Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-25

( curved line being visible. Tie fertility
of a genius that could impart such alb
| sorbing interest 10 a work executed with
only two unities OF form and both Of
them composed Of straight lines. filed
me with surprise.
Ny curiosity impeled me to arouse my
| friend from his drowsy ecstasy, due 10
| the hasheesh IN his pipe, and ask him
what the photograph represented.
Il quite understand. your surprise" he
said in reply, because l experienced 1t
in an equal degree when L first beheld
that remarkable example of cuneif)rm
writing IN its most primitive form It's
date must be at least 1900 years before
Christ IL IS q fragment OF Chaldean in
scriptlon. Some years ago L was making
some excavations on the site Of ancient
Nineveh when 1 unearthed this clay tab
let, extracting il with the greatest care,
in order to preserve 1t free or defects or
mutilations | was the more interested In
it, because 1 knew that in the same place,
! or very near to It, another similar tablet.
and Of the same epoch, had been found.
which on being translated turned out TO
be an account of the Flood, from which,
according to the inscription, Xisuthro and
his family were saved in an ark, and
offered a sacrifice to God in token OF
gratitude therefor.
Animated b. the hope of finding in
| this new tablet another rare document. 1
.et myself, with ardor 70 the work OF
| translating it; and it was with great
pleasure that l at length came TO under
stand that it vas in all probability one Of
a series of very important inscriptions.
ut will be well, before going farther,
and for your peace of conscience-since
you are such a sincere belieyer-for me
to reassure you by stating that these in
| scriptions, in their substance, do not con-
| tradict the Book of Genesis, which fact
causes ne TO suppose that the Chaldeans
| must have been of Semitic origin, and,
I more than this, that they were In a state
! Of bondage at the date of these tablets.
although their civilization was superior
to that of their oppressors.
"If / have not been mistaken in the
| translation, this particular tablet treats OF
} the creation of the world, OF the animal
kingdom and Of man. its head and fror :.
IL describes Paradise and the pleasures
and delights God placed at Adams COM
mand in consideration of his obedience.
This first part presents no important de-
tails.
! but. in the second part, appears an
account. as extraordinary as it is interest
ing. OF the means employed by the Spirit
| of Evil 10 seduce the woman and thus
bring about the fatal disobedence Of the
happy pair. =,
''The man against whose loyalty the
first attempts OF the fallen angel, In the
shape Of large serpent, were directed
rejected the temptations held out TO hin
with the greatest energy and firmness.
1.-THE serpent, the most cunning anl
astute OF all animals created by Cod
seeing that Adam was invincible, PLACED
his whole hope in the weakness OF th'
woman, and at once began to besiege hel
with his seductive wiles, but at first with
out result.
zone day the man was occupied IN Ger
tain duties In the garden which God ha'
Imposed upon him in order that he should
not remain In complete idleness. He de
layed longer than usual in rejoining hi
companion. and she manifested some in
quetude at the apparent neglect, whict
dld not pass unobserved by the Devil.
'"rhe reptile approached her and said
Adam Is deceiving thee. Thou art no
the only companion that he has here n
Paradise. God gave him one. which wa
thee; but have given him another mor'
beautiful, whom he keeps concealed b,
my order. but know where she may b
found
ION hearing this the peace Of soul which