The republic., 1851-04-17
Local Matters.

The PRiMoupIAL ScuLpruaEs OF THE PYRAM
We have attended two of the three lectures Of Mr.
Gliddon, at Odd Fellows Hall. II was interesting
TO be informed of events preserved by monuments
during period of five thousand years anterior to
our own era) which have not yet crumbled beneath
the hand Of time In fact, piece of stone from
of the Oldest discovered temples, which is exhibited
by the lecturer, looks fresh If it had just been
taken from the quarry. For nearly two hours on
Tuesday evening large audience were entertained
with copous illustrations the subject of the Pri
mordial Sculptures of the Pyramids, their scientific
teachings in respect to language, alphabets writing
materials, numerals divisions oftime painting ETC.,
arts which it was attempted to be demonstrated were
known at that remote age in Memphis, about three
thousand five hundred years before Christ. Early
Greek tradition, It is known, ascribed to Cadmus,
of Phenicia, the introduction of the alphabet into
the Peloponnesus; but Mr.. Gliddon shows that the
epoch of Cadmus dates fifteen hundred years before
Christ, which in Egyptian annals is comparatively
modern date. being contemporary with the mid
die Of the eighteenth dynasty.
In the course of tho instructive lecture it was
shown how impossible it was for Orientals to ex-
press English intonations by our letters. pro-
found Turkish scholar had two native Ottoman
secretaries. Being dcsrous of testing the capabil-
tiles of the Turkish character for the rendering of
bureau one morning, and, debating to tho other
the following line, desired him to write il in his
national letters, to produce the English sound
correctly az possible. The sentence was: "Drag
the swindtng scoundrcl to the pump" The man
wrote it, and, having heard the sound, read il cor
recty in English He was then sent out of the room,
and the other secretary, who had not heard the
sound, was summoned and desired to read it,
This he did freely: "Drek asevinedelink
asckonederel tcv pomep." And this was the
nearest approximation to the English Of which the
Turkish alphabet would admit.
TO the perseyering labors of our own time ar
chpologists are indebted for the revelations of
much of Egypt's earlier history, which, however,
we are told, have not yet found place among the
musty records Of Oxford and Cambridge, in Eng
land. and which are not declared in those locali-
ties az orthodox. But in country like ours,
where free thought generally prevails, consecrated
errors not venerated because of their antiquity,
and the light OF discovery is permitted to shine
with unobscured lustre TO diminish not only 'Egyp-
tian," but all other kinds Of darkness"
PUBLIC ScHooLs.--At special meeting of the
trustees Of the public schools held yesterday after
noon, letter was read from Mr.. Hugh McCor-
mick, resigning his situation as principal Of the
third district school. Mr.. John Fill was subse-
quently elected to fill the vacancy thus created.
Mr. Demaine was elected principal teacher of
the male primary school in the second district, in
the place of Mr.. Fill, and Mr. Thomas M. Wilson
was elected to supply the vacancy occasioned by
the promotion of Mr.. Demaine.
On motion of Mr. Charles A. Davis, it was unan-
imously resolved that the thanks Of the board are
due to Mr.. Mccormick for the able and faithful
manner in which he has discharged the important
duties of teacher of the third district school during
period of twenty years, and that the trustees
tender to him their wishes, in his retirement, for
health and prosperity.
RoBBERr.-Mr. George Hilbus, residing on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue, Tenth
street, was on Tuesday night robbed of two accor-
deons and flute. The rogues would doubtless
have helped themselves more extensively had not
the discord, occasioned by the unlocking Of the
shutter and the pane of glass which was broken by
them, aroused the gentlemanly vendsr and repair
er of musical instruments from his slumber.