The Trinity journal., 1857-01-31
TEE RUINS OF NINEVAH.
BY REV. GROVE X. GODFREY.

Nincvah, once the proudest city in the world,
through its streets three days in succession and
proclaimed gel forty days and Ninevah shall be
overthrown.
In the days of King Solomon Nincvah had just
attained the zenith of its glory and it continued
the same for many years, through the successive
reign of Assyrian kings.
1t was twenty CO miles in circumference and
contained population of one hundred and twen-
ty thousand souls !!
Ninevah was celebrated (says Yah-hu, in his
Arch acologyD for its splendor and magniGcence
Of its public buildings such as temples porticos,
towns and palaces, and decorated with ccstliest
materials
There were no city in all Asia where philosophy,
the fine arts and men of science and learning and
cultivated minds were carried TO greater perfec-
tion than in Ninevah
History also tells us at that time it was the most
grand and imposing city in the world its gran
deur, its variety, its romantic character its splen-
did beauty of architectural proportion were com
parably magnificent
Ninevoh was the capitol of Assyria. She was
proud Of her architectural edifces and mprcgna-
be wall and gates of brass her frowning domes
and her pencil gardens,
not Babylon
Nor great Alcaino such magniGcence
Equal'd in all their glorics to enshrine
Belus or Scraps their gods or seat
Their kings when Egypt with Assyria
Strove in wealth, luxury and learnngP
These advantages led to wealth and idoltry
and universal corruption of manners prevailed,
30 they were debauchcd and addicted to all man
ner Of concupences.
Amidst all her gaiety and mirthfuness, her
bachanalan songs and annual festivities, she be-
gan to decline on account OF her own perfdy and
finally fell through her own debauchery
Where OH where now is her luxurious edhces
and crowded thoroughfarcs and promenadcs, the
glory that once clustered around proad Ninevah,
once the great city of christian niquity.
Her perfdy and debauchery have succeeded to
the joyous hlarity of her great population. Her
glory is now departed and scarcely a trace of her
former riches and magniiccnce remains Her
once splendid palaces and temples have fallen
down and mouldered into dust, yet beautiful in
their ruin.
Layhard in his researches In Ninetah made won
derful and astounding discoveries in his Assyrian
antiquities. He finished his exhumations in the
early part of last year and consigned them to the
London AthenGum. They arrived there during
last autumn
They consist OF about fifty cases of the most ar
tistc sculptures yet discovered in this post-delu-
van city representing the queen of Assyria feast
ing (?) under the shadow of the vine the king
engaged in a grizzly chase, and after in the act
of pouring forth lbation.
There is also q splendid and almost unbrokcn
hunting series, comprising not only lions, camels
and leopards, but wild asses and zebras, caught
in lasso also, procession of spOrtsmen bear
ing away birds, hares and foxes, and with them
dogs, nets and other implements Of pursuit and
capture But still more interesting than these
treasures of antiquity on the slabs, bearing the
famous inscription on the winged bull at the en-
trance Of the palace of Senachrb recorded in his
memorable expedition against Heziliiab. the SOW
oregn Of Palestine, in which one hundred and
eighty thousand Of his WARRIOR unsmote by the
sword, in a single night melted like snow in the
glance of the Lord, an event so sublimely dcs-
cribed in the Hebrew melodies of Lord Byron
And there lay the stud with his nostrs all wide,
But thro' it there rod not the breath Of his pride ;
And the foam Of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of rock-beaten surf,
And there lay the rider, distorted on poles,
With the dew on his brow and rusty his mail,
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone
The lances uplifted, the trumpets unblown.
EyRRgrca OAK CoTrAGE, Shasta, Jan 20.