfield enquirer., 1843-02-02

now remain to tell the tale of a people-
 pretty certainly mighty nation--now pas. sea away; their very name and destiny exs I tinct even 10 the teachings of tradition or conjecture. MT. Norman himself has, i'm his impressive language, which has been quoted, given an impress to the picture, the interest of which can hardly be enhanced, and of which nothing but an actual view of them cah probably inspire full conccp- ton.
 The three questions arising out of this view and contemplation, are stated by Mr. Norman, and briefly discussed: 1st. Bv whom were these ruins built? 2d. When were they built? Sd. For what purpose?
 As to the first, he says what is obvious. viz: "That they must have been built by a cultivated and very numerous people, ex. ceiling highly at least in the mechanical art, but ot whom, as before stated, no other ves- tige or tradition now remains.'
 Upon the second question he properly re- marks: Comparing them with the remains ot other cities, of whose age we have some knowledge, the mind is startled at their pro. bable antiquity; that the pyramids and temples of Yucatan must have been old in the days of Pharaoh, and in comparison with which even the pyramids of Egypt, and the still remaining ruined structures of ancient Rome must be of recent construc- tjor, since here there are walls more than fifteen feet through, built with an art and strength which defy both competition and decay and one pyramid upwards of one hundred feet high, with building upon it's summit which support trees that are plant cd in soil deposited for the last one thou- sand years or more. We forbear the re. hections which these considerations give birth to. as to the possible age of that globe on whose surface they have been in remote and untold ages erected:
 With regard 10 the purpose of these strue. lures, he thinks they were, without doubt; erected primarily for the honor and glory rily to be used as palatial residences, impe. rishable residences for the dead, and tenn pies for religious worship. These only ex- ist, while not vestige of the private resi-. dences of the masses of people, by whose lahors they must have been constructed, now remain to tell the tale of their history and their extinction. And we can but re- fleet and repeat, what sublime and baffling contemplations do these considerations sug- gest 10 the mind and the imagination in dwelling for moment upon their shadowy results
 MT. Norman follows his account of these wonderful structures with many interesting remarks upon the traditions amongst tho several Indian tribes still and formerly ex-. lsting on the American continent; one of which is that of great deluge of water at remote period, leading to the supp position of antidluvian existence in Ameri- ca. He states that the act of cmbalnning seems to have been perfectly known to many of them, and that they had a very considerable astronomical science. and a most profound knowledge of the principles of geometry. That although they had multitude of gods whom they worshipped. they still acknowledged a superior deity; t0 whom they attributed the creation of tho heavens and the earth, but having no word by which to express his attributes @4 spoke of him in their way as 'the ineffable,' as the Athenians worshipped "thc unknown God" They believed in the immortality of the soul, and a future state of rewards and punishments; bat their worship was no other than detestable compound of ali tho errors and abominations which have been revived among the Gentiles in different parts of the world.
 But we must bring these faint sketches of these most interesting and prolific subjects of observation and reflection to close, with the single remark that "there are morG things in heaven and in earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy" It remains only to add that the volume is brought out by the publishers in an admirable and en- during form, the plates illustrating it finely conceived and executed. E.
 ORIGIN OF THE FLOWER " FORGET ME NOT" Mills, in his work on chivalry, men. tions that the beautiful little flower, {. Forget me- not" was known in England as early az Edward the Fourth, and in a note gives the followi pg pretty incident two lovers were lettering along the margin of lake, on fine summers evening, when the maiden discov. cred some flowers growing in the water, close to the bank of an island at some distance from the shore. She expressed desire to possess them, when her knight in the true spirit of chivalry; plunged into the water, and swimming 10 the spot, cropped the wished for plant; but his strength was unable to flI- fil the object of his achievement, and feeling that he could not regain the shore, although very near it, he threw the flowers on the bank, and casting last affectionate look on his la- dy-love, said, Forget me not ? and was buried in the water"
 From he Nesp Haven Herald.
 ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.
 To persons not accustomed 10 sec any unusual phenomenon in the heavens, such a fiery appearance of the clouds must be very terrific. Ignorance. in such cases. is a calamity | had seen more wonderful an