A. H. Sayce. These reveal a language which, in its grammatical forms, stands related to the Semitic tongues in the following order: Hebrew and Phoenician, Arabic, Æthiopic, and, furthest off, the Aramaic. The simplicity of its vowel-system, the identity of its case ending with those of the Aorist, the large number of conjugations, and some other grammatical peculiarities, give it the rank which the Sanscrit holds among Arian tongues.1

The aids to historical and Biblical study are as yet fragmentary, but interesting. Tablets and bricks, inscribed with names of Chaldæan kings (1230 B. C.), the "inscription of Tiglath-pileser I” (1150 B. C.), whose separate translation by Rawlinson, Oppert, Hinckes, and Talbot, was the "experimentum crucis" of decipherment, the "Assyrian Canon," discovered and edited by Rawlinson (1862), giving a succession of kings for two hundred and fifty-one years (911-660 B. C.), the History of Asshur-bani-pal," the "Black Obelisk," the Annals of Esarhaddon, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, the Eponyms Canons (911-650), the bilingual tablets of Assyria and Babylonia, tablets of Nebuchadnezzar, Nabopolassar, and the Persian monarchs, are among the best known. The history of the East has been rewritten by George Rawlinson and M. Lenormant, and the greatest interest has been aroused in chronology and ethnological relations. The vast amount of undigested matter lies ready to astonish us constantly with statements like those which will close this memoir.

About a dozen years or more ago, a young London engraver came on holidays and at odd hours to the corridors of the British Museum, filled with M. Layard's eagerness to read the story of these literal sphinxes. He copied, compared, studied. He saved his money in order to buy the works of his predecessors. One day he surprised Sir H. Rawlinson by reading off the legend of Jehu, son of Omri, on the Obelisk, "Yahua, son of Khumri, paid me, Shalmaneser, tribute." He was employed to work in the Assyrian department, where he has since been engaged in cleansing, classifying, and even in chemically restoring and preserving the precious remains of the clay libraries. He has succeeded in dividing the relics according to subject matter. In examining the fragments of the mythological class, and piecing them together as he best could, he found them to contain twelve legends, the eleventh of which is the Assyrian transcript of the Chaldæan account of the Deluge. Though found at Nineveh, the tablet gives evidence of having come from Erech, and of being very old (1700, B. C. ?) The tablet opens with a speech of Izdubar, who reigned at Erech in the mythical period near the Flood. It may be

1 Sayce Assyr. Grammar. 2 Parker's, London, 1857.

Edited by Smith, London, 1871.

that more of his history is concealed among the potsherds not yet classified. The following from tablet six introduces the hero.

(1).. Belesu, he despised Belesu (2) like a bull his country he ascended after him (3) he destroyed him, and his memorial perished (4) the country was subdued, and after he took the crown (5) Izdubar put on his crown, and after he took the crown (6) for the favor of Izdubar, the princess Ishtar lifted her eyes (7) and she spake thus: "Izdubar thou shalt be husband, (8) thy word me shall bind in bonds, (9) thou shalt be husband and I will be thy wife (10) thou shalt drive in a chariot of Ukri-Stone and gold (11) of which its body is gold and splendid its pole, (12) thou shalt ride in days of great glory (13) to Bitani, in which is the country where the pine trees grow. (14) Bitani, at thy entrance (15) to the Euphrates shall kiss thy feet. (16) These shall be in subjection under thee, kings, lords and princes (17) The tribute of the mountains and the plains they shall bring to thee, taxers (18) they shall give thee, thy herds and flocks shall bring forth twins. (19) . . . . thy mules shall be swift (20). . . . in the chariot shall be strong and not weak (21) . . ... in the yoke. A rival shall not be permitted."

One of the next exploits of Izdubar and Heabani his servant, was the conquest of the Winged Bull, a monster supposed to have existed in those days, and which terrified the people until they called on Izdubar and Heabani.

In course of time he became sick, and fearing death, he called Heabani.

(1) Izdubar to Heabani his servant (2) bitterly lamented and lay down on the ground (3) I the account took from Heabani and weakness entered into my soul, (5) death I feared, and I lay down on the ground, (6) to find Sisit son of Ubaratutu (7) the road I was taking and joyfully I went, (8) the shadows of the mountains I took at night, (9) the gods I saw and feared, (10) . . . . to Sin I prayed, (11) and before the gods my supplication came, (12) peace they gave unto me (13) and they sent unto me a dream.

The dream is very much mutilated, and much is wanting from the subsequent part of the journey. After long wandering, he met a seaman named Urhamsi (Orchamus ?). They fit out a vessel, and in a month and fifteen days reach the region where Sisit is supposed to dwell. In this journey Urhamsi tells Izdubar of the waters of death: "The waters of death thy hands will not cleanse." They come at last to the land where across a stream they ask Sisit questions on life and death. Much of Sisit's replies embracing the tenth tablet is lost; it closes with the words, "The Goddess Manutu, the mother of fate, to men their fate has appointed; she has fixed death and life, but of death the day is not known."

The translation of the eleventh tablet, as given by Mr. Smith before the London Society of Biblical Archæology, and published in the "London Times," Dec. 4, 1872, is to be found in an Appendix to Rawlinson's "Historical Illustrations of the Old Testament," by Dr. H. B. Hackett.

The following fragments, found afterwards by Mr. Smith, fill the gap after the thirty-fifth line.

On the coming of the flood which I shall send, thou shalt enter into the ship, and the door of the ship turn, thou shalt send into the midst of it thy corn, thy furniture, and thy goods, thy gold and silver, thy male slaves and thy female slaves, the sons of the army, the beasts of the field, the animals of the field, all thou hearest thou shalt do. . . . . . they shall spread, and they shall guard the door of the ship. Sisit attended and opened his mouth and spake, and said to the god Hea his lord. . . .

Mr. Smith set out in January, 1873, on a visit to these cradle lands of modern civilization, and returned in October of that year, bringing over four hundred new inscriptions, beside various objects of art, domestic economy, implements, etc. The inscriptions throw new light on the history, politics, astronomy, mythology, geography, and language of ancient Assyria. The most important is a stone tablet, three feet high, one and three-fourths feet wide, and one and a half thick, covered with mythological emblems. One hundred and fifteen lines of writing contain a royal charter or grant of land from the king of Babylon to a priest holding several offices. Two new kings occur, Mili-Sihu II (1340 B. C.), son of Kurri-galzu, and Merodach-baladan I (1320 B. C.), in addition to list given in "Five Great Monarchies, Raw. I, p. 171.”

If an evil disposed, (85) or an enemy, (86) or any man, (87) or the son of the owner of this ground (88) shall act falsely (89) and shall destroy it, (90) into the water or into the fire (91) shall throw it, (92) in the earth. shall conceal it, (93) from the hand of Maneduk-zakar-izkur, (94) and his seed shall take it away, (95) and to above or below (96) shall send it, (97) the gods Anu, Bel, and Hea (98) Ninip and Gula (99) these princes (100) and all the gods (101) on this stone (102) whose signs are seen (103) fiercely may they destroy his name, (104) a full curse (105) may they curse on him, (106) calamity [?] (107) may they bring on him, (108) may his seed be removed (109) in evil, (110) and not in good, (111) and in the day of the departing (112) of life may he expire (113) and Shamas and Merodach (114) tear him asunder (115) may none mourn for him.

Another occurs, twenty inches by nine, with eighty lines of writing,

found at Kileh-Sherghat. It is two hundred years older than TiglathPileser's Cylinder, and contains the earliest instance of dating by Eponyms yet discovered. The stone throws additional light upon the history of Assyria and Babylon, coupled with the Kassi who conquered Babylon and entered into alliance with Assyria. Afterward killing the king, allied to the Assyrians, they placed Nazi-Bugas on the throne. To avenge the revolt, an Assyrian monarch, proved by the inscriptions to be Bel-nirari, made an expedition to Babylon, slew the usurper, and raised up Kuri-galzu, the earliest monarch mentioned on the monolith.1

"(1) Bul-nirari the noble prince, appointed by heaven, (2) the noble established by the gods, (3) founder of cities, conqueror (4) of the armies of Kassi, Guti (Goim), etc."

Another fragment has added very largely to the material from which Mr. Smith compiled his history of Asshur-bani-pal. The following is one of a great many of "Contract Tablets:"

Seal of the woman Daliya, mistress of the girl sold. The female Anaddalati, her daughter, of the height of five subdu, she sold, and Akhatilla, the attendant of the palace, in presence of Daliya, for half a maneh (eleven ounces) of silver bought her. The bargain concluded, she gave the girl, and the money was given in exchange. The judge confirmed the agreement. Done in the month Sebat on the 22d day, during the Eponymy of Sennacherib, King of Assyria.

In November of last year, the British Museum despatched Mr. Smith again to Kouyunjik, for the purpose of continuing his former investigations. From the first efforts at decipherment, to the publication of Mr. Smith's Syllabary and Norris' Dictionary, scarcely threescore years and ten elapsed. Man grows hoary in his allotted time, but many of his best works are in their infancy after many generations of his sons have passed away. One cannot but be proud of the progress already made; still he cannot read the grammars of Menant and Oppert without feeling that many serious difficulties, especially of polyphony, will severely tax the translator for years to come.

I will close this article with the earnest wish that American scholarship may yet lend the aid of its common-sense comprehensiveness to a study which touches, in so many places, the science of philology, as well as the history of man and the Revelation of God.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

OTIS T. MASON.

1 A paper read by M. Smith before the "Society of Biblical Archæology," Nov. 4, 1873. London Telegraph Newspaper, Nov. 5, 1873.

I

An Address delivered before the Alumni of Newton Theological
Institute, June 10th, 1873.

HAVE read somewhere of a learned statesman of England, that he was wont to call the Dialogues of Plato the most beautiful book in the world, after the Bible. Some may count this only the expression of a fond admiration; and yet, what uninspired thought of man makes nearer approaches to the Bible, in its conceptions of viatue and virtuous character, than that which shines out upon us from these Dialogues? And when we think of the writer, and of the principal speaker in them, what relation do we recall of master and pupil outside the life of the New Testament so luminous with moral beauty, and so fruitful of elevating influence, as that of Socrates and Plato? Memorable was that day, when the youthful Plato, his fine genius just flowering into poetry and beautiful letters, was brought by his companions to Socrates, and, when listening to the new teacher, was seized with such a view of the true ends of Athenian and all human life, that he straightway forsook all his young dreams of literary ambition, and followed his acknowledged master, drawn by an irresistible moral attraction. That day determined for Plato the course of his long after-life. It marked his conversion to philosophy, and to philosophy in the Socratic sense-not as professed wisdom, but as the studious love of wisdom. It was a life-long search for truth, and a search no less ardent in its moral aims than intense in its intel