New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-05-25

ress A.
Wnea Neuophoa. DO tie memorable Retreat o
the Ten Thousand crossed this ven plsin-lu Hesrs
before Christ tang Wss 20 BE- seen. save a .ew
mounds Indicative %, the ruins 90 a city, tut the
very name OF Nrevsh hsd persisted. and instead
o .. he b ard only tue name OF s.naler city that
hai risen on tne same ste ant hsl pefisle. also
Iesuat'1 las rel gncl there. aEd etea vc-ctat.on
D. IS almost 5isspQe AIRED. sid the hot iry sanis of
tie desert. with the debus ot sun baked bricks
have buried the remains ~ one Oi tie most power
lIl Empires % Antiquity. There 70 has sllm1erei
- the oblivion of agts. Tradition s.i. pointed %
tie spot where Nilevch oucc stool. The tomb 10
jonah vas preserved with religious care. sDt the
great mound %. Nimfol-slll ARDS IN clrcluI e --
suce-lfut & co.orla- ~ tie Romantic legends u
Iug Arabs 90 the plain. Occasionally slu-lric !
bricks witl arrow he aced IlSclp tDLs ELL !la-.
meLts oi sculpture were found, exciting the uo--
der 90 the rude nations, and the curiosity oi kl-o
pean sntiquaries Huge mounds. fragments oi
pottery and masses o, sln dried bricks were toaad,
bat n0 pillars sid temples such rs are iOuad 10
K me AID Greece. There were yet wanting hOH
ever el;erprsc. perseverance,. cours.e, tact. ell
thus.asm and peculiary resources i0r the thor u-h
scientific exploration 20 these Joy sterious mounds.
AL these except the after were remarkably
combined IN youu. EAgnhmau. Lay ard by
name, WAC having succeeded In procuring scaaty
means began his work q exploration iu tls year
lsi-. he was preceded, however. iu discovery
oy Alr. B0tt8, the French Consul residing az No
sul, e. y nom belongs the hoaor 90 having brought
to vie< the h-st auiheatc remnants cf that an
clent empire. Mr.. Layaras discoveries have re.
Gently been plh shed n Great Britain ami rcpub
hshed pa this Clty, iu very elegsnt sty e and torn
a most attractive volume. Tire effect a. bis iu-
vestisat.on uyon the Arabs whom be employed "a
assist him, vas very peculiar aud move. They
were sstouuded at what they saN. At first they
were amused that man should take such pains
and 20 tu such expense 10 gather lcw stones
But wLcn they began 10 perceive g they pursued
their excavations wlar wonders were hidden in
those bounds, trat feeling gave way o. uab0ln1ed
admiration. They looked upon him As q m st a
divinity. and they wOId shout ia tnelr Wl.d cries
one and other 81 them vas brought % IghL
these a-e the idols which the prophet said were
higher than date tree-tle Idols that Noah clrs-
ed before the + ood' They inquired of Mr. Lay
ard what was his object In making these iuves-i
cations, whethcr Eugiishmen would become any
wiser or better by them neither they would ene
be Eugshmen 10 manufacture shy new OBJ better
articles al commerce. tor that vas the standard
by which they measured the greatness OF Eng
land. They finally settled down upon the belief
that the Queen % Eng and was devoted 30 id.ia
try snd that she wanted these symbols % set un
IN her palaces. They felt not q Attle Inundated
also ~ these marks a. skill 10 uuboilevers but
they comiourd themselves, by the reflection that
God had permitted iuhtsis @ MAKE such progress
Ia art ia tsis world that he might render more
il.ustfious by contrast the glory which hs would
bestow upon the faithful. ia the next
What now is the evidence that Mr.. Layarl aud
Mr.. Botta have found the yeritab.e size ot Nine
web answcr-Tle Scriptures locate 10 in As
syria, and nowhere else and the original limits
OF that Empire are tolcla0.y known S'rab0 and
Ptoemy, and all ancient geography and history,
locate this city at the junction oi the Tigrs tld
the Greater Zab, precisely where these mounds
arc found. All tradition has always located j.
there.
Now as to the antiquity Of these ruins. We
know when that city was destroyed have lust
remarked that that date - fixed very accurately.
No city could have arisen sitcrNard, within the
limits OF history ana attained & greatness CORE
spending 10 sucn runs, without Che face btlag
known aud recorded. These ruins ind. cate a pee
rod Of wealth and power. not 90 decline and must
therefore be carried bsck rs lar the reign ol ~ar
tanapalus at least. la the course cd excavation,
tombs were discovered over the ruins which were
themselves IN state OF ruln. show n- that ano'h.
or race had dVelt upon those mounds, without
knowing that they were the scpulchcr 20 a race
lons perlshed.
The hoy b the cunilorm Inscriptions. many OF
which have been accurately copied, VIII un-avel
many OF these mysteries. What now Do these
ruins Indicate A tolcrsblc state OF civilization.
rney consist chiefly OF sculptures in has relief
generally upon the gypsum ar coarse marble az
thst region slabs from 10 H. feet 90 hIght. and
nearly the same IN breadth, representing the
chase, religious ceremonies, battles sieges, and
the like. One OF these, representing iion-hunt,
OF which Mr.. Layard gives a drawing, exhibits ex-
uaOrdnary muscular development 10 the subjects
They are really fine specimens Of sculpture, II We
can lay aside for while our modern standards OF
Art Entire halls were lined with these SOUP
lures. Ivory was also found wrought "a very
nigh degree Of perfection Paintings TOO. were
found Ia rich and gorgeous colOrs winch unhappiy
faded on being brought % the light and air Glass
vases, Of exceedingly delicate structure. were
found existing IN Nineveh long before d. was sup
posed that glass a. manufactured. TIE pulley,
too and the arch We're found, nc period long an.
terror 20 that % which they have been heretofore
ascrlbed lt IS evident that the art OF embroidery
was carried 10 great perfection. Assyria, as We
learn from Ezekiel. had commerce with Tyre, and
thence obtained blue cloths, and broidered work.
and chests 81 rich apparel All these sculptures
Indicate that tine garments worn, especially those
Of the hing, were richly embroidered. The ruins
Indicate great wealth aud power have already
said in my previous des option ~ this city Do the
hight OF is grandeur-which, as you VII readily
perceive. was based upon these recent discoveries
that one OF the chambers found "as 100 iret ln
length Some Z chambers have bcta excavated
by Mr.. Layard. and nearly the same number BY
Mr.. Bot,a at the distance Of d miles apart
Probably all the rooms they discovered, in each
location belonged 10 a single palace IN that angle
Of the city.
It evident that the Assyrians were a conquer
ing race. The monuments are chiefly the monu
meats Of war. They were gross, fierce, sensual
athletic people. having, rs has been SAID, perfect
aOnchaidnce Those who mOstnearly resemble them
a, this day are ne KCords Of tnat same region.
Y ca see 10 their cOgntenances the prepOuderance
OF the brutal part, settled feruc ~ ant the con
sciousness Of strength How accurately does the
brutal expression which ms rks tLe counteuance OF
the charloteer. driving on u the light 0i which
dra wing is before US, as copied BY Layard, from
the sculpture slab. answer u the description OF
Ezekiel. They Dash young mex 20 pieces Their
eve does not spare children they are terrible and
dreadful They shall scot 81 kIngs, and princes
shall be a scorn 10 them. They shau divide every
stronghold, for they shall heap up dast that i,
mound and take II. Whose arrows are shafts,
and ali their bows beat their horses hoois snail
be counted like a flint, aud their wheels IKE
whirlwind " We lad 81 representations OF bat
tering-rams, emets spears, swords, crks, Oiulg-
cons charlOts and various lmpe Ilents OF va, and
also representations OF cities In asstate u siege.
The government Of lneyen, ~ Ne lean nadi-
,iOusv and es indicated by those discoveries, vas
absolutely despo.c. There are ABUNDANT marks Ia
a these sculptures Of reverence % the King. Inc
X NJ always takes precedence. Wherever ne
King 3 represented on the bas-reie' there IS
tue chief point Of interest 10 the battle or the
-asse. Perhaps be combined the Offices OF Pne't
ard monarch He Il generally found clothed 10 !