, 1877-10-05

GERMANTOWN, Pa, Oct, al was invited by
some ladies hero To sistIhe old Academy Of
Germantown. built In tho year lao; md We ex-
plorciI tho old school-house from cellar to gar
ret. Noticing, In one room, Eomn closcts that
looked like old-fashioned cupboart1s, nskcd
the teacher what they contained Ilo told inc
they were filled with old, tnusty books and
prints, tlat hal bccu locked up tlcso time out
Of mi,ll and that II VIC chose to examine them.
VIC could do 10, as they might have some Inter
est un account Of their antiquity. We nccord-
ingly, having nothing better to do. dragged
them from their hiding.p1accs, md, scattering
them around on door ami tablca. proceeded to
look into them. Soon the la1lics-one OF w1ioln
was an usttst-uttercd shouts Of admiration. ~
they brought TO light, FROM time to time, soiuc
rare old engraving or etching, Or turned over
tho pages Of immense vnlumes tllcd With the
finest pictures. .......
II would he In vain to attempt to ilcscrlbo
hnlf Of these curious old relies or even to EiYeA
list OF the engraynvs ani designs. and Of tl'u
OLD old books containing them. Twill mention
One Of tho most splendid and valuable works
Of the collection Is the four Gaarto volumes
which give description OF tho antique nunu-
!ncnts, statues yasss. nronzsss &c, ionnh n
drawings and dealgns OF everything By tho heat
artists. This work was published at Naples in
11d0,-.the very ycar tiic Old Academy was
founded. Then come t'Ie dcstgIs anu archi'
Mmrs; and tllosc Of lingo Jnncs. In one volume
qunrto, There arc several vouH,cs Of pictures
mud illustrations Of thu baths Ut Titus; ono
volume of grand o!d views OF Venice; and tug
tho antique gems to a,c found In tho Flofenttne
Museum Of the stelIc family.
WHAT would have n peculiar Interest for o
Western man is tho "'ropogra3.ltcal Description
- N,~$t 1iahn f9y Inn s},p1 IN
l77G, by i. Townell, MP. 4 large map accom-
pat!es It., whch Is sail to hn an tmnroyemcnt
q, that 81 Eyans published In rs: IN ,n,,s fhe
rretaec IT. i; stats'i !I'i tat any TFasts ylsh
IN tllc Western rarts (which Western Parts, by
the wny, leave irlghtlul blank bcyOnd tho
Mississippi, nid leave out entirely the small
body of water known rs Lake snperinr1, anil
Intlian or Traders patfs through the wilder
ncsR-txr Gvtl qua SOLO hH,t9Haa trifa Tutfs-n1G
now IN tue course of very few years becotno
great WAGON roads-es 'aaflo q7'1 JafFas sf"ttd,
f4eta vis.''
The country lying between the Mississippi
and tho Lakcs Is divided Into three portions, Of
which thu Oututsamcs ,oct''Ipy oil north q the
Missouri RlreI; tho Foxes all That which lte;
between Tho Wisconsin am! tho Illinois; and all
south 0f that. tho authpr says, belongs to thu
!stl"is, 'eorrupt!y called By tho French the
1lino.s.h
There nsc many curious annotatlons and
tho Ohm, that "Thc stream OF Ohio ts every
wherc pretty nl2dcrutr, except at the places
mentioned VI be otllcrwise.'' and the Wabash
River u set down rs "tAc 0sstartana, falsely
called the Wabaeh." It Is remarked that I" Tho
peckcd line il supposed course OF thu River
Ohio" South Of tho Ohio. there Is said TO so
IN vcf., Of mountains, as,out thirty or forty
mIlcs right across, through which thcrc is not
yet any occupied path In these pnsts.h or the
Territory now composing tho State OF Michigan,
It Is aal1 "Thc ronteaerates. July 10, 170l, at
Albany, surrendered this, their heaser-humttng
country, Ia tho English, u bo defended BY them
for thu said eontcderates' taelF heirs mud sue
erssors forever :
Tho body Of the work contains many singular
speculntious upon tho soil, Cliulate and sup.
| posed character Ut thu unc1plorCtl portions uf
thu country, which arc amuslng to tho reader Of
the present day; AMI tho author hero takes DC.
casEon, ~ brfofa on tue map to insist upon the
| fact that "The Weatcrn Leugue Of Indians were
| known tn themselves by tho nanle os l'ftnts,
which mime was corrupted by the French iuto
fInok.n
| 1t will bc strange, Indeed, II, ut the celcbEa.
| ton of the centennial Of thu battlu Of Gertnau-
town, to taku playe IN few tlaYs here, ths re-
markable collection does nut receive some stafc
OF attcnttDn, and thus be rescued from oblivion.
/ 1t certainly deseryca It.