The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-05-18
cHALDEAN LEGEND.

1t Is but snort time since MT. smith
published . history Of the excavations in
Nineveh by which he recovered portion Of
the Royal Assyrian Library from the ruins
of the palaces Of Sennacherib and Assurba>
nipol, the Sardanapalus Of the Greeks. In
that account he gave some information con-
corning the legends of the Creation, the
Deluge, the Tower Of Babel, and the Times
or Patriarches, which he was then decipher-
ing from the broken and fragmentary tabs
lets discovered and conveyed to the British
Museum Since the issue Of the records Of
his ..As>yrian Discoveries" he has been in
dustriously engaged in uniting such Of the
various fragments Of the legends as have
been preserved, and in reading and trans
lating their mystical inscriptions. Having
brought the work Of Interpretation rs near
to conclusion as may be with the material
now in his possession, Mr.. Smith presents,
in answer to general demand, the results
Of his investigations With characteristic
modes,y, he pronounces his renderings pro-
visionai, and asks his readers to accept
them with the same reserve that he has used
in Offering theul
He prefaces the transcript Of the legends
with brief sketch Of the circumstances in
which the Assyrian Library was found, and
Of the literature Of Babylonia and Assyria
which has thus been recovered. The books
Of the Assyrians were printed in cunieform
characters upon terracoita tablets. Of all
sizes from inch long 10 above Il inches
square. II il supposed that the collection
forming the Royal Library At Nineveh was
kept IN the upper rooms Of the King = palace
under the charge Of regular Librarians.
| -r -n4 ss.
orderly sequence. and to have been labeled
and caial1gued for convenient reference.
Judging from the fragments discovered it
il estimated that the library contained up
wards Of 10000 tablets The majority Of
these books were collected during the reign
Of Assurbanipsl. =. G. GO. who was . mu-
niEceni patron Of learning His agents
searched biz deminions for treasures Of liter
at ure, and bringing them TO Sinevsb, copied
them for the benefit Of the Royal Library.
Among the works thus gathered together
were treaiises upon Astronomy. Astrology
/ History. Mathematics. Grammar. Lexico-
graphy, Natural History. and Geography
Az in most libraries Of modern times. fciicr
hal prominent place in the department b
Literature, and stories legends, and myth
we're present IN liberal measure. When th.
| building which consainedthe r oyal LIbrar,
was destroyed, the tablets fell among tn
ruins AMI suffered every sort Of injury
They we're scattered, broken, cracked
scorched by the heat Of the burning palace
and soaked BY the rains that percolatet
through the everything debris. let. BY din
Of patient labor, the fragments recoveres
have been joined together 30 that many 9
them hare been read with . satisfactor,
degree Of intelligence Mr.. smith figure
one tablet containing the account Of tn
DeiAzes which is composed Of sixteen frag
nenis, and Jet il sill incomplete
The story Of the Creation and Fall prob
ably covered series oftwelve tablets; 30
those discovered are In very mufilaae'
condition, not : single tablet being perfecs
So far - Mr.. Smith has been able 70 deter
mine from the existing fraguenfs, the stoT.
Il agrees geserally With the Mosaic aeeoun
u the Creation, bat seems originally Z
kave been nueh nore ample i dstail
Tin, ike - skksr l<gends Givsn = =
yolane, - douhxlo0 handed aewn r.
4 esn1r1aioa aeronaaljGn ~ usE1 - msI11
49, + - 80 llto1 - W1i1