Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-12
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

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at the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday even
ing last IL embraced a further account of the
inscriptions in arrow head characters the local.
tiles in which they are found, and their extent
contents, and historical value. Until recently
these characters were supposed to be confined to
one language hence the d culty of solving their
meaning was increased. and they were generally
placed In the category with those things Of the
ancient world which must ever remain myste-
ries. Patient and toilsome investigation ba.
however, been successful IN obtaining a kew TO
tnslr Interpretation, and they are now known to
different In genius and construction These are
the Persian, Tartar and Arabic. Some few Of
tne inscriptions are only In the Persian language,
out their number is very limited, and all those
hewn on stone found 10 comprise the three
rms proves that they Were designed to be read
bY the three families races of mankind with
Whom they Were respectively vernac uldr tongues.
IL also convinces us that the government at whose
order those of public character were executed.
was extended over these several races. Their
origin is attributed 10 the Arabic or Cuneatic
Language, their simple shape adapted them
to impression on the sun-dried bricks with which
those people built all their temples, monuments,
Throughout all the vast empire that owned the
dominion Of AhaSuerus or Xerxes, in the ruins Of
The cities, on the remains of monuments and
tOmbS, and on the solid rock of the mountain
sides, these inscriptions to be found Earthen
tablets containing them have been dug in great
Quantities from the sites of Babylon PersoD,lis
Nineveh, Bayistan, and other ancient towns and
cities. They Were also found on the walls doors
and lintelSo Of houses and temples, and, indeed in
ryery available situation. Those dug I'D are i'm
the best state OF preservation, but the most re-
maTkabe are those on the mountain sides; they
convey vivid idea Of the soicitude those ancients
experienced about transmitting their names and
the accounts Of their mighty deeds of yaloc TO
Posterlty. They are conclusive evidence. too,
That the country was pOpuous and prosperous,
and the people had attained degree of civiliza-
ton and knowlfdy of arts and sciences far supe-
Iior to that of the nations who succeeded them
The lecturer INDUCED in speculative re-
marks about the authors of these inscriptions
which the facts developed from the records they
have left may ultimately prove correct. Their
great cities, stupendous and massive buildings
their magnificent temples, and towers which
Threatened heaven by their holiness in more in
stances than that recorded by Moses as being
erected at Babel, were alluded to and the lectu-
rer rema' X; that these now form huge shapeless
mounds, on which the nOmadic Arab frequently
pitches his tent and feeds his herds, little dream-
ing OF the remains of a wonderful and mighty
people which lie deeply buried beneath his feet
VI is rom these heaps that many of the best pre-
served tablets have been excavated
from what has been already learned respecting
the meaning of the Inscriptions, and the facilities
now possessed for decypheriny them the lecturer
al no doubt that in a few years hence they will
be made to yield history of those whose work
they are, but of whom almost every vestiye had
become extinct, and their very existence was by
many deemed mythical. Their manners and
habits may not alone become known through
these media, but useful information az to their
arts end sciences may also be obtained But thew
are especially interesting inasmuch as they tend
70 confirm the historical portions of the sacred
Scripture, thus Tobbing in6delity of any foun-
daton on which to build her opposition to Chris
tanity
The lecturer described particularly one Of the
most remarkable of these Inscriptions found on
the side Of mountain near the Site of what Wa,
The holy city of Persia, known as Bagistan
me lace of perpendicular rock of considerable
extent, and some three hundred feet high, has
been made smooth. and the inequalities sIIppIied
by running lead into the crac ks and assures The
inscription was then cut into this surface II
contains ninety paragraphs, repeated in three
different langusges-each parac raph occupying
space of about twenty five square feet Tins
making the extent of the Inscribed surface some
b,'U square feet, which is about the area of a
square whose sides are 50 feet long. Over this
inscription there is coating of vaTnish or laz-
ing, which is now harder than the stone, and 1t
mas eneCtudlly preserved the characters from de-
facement This inscription purports 10 be a his
tory of Darius, son Of Hstaspe pes the Arian, king
OF refsla Several other Inscriptions Were de-
scT1oed PARTIALLY in this lecture, and seine allu-
languages.
On Wednesday evening last the lectured closed
thls interesting course. He confined himself on
that occasion To description of the process by
which the key for these inscTi ptions was obtain
ca Many of the facts related suft GENTLY in
teresung to Lay before our readers, but Is space
VIII not now permit US to do so, shall refer to
the subject a. ain.
MISS MAYS CoscERr.-A large, brilliant, and
inspire musical performer, and Just this had
Miss May last night. Certainly she never vet
has sung in this city with such warmth and dra.
mdtlc Effectiveness, and never before did she so
entirely reach the hearts of her hearers which
j., after all the real test. Each piece was warm
~ appIauded, ard several of them rapturously
encortd Her performance of - All non Giunge -
rom La Sonndmbula, was irresistible and so
was the enco- performance succeeding of = Non
ia SoSno, from III LOMBARD One of the great
uluiphs OF The evening was her rendering of
Nsols bIindisl,' composition admirably
audpted 70 Miss Mays qualities Of voice. She
wa, OF course, called upon to repeat IT, which
she did with perhaps hegh tened effect
heT huoolPhsen's performance of Schubert's
enade' aud The heat bowed down ~ from
the bohemian Girl, - were among the brilliant
successes Of the concert. He has baritone voice
OF much richness and force, and has moreover
the recommendation of being educated must
MI. Aptomas, the harpist, made hit and wa.
again and again called out 10y the aud fence His
command OF this instrument is somethi ny aston-
Prof Thunder presided at the piano, perform.
Ing the compartments judicionsly-as accom-
Tonight Miss Nav sings in Alexandra, with
tne same enectual support, and Tomorrow night
the delights Of last mig 1t TO be renewed in this
city.
In concluding we must not foroet to commend
the satisfactory manner in which the arrange
inents OF Philharmonic Hall are conducted by
Messrs. Me.zerott& Hill This Hall has moved
ITSELF remarkably well adapted for musical pur-
poses.
TRoIE's ORIESrAL PIcrUREs.-want Of space
has hitherto prevented noticing as they de.
serve this really fine collection Of pictures exc
cut-d by NJ Troye, artist who belongs to a
family which, for upwards Of two cenuries. has
nanliestrd great talent for the fine arts In 1893
MI adopted our country his own aud since
then has for several wears up To the time n. Ieft
for Asia, held professorship In the 81. joseph
College. near Mobile
These pictures are the result of his visit to the
localities depicted, and they are not only exceed
ingly mertOTious = works OF art hut are recoq,-
missed by visitors 10 the scenes as strikinsIy
accurate
The leading picture in the exhibition is an i'm.
prcssIve representation OF that remar kable BODY
OF water the Dead Sea. This striking picture
was executed at no little peril To life by the artist
who spent nearly three wee K upon The borders of
the deadly lake making his PREPARATORY sketches
IN looking upon the solemn stretching out
Indefinitely in the mist one can almost f,sI the