The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-13
Lecture by DR.. Kinns at the
British Museum.

DR.. Samuel Klnns, +. R.A.S., Principal
of the College, Highbury, New Park, and
author of Moses and Geology" recently
delivered lecture on the valuable col
lection of antiquities in the Assyrian GAL
leries at the British Museum. The
party, consisting of about forty visitors,
were received by Mr.. Edward Bond, the
principal librarian, who had made every
arrangement for their comfort.
DR.. Kinns dwelt principally upon the
religion, literature, and amusements of
the Assyrians. The histories of the two
great cities Nineveh and Babylon were
intimately Connected The manners and
customs, the various arrangements re-
terrlng to the government, language, and
inscriptions of the one were so similar to
the other that the lecturer put them to-
gether. The Assyrian remains in the
Museum were interesting, important, and
invaluable. They gave us a vivid idea
of the everyday life Of an ancient and
extinct people. The two cities stood
about 200 miles apart. Nineveh, in the
height of its glory, covered an area of
a great city in 1880 B. c., and was very
likely founded 1000 years before that.
1t was destroyed by fire by the Baby
lonians in COG B. @. Nineveh was sur
rounded by wall 100 feet high, and
thick enough for three chariots to pass
along abreast. This wall was surmounted
by l,500 towers, each 200 feet in height.
100000 men were employed eight years
in building the wall
Babylon was founded by Nimrod 2233
B. @. Its walls were 800 feet high and
70 feet thick, surmounted by towers very
similar to those of Nineveh. The gates
of Babylon were each 90 feet high, and
the city was broken up into 626 squares.
1t covered a space about equal to that
enclosed by boundary lines drawn from
Highgate to the Crystal Palace, and from
Kew to Woolwich. DR.. Kinns exhibited
a model of the famous hanging gardens
of Babylon. The most striking object in
this great city was the tower, 500 feet
high, dedicated to Jupiter Belus. Xerxes
tried to break it down, but failed in the
attempt Alexander conceived the idea
of restoring it. Doubtless this tower was
built on the plan of the Tower of Babel
The lecturer then dwelt upon the mag
uluCSuJ uGCOIdJlOuS VI Ju6 TOOLS OF J06
Babylonian palaces, and the character of
the temples. He also gave interesting
particulars respecting the huge winged
bulls each weighing ten tons, and cut out
of solid piece of alabaster These bulls
stood at the entrance of all the palaces
They were not objects of worship, but
symbols Of divine power. Winged lions,
some with and some without q human
head, were also an important feature.
Hunting the lion was faYorite pastime
of the king.
The lecturer drew attention to the
beautiful sculptures Of exquisite beauty
and finish, representing lion-hunting.
Some Of the lions might have been cut
out by Landseer himself. The necklace
was distinctive adornment Of the kings,
and they also displayed at the top of
their head-dress a peculiar pointed cone
The king was always sculptured in two
positions, so as to show both sides Of his
person, along with a winged figure re-
presenting the Deity, omnipresent and
eternal. DR.. Kinns' remarks on par
ticular floral device peculiar to the wor-
ship of the Assyrians, shed vivid light
on those passages Of Scripture which tell