New Orleans daily crescent., 1859-11-15
Recent Antiquarian Discoveries.

Antquarians are continually bringing to the light
of day invaluable treasures of art and Gtera-
ture from the dim twilight Of the East; but the most
valuable discovery of recent date has been made
by Professor Tischendorf, and is thus noted by the
foreign correspondent of the Banner and Adyo-
cate:
The Iveliest interest in the learned world has
been excited by the important manuscript treas
ures discovered by Professor Tischendorf the cele
brated German Biblical critic. He says, as to its
contents, the MS, even at the present day, COM
prises first of all, some very large sections Of the
Old Testament, g. g., the greatest parts of the
greater and lesser prophets, the Psalter the Book
Of Job, the Book Of Jesus srach, the wisdom Of
Solomon, besides those of others of the so-called
Apocrypha of the Old Testament. To these books
succeed the schole Net1 Testament and herein lies
the extraordinary Importance of the discovery.
Only three extensive Bible MSS, of an antiquity
reaching from the fourth to the ninth century have
come down to our times; but there is not one of
these that contains the whole New Testament. The
most extensive Of them is the Codex Alexandrine
of London; but it wants almost the whole of Mat
thew's Gospel, as well as the greater part Of
second Corinthians, and two chapters of Johns
Gospel.
's1he Vatican Codex,'' Treasured up for CEN
tures in the Papal library as one of its most pre-
cious jewels) sis still defective. The Revelation
Of John and four Epistles Of Paul are wanting en-
tirely and third part besides, Of the Epistle to
the Hebrews. Whereas, the MS. now discovered
does not want single leaf of the New Testament;
it is therefore, of all the MSS. of the New Testa-
ment which claim an antiquity of thousand years
or more the only one which is complete. For
| every theoogian who knows how decisive is the
testimony of the few MSS which claim an antiquity
| Of one thousand years or more, no further proof
will be needed of the importance OF this happy dis
| covery. This gives new guarantee for the pos
sibility of settling and restoring the Apostolic text
Nay, more, the fact is on proper scientific grounds
of Judgment we already possess this text at least
4 Two other discoveries are announced: First,
the whole Epistle of Barnabas: :" a work which
| was regarded SO early as the second century with
1 pious reverence, and of which only recent Greek
/ MSS and Latin translations, imperfect and often
1 unintegible, hitherto existed. Second the first
4 part of 9 The Shepherd Y Of Hermas; regarded
in the earliest times as portions OF Holy Scripture,
4 although their authority as such, was called in
4 question by some persons
i This discovery was made in cell or convent at
/ the foot of Mount Sinai. The MSS. consists OF
three hundred and forty-sx leaves of fine beauti-
| full parchment; the writing arranged in four col
umns every page. Prof. I. considers that be.
yond all doubt it belongs to the fourth century
He thinks that in three years the literature OF the
Church will be enriched with an edition OF the
!, MSS. now discovered and which may be regarded
as SO precious.
WONDERFUL LIGHT-The Rochester Democrat
g says that DIR. Geo. w. Smith, of that city has IN
e vented light much more powerful than the Drum
mond light. This light was attached to loco
motive on the Central road, and it threw such
= hsAt luat the least OBSTRUCTION coulu pc uscerleu
4 at distance of twelve to fifteen hundred feet.
!, On long stretch Of straight road the locomotive
was brought to a stop, and the party alighted to
e go ahead in order to ascertain the effect upon an
o observer. Looking at the light from distance Of
e fifteen hundred feet, the eye is unable to endure
its brilliancy more than an instant and from dis
! tance of Thousand feet it cannot steadily be
9 observed at all 1t was found that man with op-
t. tics of ordinary power could solely by the light
n reflected from the lamp, readily read newspaper
printed in type like that with which this article is
y set, full quarter Of mile from tie locomotive
If This seems Incredible, but it Is literally true. The
N distance was carefully measured off by a profes
= sional engineer who was of the party.
70 A COMPLICATED MARRIAGE QUEsTIoN.-Scanda
es is busy with an event which has something of til,
i, iudicrous. nObleman of Milan, of some wealth
= who had contracted marriage by civil contract be
fore the legal authorities found it expedient to dis
10 own the tie after while, in order to connect him
ct self with Milanese lady of great personal attrae