New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-14

1t lead. obeyed and stand
Now its lu-tre has vanished in gloom,
On a lonely and do-Olate land,
And the home Of its gilt IS tomb.
a UNIVERSAL Hisroay Being Complete and Impartial
Narrative Of the Most Remarkable Events Of al Ma
lions from the Infancy Of Mankind TO the Present ZINE
Bye. c. HEssE, LII D. New-York. Dewitt Il Dayen'
pOri, Tribune Buildings.
We have before US the first volume OF this his
tory, which has been issued in numbers, by VIM. II.
Graham and is now published by his successors Dewitt
& Davenport who announce that the parts will continue
to appear monthly.
This volume which Is large octave printed with bold
type on superior paper elegantly bound and illustrated
by engravnrs from designs Of Of the highest mas
ters of art presents specimen of bookcraft that would
adoru the library Of any gentleman lady OF taste
In regard to the literary execution Of this work We
have spoken the numbers appeared but not as fully
a. its merits deserve. Now discrimination
we hesitate not TO pronounce that this volume,
as history Of the earliest period OF mankind has no
rival in any single work of Universal History in the
English language Our standards in this department
of Literature the transation of Roln Muller, Roeck
and the English Universal History are all slnsulsry
deficient in accounts Of the first people that have wan
dcred into faint gmpscs OF traditional OF the u hight
OF authentic periods particularly that OF Egypt IN
comparison with the antiquity OF whose earliest civil
cation Greece and Rome and even Israel belong TO
modern era II has been the fashion of English, and
though TO less extcntof Continental writer's also, to
decry the authority the earliest chroncers of human
events. Accordingly Ctesius was a fabricstor of
fables the poems of Homer fiction Hcrodous the
father of liars and Manetho an inventor Of fictitious
dynastes Before Thucydides, there was no history
save that of Moses and the Chronicles Hence the pic
ture of the first in the worlds great drama was
fore shortened and, after magncd view OF Abraham
and Moses and few dark and confused images OF Bah
ylon and Media and Persia and some dim ghosts oil the
Epyu,iap monuments Greece arose in the foreground
as the progenitor Of Civilization and the pioneer nation
of the world Archbishop Usher ordained and the
British Parliament enacted that the world was finished
precisely -52 years ago this twelfth year OF the reign
of Victoria and that the Flood took place but few years
before Cccrops ruled at Athens. Hence, all good and
loyal subjects the Church and State, duuly bcev-
ns and obeying the DEGREES of Bishops Kings Lords
and Commons, were bound to shun the Egyptian mon
uments and the cocmporary chroniclcrs of all events
as the profanc taers of heretcal tales This Procrus-
team bed Of Ushers chronology has cut of the head Of
Ancient History and lief, the remainder lifeless trunk
But modern researches into antiquity, and particu
ary the great discovery OF the key to herogyphcs by
which like the excavation of Pompeii the long buried
aud sealed books OF the ancient monuments and tombs
of Egypt have been brought to light and opened have
overthrown the old chronoogies OF the world and eX
tended the history of the human back 10 period
far more remote than that which is recognized in any
of the former universal histories with which &C
quainted One French writer has gone so far as to
place the construction of the first Egyptian monument
before the time of Ushers Creation OF the World At
any rate all modern historical writer's admit that
we have authentic records Of high state OF civilization
In Bsbylona in Egypt, in India and in China anterior
to the date OF the deuge generally affixed to the
universal histories eXtsnt
In the present work the author Dr. ebbe, has ayaied
himself Of the important discoveries and labors of mod
ern and has reproduced the history
of period of the ancient world. This volume
extends down only to about 800 years before Christ and
embraces the complete and quite full history anterior
to that time Of the Asyrians of Ninevch and Babylon,
running back to the origin of the human race OF the
Egyptians of the Tribes of Cana an and those of the ad
acen country with whom the lsraees came in contact
"a point that has hitherto been almost entirely neglect
ted-of the Syrians OF the Arabisns and of the Pho
nicisns This volume might be apty termed an intro
duction to Ancient History for the author has gone over
new field. and has hardly reached the point where
other similar works commence.
From what has been said, the reader will infer that
the author has not produced mere compilation from
the ordinary works to be found in our libraries His
information has been obtained from the contemporary
writings and monuments when practicable, and always
from the best and most original sources of history For
example we see that one of the most interesting pas
ssges in the work account Of the earliest Modes
which he has reproduced chiefly from Ctcsus and Do
dorus the former resident OF the Persian Court and
who had opportunities of authentic information but
iii al. IL. 81
original writer's 1t has been fashionable to reject while
Dr. Hcbbe stoutly defends him, worthy of consi-
derablc degree of credit Ancient Egyptian history has
until within few years, been buried in darkness For
interpretations fhierogyphcs confirming Hero
dotus and Menetho has enabled the historian to re
construct the onglos, history OF the ancient Egyptians
la this respect the history of Dr. ebbe is particularly
valuable, as we know not OF any single work-it we ex
cepi tina, of Chevser Bunsen-which contains so rel
able satisfactory, full and yet compact history
of that remarkable OF all the nations Of antiquity
The readers OF the Bible viii be particularly interested
in the account OF those nations and ribes-not be
met with in any other single yolumc-with whom Alb
rahsm and his descendants so frequently came in
contact
We have but little space lief, to speak OF the style
and the philosophic spirit Of the writer In both OF
these respects it is work OF superior merit Being
foreigner, his style is sometimes peculiar, yet it is
always vivid, flowing, and sometimes eloquent of
which we give the following as specimen, in which
the author speaks with enthusiasm Of his historical
studies
have wandered with the immortal leader of the
Israclites through tho countries which Graded the
human family have sought with Ierodotus amid the
Egyptian sascs, for gems of antiquity with the sd
Inirsbe Thucydides have paid the tribute of sdnirs
the genius OF Perices, aud deeply deplored the
internal struggles of the Greeks | have, with the
charming Ivy followed the great Csrthsgenian chief
tain over the glaciers of the Alps the battle field OF
Cannsc and have stood schsst at the wonderful yet
terrible riumphs of his tactics numerous army
of the brayes people earth The infamous deeds Of
Roman tyrants as recorded by Tscitus have made my
blood boil within me and fsin have wished for the
power TO depict the tyrsnnical acts OF modern
despOis in the same vivid colors
The tendencies Of the writer decidedly Demo. |
crstc The tricks and trescherIes OF princes the i'm
positions and expressions OF priests and srisocrss lind
no favor in his sight He has no reverence for the
,pcndcrs and the tno-honored abuses and vices Of
royalty His synpsthes are with the peope-with the
lovers Of truth the doors of righteousness the reform
Frs the truly great men Of the world whether at the
~ 49,. ~ s.rnronc in Obscurrst ranks