The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-02-25
LOST ARTS.
Nothing New Under the Sun.

NOkuAlk NcW OuueE LEe sun.
In regard to the colors we are far
behind the ancients. None OF the
colors in the Egyptian paintings of
thousands of years ago are in the
least faded, except the green. The
Tyrian purple Of the entombed city
Of Pompeii is rs fresh to-day rs it
was three thousand years ago. Some
of the stucco, painted ages before
the Christian era. broken up and
mixed. reverted to its original lustre.
And vet we pity the ignorance of the
dark skinned children of the ancient
Egypt. The colors upon the walls
Of Nero's festal yault are as fresh as
If painted yesterday. SO is the cheek
of the Egyptian prince who was con
temporaneous with solomon, and
Cleopatra, at whose feet Cesar laid
the riches of his Empire.
And in regard to metals. The
edges of the statues of the obelisks
of Egypt, and of the ancient walls
of Rome are sharp as if hewn but
yesterday. And the stones still re-
main SO closely fitted that their
seams, laid with mortar, cannot be
penetrated with the edge of pen
knife. And their surface are exceed
ingly hard, so hard that when the
French artists engraved two lines
upon the obelisk brought from
Egypt. they destroyed in the tedious
task many of the best tools which
can be manufactured. And yet these
ancient monuments are traced all
over with inscriptions placed upon
them in olden time. This. with 9TH
er facts of a striking character, prove
that they were far more skillful in
metals than We are. Quite recently
1 il is recorded that when an American
vessel was on the shores of Africa, Il
son of that benighted region made
from an iron hoop a knife superior
to any ON board the vessel, and an
other made 4 sword of Damascus ex-
I cellcnce from piece of iron.
/ Fiction is very old; Scott had his
counterpart two thousand years ago.
4 story is told of warrior who had
no time to wait for the proper forg-
ing of his weapon. but seized II red
hot, and found to his surprise that
the cool air had tempered his iron
into an excellent steel weapon. Tn,
tempering OF steel, therefore, whicl
was new to us a century since, wa'
old two thousand years ago.
Ventilation is deemed very mod
ern ant. but this Is not the fact, 70
apertures. unquestionablv made fol
the purpose of ventilation. are foun,
in the pyramid tombs of Egypt. Ye
thousands OF years ago the barbar
ous pagans went so far as to yenti
late their tombs. while we scarcel,
yet know how to ventilate on
houses.
THE EDIToR.-There is somethinJ
2 so peculiarly exciting and fascinat
; ing about the life of an editor, tina
there are but few who have engage
in it, with any degree of success
who are satisfied to give il up; bu
i is not all sunshine. The edito
must, of necessity, become a kind q
y public censor, and he who does hi
4 duty to the public must make
! great many enemies. Enmity l.,
i tween the editor and cvildoers come
I as natural rs between the seed ,
Il woman and the serpent-as he brui
Il es their heads. they naturally bit
2 his heel. Even those ef this ella.
IL who have not passed under his han,
e live in continual dread of him, al
o dread breeds hatred. Then. too, Il
; most cautious of editors will occ
, sionally give offiense TO good peopl
q although no one should take often
s. where none was intended. Som
&c times on the bestinformation he ha
a he writes things he would like
II have unwritten. His language
&c often distorted - he is misquote
; and made to convey ideas he nev
IT dreamed of. Men sometimes expe
G a puff when the editor does not IS
it" and straightway he is voted
ass. There are some dark spots til
occasionally pass across the face
the sun, but still it shines. - Colu
Sun.