Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-02-19

uloSt luolOuSIlly ulIt ue I'LL plONt II.
Together they "stood within Nine
yh's monumental gates, wandered
through its excavated palaces, and ex-
amined their sculptured halls, recalled
the mighty past, read prophecy in the
light of modern discoveries, compared
Herodotus with Isaiah, Ctesias, with
Nahum, and Diodorus, with Jonah. y
The Bible, Greek historians and Gun
eiform-wedge shaped-inscriptions,
the three great sources of information
in these matters, We're collated, and:
as is known to those who have inves-
tigated the subject with the requisite
care, found in all essentials to syn
chronize and supplement each other
Within this work may be found val
liable details as to the results of the
investigations of archaeologists, both
at Ninevah and Babylon, also, clear
account of the methods by which the
translation of the Cunieform inscrip-
tions on the Assyrian tablets and
monuments was attained. Here, also,
are specimens Of important documents
that have been unearthed, such as
Promissory notes, Bills of sale for
slares. Deeds of sale with the mail
marks of the parties, answering to
our seal or marks, Prayers and Psalms,
Addresses to their Gods, An account
of the death of good man, etc, etc
But special interest attaches to the
account given of the Deluge Tablets,
with their translations. These, twelve
in number, were but recently discov-
cred at Ninevah by Mr.. Geo. Smith
of the British Museum, and by him
translated. They agree remarkably
with Chaldean accounts translated in
to Greek by Berosus, Chaldean
Priest, about the third Century before
Christ, and also with the account Civ
en- by Moses, in Genesis. Tablet No.
Eleven gives the Assyrian legend of
the flood. 1t is attracting immense
attention, and bears silent but power
! full testimony to the truth of the Bi-
bic. The Importance of these Tab
lets in the estimation of scientists and
archaeologists cannot be over estima-
/ ted. DR.. Newman has performed an
admirable service in laying before the
general reader these otherwise recon-
! dltc matters.
Reference Las Eeen made to the
style Of the author. This is eminent
| ly adapted both to interest and con
vey information. Habitually fluent
/ and 4
to say that the magnificent sentences
that crowd these pages. while pos,
sesSing silver like clearness, often
arise to golden periods worthy of that
most eloquent of English essayists,
Macaulay. AS illustrating this we
note the references, on page 10 to the
ancient Island of Ormuz, in the
Arabian Sea, celebrated by Milton;
High on throne of royal State which far
Outshone the wealth Of Ormuz and of Ind,
Satan exalted sat-
They are worthy the poet himself
We refer the reader also, to the de-
scription, on page 54, of the phosphor-
escent waters of the Bay of Bushire,
on the Persian gulf, where, "for a
Rupee, the sailors launched boat,
and when it touched the surface of the
bay, its sides resembled polished sill
yer. Each lifted oar dripped with
glory. The spray that covered the
boatmen transformed them into angels
of light, and the wake of the boat was
a succession Of resplendent undula-
tions.' Again, to the description on
the opposite page of a storm on the
Persian gulf, magnificent but thor
oughly natural even to the little
Captain in helmet-cap and long coat,
laundering out his orders, and en-
forcing the same by the application of
his boot
Pages 66-69 in regard to Eden,
constitute passage Of combined mar
ration and dissertation fully becoming
the lonely scene to which it refers.
One Of the most charming passages in
the Book is that on page 95 descriptive
Of the home an hospitality Of Captain
Holland and family, English residents
at Bagdad, the City of the Arabian
Nights Entertainments. The refiec-
tions of the author, on page l30 when
alone on the great plains of Chaldea,
with Nimroud's BaLel, the Palace of
Nebuchadnezzar with its wonderful
Hanging Gardens, the waters of the
Euphrates beside which the captive
Jews hung their harps, the Lions Den
wherein Daniel was cast, and the
Tomb of Ezekiel, the remains indeed
of forty centuries around him. are
most touching. He recalled the de-
parted greatness of Babylon and the
historic past, whe', Nabopolassar and
Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Cy-
rus, Darius the Mede and Xerxes the
Persian, were the mighty actors on
this great stage of the worlds histo-
ry when Daniel and his brethren We're
captives eside its classic waters when
Greek met Assyrian and Roman met
Persian, in ;he battle for empire and
renown; when palace and castle, tower
and temple, massive walls and brazen
gates stood in their glory where now
but their remains were strewed.' This
passage and that on page $50 describ-
4 |. -. II Io,u