Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-11-04
the rare works which are only here to be

of the Museum, is the largest of its kind
ncighborhood Of 100000 volumes, besides
a great quantity of ancient MSS. and plates.
The /" Kings Library" collected by George
III, forms part OF the collection, and con-
tains very curious lot of old autograph
letters, and other documents. Here is 10
be seen copy Of the first Bible everprint-
ed, and also the earliest printed book, sup.
posed to have been printed by Gutenberg
and Faust, at Mcntz, / i55. The catalogue
of the entire collection forms in itself H..
brary of 632 volumes. The British Gov
ernment spend $4,000 annually in adding
old and curious books to the library.
In the manuscript room is the original
copy of Magma Ctana, with king Johns
seal affixed. II is about two feet square,
written in Latin, and is quite illegible it
was much shrivelled, and the seal nearly
melted, by fire which came near destroy
ing it in 1881. 1t is traditionally stated TO
have been bought for fourpence Of tailor,
who was about 10 cut up the parchment in
to measures. Here is also to be seen the
original Bull, in Latin, of Pope Innocent
III, " receiving the Kingdom of England
and Ireland ander his protection, and grant
ing them in fee TO King John and his sue
cessors," dated 12li; also the original Bull
of Pope Leo X, comforting the title of De-
fender of the Faith upon Henry VIII.
Tn one of the halls of the Geological de-
partment, which contains collection of
many thousand stuffed birds, are sus-
pendsd above the wall eases of birds, 1l6
portraits of sovercigns and other persons of
note, many of which are original paintings
One of Oliver Cromwell was presented by
the family to whom Cromwell himself gave
it !; and there is one of Martin Luther, and
also Of Gutenberg, the inventor of print
ing. In the monkey room has recently
been placed the only specimen ever cap
tured of that terrible man-beast OF western
Africa, the Gorilla. This animal atiains
the usual size of man, and his strength is
so surprising that if the hunter fails to dis
able him the first shot, he rushes upon him,
breaks his gun between his teeth as quickly
as he would a reed, and with one blow Of
his great black hand, or paw, finishes the
hunter, whom he covers deep in the leaves.
| He is dreadful ugly looking brute.
The department of fossils is very Curl
GUS and extensive, containing many slabs
of stone bearing the imprint of all kinds of
mammoth birds which have never been
seen, of fish, fruit, leaves, &c. The most
curious thing | saw in this department was
a human skeleton embedded in rock. II is
also very rich in gigantic aseous remains.
But the most prominent feature of the
curiosity department is its collection of an
tiquities. While amid these wonderful col
lections from the ancient cities of the earth,
one almost forgets but that he is wondering
in the streets of Nineveh or Babylon, or
pacing the rostrum Of Thebes or Carthage ;
and his imag nations are in measure fact,
! for here are hundreds of massive columns.
mon.trous carved bulls and other figures,
colossal statues, &c, &C., from all these
cities, profusely carved with hieroglypic
characters, a large number from the Tonbs
of the kings at Thebes. ! noticed one,
very curiously carved of Theban Queen,
named Anlhsenpirneterhat. l mention
this one because her majesty had such a
pretty name. Fragments of the disinter-
red palaces Of Ninevah are very numerous
winged lions weighing 10 tons each, &c.
Among The sepulchral tablets are Egyp-
tan frescoes painted perhaps 5000 years
ago, yet fresh in color. Among the mar
bles brought by the Earl Of Elgin from the
I Panthenon at Athens, is fricze, executed
by Phidas, 52i feet in length, probably
the largest piece of sculpture ever atiempt-
ed in Greece; its men, women. heroes,
chariots, gods, &c, have an astonishing air
of reality. Flaxinan said these sculptures
we're " as perfect representations Of nature
as it is possible to put into the compass of
marble, and nature too, in its most bcauii-
ful FORM" Among these collections is the
supposed tomb of Alexander the Great,
carved with over twenty th ousand charac-
tiers.
4 This Museum is free 10 all but TO avail
myself of the use of the library and read
ing room, was required 10 bring an intro
duction from some Lord, alderman, NJ. r.,
government officer, or other public hum
bug, when six months ticket was given
me. w.
Mr.. Youughusband's Experiments.
Mr. Younslushaud, although he had