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but he could only make .). It was then he perceived the Jtriking Jimilarity between Jbme of the early Greek letters and the cuneiform He obtained characters as exhibited on the Ajjyrian marbles.EDITOR'S PREFACE. principally from an Elian bronze tablet. when nineteen letters exdijjefted. HE it author's preface is very long. and by comparing thefe with the cuneiform infcrip- tions. now under the care of Mr. Being an earnejl Jludent of Jubje&s tending to illujlrate or authenticate Holy Scripture. Jubhibited in the firjl column Jequent Jludy and inveJHgation have only tended to confirm this As Jbon as he had formed the alphabet. The following extracts are all that need be quoted : the object of the prejent work to direct the attention of the literati of England and of It is all " who feel interejled in the quejlion ' Which was the Primitive Alphabet of Man?' to a dijcovery made by the Author in the year 1848. tried to make it fpeak in that language . permijjion from the Mufeum authorities to copy the infcriptions. and having a Jlight knowledge of Greek. brought to light by Mr. he firjl conviclion. with a view to their elucidation. and much of of a purely perfonal character. Layard's ex- cavations. copied an inscription. injcribed with records written in a dumb Semitic character. he found that all the various groups of characters. and he then collected an alphabet of the earliejl Greek. he formed an humble unit amongjl the many thousands who flocked to the Britifh Mujeum to gaze upon the exhumed remains of a mighty empire. of the Britijh Mujeum . were refolvable into the Jimple of alphabets (vide Plate I. Newton.
and was very favourably received by the Melbourne prefs. but the hurry of departure from England prevented the preparation IJlington. Since the year 1859 he has been ufmg every means in his power. * * out a few names. only anfwers he received were from two Hebrew who wanted employment. having fome leifure on hand. Greek. He fent copies of his fcholars But the alphabet. and who would take the trouble of calling upon him. while feeking his daily bread Jixteen thoufand miles from his native land. He advertized feveral times in the principal paper. no of any one record. B. Layard. but he received only one anfwer.' and the name ' of the god Bell. Hollis. and Paris. he directed his attention once more to the Jiibjecl. and not hearing of the publication of anything CERTAIN by the great European philologijls. to the difcovery. 1851. January. under very many difficulties. to various learned focieties and gentlemen in London.' Babiloi. This appeared in Augujl. to bring it before the public in the Jhape of the fir/I edition of his work on the Primitive Alphabet. from for Mr.vi Editor's Preface. he applied himfelf to get a knowledge of that tongue . 1864. of 1850. but the confufion of colonial life in thofe early gold-days put a Jlop to all literary purfuits. from its feemingly abjlrufe nature. About that time. But. with particulars. for the Jlern realities of life. Dublin. other means of making known a difcovery fo imfeek fome literal or perfecl tranjlation portant to the literary world. and from that time until 1859 * ne P a P ers remained upon the Jhelf.' Thinking next that it might be Hebrew. who told him that the only plan was Nothing then remained to publijh the difcovery to the world. having appeared. and the cuneiform writings. Previoujly to his embarking for Aujlralia in he fubmitted his difcovery to the Rev. Jlating that he was willing to communicate all the particulars to any perfon who felt an interejl in Biblical make known Jludies. exprejjed quite a favourable opinion of it. Jo as to make it he was induced to quite incontrovertible. and kindly offered to get it publijhed in one of the quarterlies . who He landed in Melbourne in of the manufcript for publication. when adverfe circumjtances compelled him to give up the jludy of Hebrew. fuch as Aparavi. but fcarcely had he ma/tered the Hebrew alphabet. the fale him but .
Jo that on land he found hirnfelf in the midjl of jlrangers.' and declared dijcovery to * intended all bojh the learned knight to be an erudite exprejjion. the Author will not pretend to The other letter of introduction was to a literary lady 1 Jay. as Jbon as he reached his native land. all honour to her name helped with money At the time he left the Jhores of Aujlralia. both as to the to be letters.' which Jhown all analogy with extremely Jimple. He brought with him two letters of introduction. one to a Jo-called learned knight. ancient and interejling records of rightly interpreting the mojl will be 1 "The Mrs. he would be patronized. was not adequate friends to the expenje of publication. grojfefl and darkejl ignorance. gone 1867. feajible. he thinks. Ranyard. conveying the all bojh* Whether meaning that be was ASHAMED at not being able to judge or appreciate the merits of his book.Editor's Preface. he had who felt certain as to the truth of bis theory. author of "Stones Crying Out. or too idle to ! think for themfehes^ but are contented to take all for granted learned men in that has been put forth by three or four men but in this peculiar branch of philology in the Jbme refpecls In the following pages he has. number and the form of the hope that this Jyjtem. nearly and former friends were his return to his native to their lajl account. E. his friends ajjured him that. in its He application has only further to by the philologijts of found to be the long-wanted defideratum for Europe. vii Still." and editor of Miffing Link. June. With this view he left Melbourne. Having been his relatives February. in Jlricl clearly is exhibited the Jcheme of the * Primitive Alphabet. and the early alphabets. ! who and fortune awaited him. his who very Jbon gave him be ' * * the cold Jhoulder. and and advice as long as it was in her power. and who advijed him to feek a more legitimate Jphere for his Jtudies. and that 'fame kindly took him by the hand. or too much engaged with their own peculiar hobbies." &c. and to publijh an enlarged and a more correct edition of his work. . and landed in abfent from England Jeventeen years.' How The literati of London are has he been disappointed bitterly either too ignorant of the Jubjeft brought before them. all in England.
It is not unreajbnable to Juppofe that this language was the Jame as * the whole earth was of one that Jpoken line from Adam. The abftrufenejs lies rather in the FORM : than in the " Introduction " we quote the following " It will be remembered what great excitement was caujed the learned world in the years 1848-49. The French and 1 Academy. Noah. of one fentiment and of one fpeech. by SUBJECT-MATTER. but especially by that of the Holy Scriptures themjelves . indeed. as Jbme would render. all the Oriental nations. that the whole book is quite intelligible to any perjbn of average information. jbme of the mojl learned men of the prejent day ajjert that all that has been done (/. from Mount Jame alphabetical characters in writing. . King of AiTyria. that the records of a nation Jo intimately hope connected with the early hijlory of the world will not remain reajbnable to unknown. jpoke the Jame language and ufed the of the a generally received opinion that in the early world." the From Mr. for we read in the nth chapter of Genejis. treats the Jo-called translations as Still it is merely ingenious conjecture. Layard's discoveries. date not known.*.viii Editor's Preface. by the great ancejlor. he hopes. that lip and the Jame words J or. rejects all that has been done. and what rivalry there was among the clue to great Oriental Jcholars of Europe to find out the key or Yet the elucidation of the inscriptions thus brought to light.. This opinion is fully borne out by a vajl majs of concurrent tejlimony from ancient and modern writers. in the way of decipherment) is unfatis- fattory. the tenth in a direct Both Adam and Noah converjed with God 1 From a " " newfpaper paragraph defcribing the Literary Inqueft on the tranflations of the cylinders of Tiglath Pilezer. It is ages Ararat to the banks of the Nile. antiquity. The Author may have feels that the apparent abjtrujenejs of the Jubjeft take up the the effeft of repelling many . extremely vague^ and even contradictory. by the throughout means of partial refufcitation of Nineveh's ancient greatnejs. readers who book merely to glance through it but even Juch readers would find. and from the Perjian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. on a little clojer examination.
and he mujl have had daily "interof courje with people. and from thence into Egypt. the eldejl Jon of Noah. there mujl have been an identity of primitive language Jeems aljb to have been underjlood by Melchizidek. and would prove that the language Jpoken was the by his father. grandjbn of Noah. and would account for the facility of intercourse between the Patriarchs and the Egyptians. Adam. and reigned in Egypt twenty-Jix years after the flood. as Jojephus tells us) into Canaan. " In an old Hebrew work. they found the primitive language (or Hebrew) perjbns. have been a kindred tongue with that of the inhabitants of Sodom. and very probably by the Kings of Shinar and Ellajar. in his childhood with Abram. From this it appears that there could be no difficulty . Adam lived many years contemporaneously with Lamech. with this Thus the Jame primitive language as from father to Jon to Abram . Jacob communed freely with Pharaoh. himjelf. Ham. King of Goyim (nations). for Lot dwelt its there. or Mitzraim. this facl Jame. and ninety-five years before the building of He doubtlejs Jpoke the language he had been taught Babel. of communication between Abram and the Egyptians language. are in- We formed by the Jame author that he taught them arithmetic and the Jcience of ajlronomy. that There cannot be a doubt. that the kings and their people jujl alluded to were writings dejcended from the five Jons of Shem. in other The words. King of Salem. and by many proofs. Jlill exijling. therefore. which we and it appears from the names of places and Jliall call Hebrew . when he fled from their persecutions (for preaching and teaching the worjhip of the true God. ix Now. moreover. Profane hijlory informs us that Menes. It is certain that the Egyptians then Jpoke the original language. If Jo. The King Sodom find himjelf held a conference from the Jacred Further. ejlablijhed himjelf. the Jon of made it the national tongue. the father of Noah. and Jacob wandered. where he dijputed with the priejls and learned men of that country. by Chedorlaomer. we Noah. It mujl.Editor's Preface. publijhed 150 years ago (Hutchin- . and descended language it was that Abram travelled from Ur of the it Noah /poke Chaldees. that wherever Abram. King of Elam. and Tidal. IJaac.
which are Jo appojite to the prejent inquiry that I * There are two Jhall not apologize for introducing them Jon's : Jbrts of human learned. dijcujjion room for A arranged alphabetically. certainly. give up opinions formed. But what has whom many. in faff. in early days.' in 12 vols. learn to tell us anything we know not. if not all. and that GALILEO was right. of the perjecutors of GALILEO were conand firmly believed that the new doclrine would jcientious men. of Juch profundities as the . Mojl Jcholars Jeldom do any considerable thing in the other. or which is not in ufe. admires old knowledge and ridicules new. that men who the reajbn beneficial improvements. and yet they can give of what they call c 105 pages Dictionary of Reduplicated Words. ? Why.) are the following observations. is acquired by obfervations and comparijbns of opinions. learn to tell us learnedly what we already know or have in uje . learning to learn that which others have which comes by injlruclions from writings. Men who learn to mind words. Even the Jo-called l Philological Society ' (I am alluding to Jbme of the executive) treated the matter now under his age. is nothing more than a lift. And it is few covering anything we do not know. and that which has not been learned. Philosophical Works. which is are majlers of. and mojl people who fpend their time In dif- we have Jo few objervable. from the teachings of thoje they have been taught to look upon as the oracles of There cannot be a doubt but that wifdom and knowledge. and the fame opinions hold the minds of men in thraldom in the It is a mojl difficult matter for men to prejent day. actions This age very unjujlly prizes the one and dejpijes or things.x c Editor's Preface. that all their knowledge was dark compared with the light of fclence dijplayed at the prejent day. tend to bring discredit upon Scriptural truth. the other. time unfolded ignorance. tell It us but confufedly at firft? This quotation was written 150 years ago. with the greatejl contempt . A man may have vajl conceptions and little or none of words . already or examples. and in advance of It is really ajtonijhing to find Jo much lamentable ignorance among the literati of England on this peculiar branch of philology.' which. and full of the one. Jeldom mind things . and men who Jludy things feldom mind words. which words.
but worfe than ufelefs. whanky Puttee po. F. It is to be regretted that we cannot get men to think for Mankind in general are too prone to pin their themfelves.g. men theories of the great f R H T ledged learning. pokey. " Of was bard to give up old opinions and take to new" And fo it with the majority of men." When is prefled to give his reafons. it all that could be got from him was. gentleman to folicit when he faid. H. that it was fpoken all over the Eajl up "It to a very late hijlorical period .. The author once waited upon a rev.Editor's Preface. culy cum. faith to the Jleeves of their teachers. &c. and then pronounce their verdicl. e. Dr.' themfelves. that the works of thefe great men in this branch of philology are not only worthlefs. ribald chorufes of pot-boufe fongs * : xi fum. It is alfo fought to be in the Ajjyrian cuneiform characters are to be found jhown that the primitive alphabetical characters ufed by man. " I have heard of your work. but I do in it. Let them carefully perufe the following pages. viz. and not improbably by Adam his patronnot believe 1 age. .. and Mr. and there will be not much doubt of their arriving at the conclufion. Jhould go for nothing? it cannot be there The anfwer is. .' &c. It has been heard aid by gentlemen who have only taken a curfory c Can it be pojfible that the works of Sir glance at this work. without troubling themfelves one moment to afcertain whether they are right or wrong * but no fooner is any new theory Jlarted antagonize to the blindly-received : men of the day. to prevent further inquiry.. . that our prefent Roman alphabet is radically the fame as that which was ufed by Abram.* &c. Hokey. pe. &c. and to keep the world In Ignorance. than it is either treated with filent contempt or ridiculed as the effufions of a maniac. and take all for granted that they propound. or Hebrew . of acknow. by Noah. and that there is every proba- bility that the alphabetical characters ufed in the earliejl ages of the world were thofe here exhibited. for they are only calculated to mljlead. Let them examine for mujl be fome mijlake. and the puerile fubllmltles of the nurfery. is one of the objects of the prefent work to endeavour to that the language here referred to was the Primitive prove language. * Humpty Dumpty fat on a wall.
that he does not always Jubjcribe to his author's alleged facls. Utterances like the above... are calculated to lead Jcientifk thinkers to the but that of his was warped. has been carried on to completion . all came from that quarter. Jaid to have been in the Briti/h Mujeum to (p.xii himjelf . and does not Jlrengthen it. 39). and taught converged with God them arithmetic and ajlronomy Juch ajjertions are totally unworthy of a work devoted to Jcientifk invejligation. when the writer Jays (p... this latter. being So indeed are all the devoid of all critical or hijlorical value. 128) " This work ." that the primitive lanLamech to Noah . that " Both Adam and Noah himjelf. which evidently is beyond the Jcope of the inquiry. or Jupporting the truth own Jyjlem. nor does he agree in all the inferences drawn from theje fafts. many of his which he looks upon as imaginary. the true original Hebrew. If the Jheets had come into hands in time. Again. though he prefers the knowledge popular tradition to the Jcientifk and true explanation of the correcl two chapters of the text . which ought not of anything elje to tend to ejtablijhing. weakens it.. is not merely Juperfluous. whatever may be the conjequences to any exifting Jyjlem or belief. and that the Affyrian language is the primitive tongue. ajjumption that the mind of the propounder of the new theory or at leajl biajjed. have been omitted." implying that meaning of Cadmus (p. that Abram difguage descended through puted with the priejls and learned men of Egypt. becaufe whatsoever is foreign to an ought argument. the long account of the apocryphal two jlones.e. he would have expunged a great number of pajjages. Such Jlatements as thofe. whence they have myfterioujly disappeared. i. Jince he endeavoured to make which ought to Jland on Scientific demonjlration . for which ajjertion there is no foundation." he aims at an object. fanciful /peculations of ancient and modern writers reproduced in the firjl " Eajl. 10). So again. but the author gives the myth. ancient and modern" Now the Editor wijhes it to be diflinftly underjlood. and the fource of all languages. making Cadmus a merchant prince of Phoenicia. Editor's Preface. it : with the Jincere prayer that it may tend to the further elucidation and confirmation of the Holy Scriptures..
ourjelves to decide whether the forth in the following pages be true or not.Editor's Preface. and hijlorical Jcholars. foundation. triangular or pyramidal . alone. every mental procejs even has three conjlituents. e. its particles or molecules begin to depojlt themjelves as minute Jblids. objerve the coincidence. positions or elongated into wedge-Jhapes. whence the name. action in the mind. the conceiving. or Jides. Our objecl is neither to advocate nor condemn our author's it . which derive all their force from faith. who. as editors theory put may reasonably be Juppojed to have Jbme Jheaking kindnejs for Without then taking upon works they edit. with blind Jubmiflion. viz. author's rejearches into the nature of the primitive lead him to the conclujion that cuneiform writing is alphabet. but as an attempt to elicit truth. unfettered by the ditta of men. have hitherto been accepted as the true expounders of cuneiform writing . In material nature the pyramidal or cone Deity as a Trinity. and the thing con- univerjal law of nature. oriental. it dejerves the attention of philologifls. why with an unprejudiced fpirit. xiii and do&rines. biblical. form is the primitive Jhape of the mojl ancient tree./. the conceiver. When a Jblution of common Jalt Jo it is of cedars and ferns. at a certain Jlage of concentration is can no longer retain the liquid form . on very Jlight lamentable failures to extfaft any Jenfe from the Ajjyrian Jlone records. we may this dejerves investigation yet point out one or two reajbns. and in Jpite of their certainly. and Jupply a key to an as yet theory unknown language. extending natural formations is Jhape of all hence the mojl primitive religious creed represents the . mutually Jupport each other. . letters and combinations Now aljb to letters : the primitive the Jimplejl. if coincidence it be. mujt Jland by its merits. Now our being all triangles in different the triangles being either equilateral . ceived Jlowly evaporated the mojl Jimple procejs of Jblidifying the Jalt which remains behind. the pine . or fall by its defecls . we find that it led men to give the Jame form to their earliejl conjlruftiens. for as Juch we may conjider . and not the rejult of an its the primitive alphabet. which ajjume at lajl And on examining vital the definite form of Jmall pyramids.
The letters. very valuable to the caufe he advocates. and. wherefore if it tell anything in favour of his theory of the primitive alphabet. Again the : in changes letters enumerating the various alphabets. contrajled with 1 The author does indeed refer (p. and other countries. Mexico. it mujl be looked upon as a perfectly independent witnejs. and Jhowing have undergone in the courje of time. had ajjigned Now nineteen letters to the primitive alphabet. that publijhed the firjl edition of his work at Melbourne in 1864. what is worthy of particular attention. is taken from the now famous Moabite Jlone. now renders this unjbught-for. like the facl of all natural manifejlations being primarily when our author And Juch a witnejs it Jeems to be.xiv Editor s Preface. But this could have been done by trilateral. as the name indicates. that . and thus totally impartial evidence. and records events which tranjpired about the time of Homer and Hejiod. between five and Jix hundred years before the final dejlru&ion of Nineveh. Now bear in mind. are the earliejl that have been found in the Phoenician character facl. 1 As our author does not jeem to have been aware of this peculiarity of natural formation for there is no doubt that he would have Jeized upon a fa<3 Jo Jlrongly in favour of his Jyjlem. nothing of this Jlone was as yet known. The record was written with an alphabet of about nineteen letters. This. the pyramids of Egypt. 72) to the pyramidal form of ancient temples. moreover. and not by quadrilateral pyramids. had his attention been drawn to it the very circumjlance of his not been aware of it. the hijlory of which is no doubt familiar to the reader. unhaving expecled. but attributes its adoption to the idea of the Trinity. objerve that the author. For the Jlone triangular. was written upon. by Great is the Jimplicity of our author's Jyjlem. which was to be thus fymbolifed. years before the Jlone was heard of. is the of the letters have a greater likenejs in form to the primitive than any that are Jeen in later Phoenician documents. he introduces the Moabitic type. Jujlly the author may remark that "the force of this many argument all in favour of the new theory mujl be Jeen and felt " reflecting minds. .
with an alphabet of Jbme three hundred letters. in yet " their own confejjion. outfider. who . polyphones. have met with any pajjage of particular diffi" Jbme "I . putting the mojt ridiculous. bottom of p. weapons that only hurt philological the owners. I have been tempted on : " cannot yet venture to decide . determinatives. think . more hopekflly Jlill frankly confefs jectural that having majlered every Babylonian character to which any clue exijled in the trilingual tablets. we refer to Pilezer. than like the work of learned men ferioujly put forward. I have omitted " I will " or. any and from whom no interference of any kind is to be tolerated. different tranjlations of To give but two instances. whofe productions and whofe mode of working cannot be improved by criticifed. "I " whenever I " " this it . and indulge in a free fight among themfelves. the cumbrous machinery of Sir xv H. Mejfrs. Rawlinjbn. and occajionally they turn againjl each other. interpretations upon them . havoc among harmlefs inscriptions.be utter defpair of arriving at any fatisfa&ory And be are not to accepted without quejlioning." by theje bow to them as our teachers. would have us know-nothings. Jbme of the tranjlations given of the Ajfyrian texts look more like regular hoaxes . The former are latter and the Jhow the profejQional experts AJJyrian cryptography at thing as a proper name. interpretation is almojl conculty.Editor's Preface. more occajions than one to abandon the Jludy altogether. homophones. chiefly nonfenfe. ideo- Fox graphs. or make them look as ridiculous and awkward as thefe expounders the giant Jlain by young Roland ? ." . on our credulity. and others. whofe utterances ex cathedra are to refult. 148. like Jlantly meet with admiQions loggerheads about Jo Jlmple a But in their own writings we contheje " : I entertain doubt " . and whatever other weapons may have in their armoury of their modern Babel of confufed tongues. for champions of AJJyrian exegejis produced nents have they overcome None as what refults have thefe ? what linguijlic oppoyet they have made fad . Hincks Talbot. with about five hundred variants. pajjing for when each expounder explanations. in an infcription on the cylinder of Tiglath 146 and top of p. The prefent writer was told by a gentleman. In injijls on his own abfurdities facl. frequently totally fenfelefs.
when at a recent meeting of the Palejline Exploration Fund. For Jmce no dijcuflion is to be allowed at the meetings. adulatory twaddle in the pojl-prandial Palejline the merits of the hojl. to find one proof that new difJearching coveries have proceeded from Juch ajjbciated bodies. Jlyle only. firjl efforts Jcientific of genius towards the praclical Jblution of literary or difficulties.xvi Editor's Preface. if he meant to exprejs opinions running counter to thoje held by Sir H. Let Juch men follow the example lately Jet by a dijlinguijhed . thus trying to cauje Jbme of the lujlre Jurroimding him to fall on themjelves. then compelled in Jpite of this oppojition the theje Societies eagerly rujh forward to enrol him among their members. and their members to be conjidered as the patrons and fojlerers of Jcience. bent on upholding particular crotchets or hobbies of their Hence it would be difficult on ever Jo carefully the annals of Jcience. it is a facl that ought to prove to them that whiljl Juppojmg they are contributing to the Exploration Fund. to be the paramount But what Jo-called learned Jbciety ever really cared for that ? All Juch Jbcieties are Jlmply cliques. which the Jubfcribers to the above fund ought to bear in mind . indolence to man of genius has Jucceeded. have in any way been fojlered. glorifying there is but little chance of the difcovery of truth. he was warned beforehand that he would not be allowed to Jpeak. they are really Jupporting the Rawlinfon Exaltation Fund. whiljl the public. and their readinejs pompous arrogance. have given them every True. but dares to think for himjelf. and the world to admit the value of his achievement. ajjiiming authority to decide on the new difcoveries and inventions. and making Jbme Jtiggejlions. and refufes to bow to idols. or that the leaders. which ought objecl. being legitimate. ever to bow facility to and ignorance. he intended ajking a few quejlions. offering him rewards and medals. takes considerable interejl in Oriental philology and archaeology. how- a facl well known to their humble worfhippers ever popular the prejent writer was told by him that. encouraged. we Jhould Jee that they or Jujlained by them. This is a Jignificant facl. Rawlinfon. have ridiculed and oppojed everything not hatched and nurjed in their own by Jcientific value of their forcing-houjes. On the contrary. when Jupprefs and crujh independent inquiry.
e. which they are to be " patronized. and his followers dutifully adopt it . who tranjlates the full name. that Mr. that there are feven million hairs in a cat's tail. and is about as confounded a name for a king as that of Beerybinker in Wieland's fairy tale]. by " thefe would-be patrons of fcience are fometimes hoijl by their own petard. when a gentleman fent to the Eajl to find a particular infcribed Jlone. how can we be fure can we be fure of the accuracy of any of " b . and that the king describes himfelf on the tablet as the Jon of Tajjigurubar. Rawlinjbn. writer. to the delight of all Ajjyrian fcholars And when he tells them that one tablet contains " the name of the of the identical Jlone with ! ! very early King Babylon. or fomething totally different. bringing him He has fmce then made a fecond and brought back a confiderable number of AJfyrian journey. which was like looking for a needle in a Jtack of hay.Editor's Preface." Who Jhall difpute the No one ever disproved the ajjertion correclnejs of thefe names ? race of of the accurate naturalijl." occurring in the above quotation. in return. referred to above. Bazanpalakura is to fay." /. of the " Sugamuna." it is eafy to add that we have here half-adozen royal names heretofore unknown. Jon of Ummihzirriti [which mu|l have been a pojer to fpell. very fpeedily returned. The name of " Akkad." True alfo. was firjl propounded by Sir H. while Mr. impofed upon in their own line by fome clever hoaxer. xvii and rejeft all fuch tardy and felfijh acknowledgments. Talbot makes it Now. Jon of Abinam. details are taken may . tablets. and Sir H. Niniv-balufhat. who rejlored the temple of Bel. Jon of Agurabi. how can we be ajked to believe in Tugultininip? of Tugulti We fee ? that How ninip" is doubtful. Ninip-pal-ukin. and that his name Agu. Rawlinjbn. mojl of whofe infcriptions he deciphers quite readily. as happened not long ago. forming the firjl part of another already name. according to ! if in this injiance the Orientalijls cannot agree among them- felves whether the Ajjyrian fyllables read Ninip. 5 of our author's work. King of Ajjyria fame two is the latter half of the word reliable ? The fyllables occur on the cylinder of Tiglath Pilezer. alfo be found the name of Tugulti-ninip. Oppert. is that of the moon-god Akkad. the objection to it is Jlated on In the account from which thefe p.
Babylonian and and are thus ejQfential to hijlorical identiAJJyrian proper names. Notwithjtanding the numerous alphabets and Jyllabaries that have been publijhed [our author's theory. Rawlinjbn's tranjlation injcriptions Cylinder Tiglath-Pilezer. there are Jlill many cuneiform characters of doubtful powers [in the prejent treatije they are reduced to nineteen. they would grateby any Juggejtions. and none of them doubtful]. prove that thofe who rightly or wrongly have taken the lead chojen Jet. are for the mojl part rendered conventionally and which enter Jb largely into the compojition of provifionally. the chief authority on the mode of deciphering Jpeeches made Ajfyrian injcriptions . other fouls will truft in you. of the on the " of . yet the in the Semitic Jeclion of the above referred-to Congress. are determined to ignore anything that may not proceed from their his followers own If Sir Henry Rawlinjbn and were honejl in their fully profit endeavours to arrive at the truth. " Sir H. Smith. in which not the mojl dijlant allujion is to be found to the Jyjtem propounded by our author." with a whole hojl of other works on ancient Oriental injcriptions. Bagjler and Sons promije us Mr. has no difficulty in identifying names]. as far as we under/land it. George Smith's " Deluge Tablet. does away with the necejQity of them]. Smith evidently : acls on the maxim laid down by Mephijlopheles " If you but Then e/pecially after the in yourfelf confide. though made by an outjider." eulogium Sir Henry bejlowed on him at the of Orientalijls. an ^ the publications that treat of cuneiform injcriptions are not Jo numerous. recently held in London. though the firjl edition of the work appeared in 1864. What a mental feajl may we not expecl ? Mr. though the Congrejs " we eulogizer himjelf admits that [the profejjed Ajjyriologijls] are far from having overcome the elementary difficulties of phonetic reprejentation. it would Jeem. " Early Babylonian Injcriptions . in theje invejligations. tranjlations ? Mejjrs." with notes aljb by the fame author. while the vernacular names of the gods. fication [Mr. that one of this extent could eajily be overlooked.xviii their Editor s Preface. that ." Theje are admijjions made by Sir Henry.
if pojjlble. remains to be Jeen . and to fix. while the rejl were coolly Jhelved. One of the chief objecls. have even a Jemblance of furthering the pretended objeft the deciphering of the in xix view : as long as the real is objecl Jelf-glorincation. Jbme of leifurely the favoured few of the members were allowed ten minutes . them can ejlablijh his own cafe. or rather inutility. who had been Jent by the Indian government all the way from India. Hindoo. which was Jimply a muddle and a /rated above as to the Jbcieties. Nineveh But The appeal then lies to that Jeclion of the public AJJyriology. each to read a mutilated paper. it was not heard of again. upon a uniform and univerjal alphabet to been exprejs the letters of Oriental alphabets . farce. as far as the progrejs of Oriental learning is concerned. of learned Inaugural addrejjes and complimentary Jpeeches took the big-wigs more than half the time of the Congress up and mercilejjly rode their favourite hobbies . which were Jaid to have drawn the Congrejs together. independent inquiry will meet with no rejponje from the Jelf-conflituted Lajl Court of Appeal of tablets. we venture to ajjert that the rejults of Juch tejling. will be more appreciable than thoje of the recent Congrejs of Orientalijls. was the tranjliteration of Oriental words. fully bearing out what we utility. which in any court of law would rejult in the latter being committed for trial on the charges of incom- Whether the witnefs againjl petence and mifreprefentation. at the expenfe of the Indian tax-payer.Editor's Preface. and having it tejled. but he And ought to have a chance of Jtating it. and an impartial examination of the contents of this volume will jhow that the author's theory offers the prima facie evidence againjl the authorities hitherto acknowledged. A . that take an interejl in the jubjecl . but after having mentioned in the president's addrejs. rendered himjelf remarkable chiefly by the comfortable naps he took during the inaugural addrejs and the reading of the papers.
Author's Opinion of the Primitive Alphabet Nimroud Palace the Earlieft Character Sir The Cuneiform of the H. David.. or Semiramis the Second The Author's application of the Primitive Probable refults 16 Pages I Alphabet . Mofes. II. Moabitic Stone.CONTENTS. Rawlinfon's Opinion of the Character and Language Writing letters The Sigaean Infcription . but a merchant prince of Phoenicia An ideal picture of the triumphant pageant of Queen Ato/Ta. . Cadmus. Pages 17 42 CHAPTER III. CHAPTER I. -The Alphabet Greek Manufcripts and Syftem of Change in the Form of the 70 Pages 43 . ETTERS the gift of God Hebrew the Original Contradictions of Sir H. Poetry and Language Cadmus character Homer. Rawlinfon Language throwing a doubt upon the Sacred Scriptures Various opinions of ancient authors as to the Fulfilment of the antiquity of the Alphabet Prophecy by Nahum Cadmus no mythological perfonage.. CHAPTER Confufion of Sentiment at Babel the Eaft The Weftern Nations peopled from copied his Alphabet from the Aflyrians Hebrew the Univerfal language Samaritan Pentateuch Hebrew Job.. and Solomon The two Mofes wrote in the Cuneiform Tables of Stone in the Britifh Mufeum.
.. Rawlinfon's Nineveh The Author's tranflation Mr.. CHAPTER VI. Author's fyftem more Recapitulation of the four preceding chapters Sir H. Pages 127 144 tion to teft the primitive Alphabet &c.. CHAPTER VII. Hinckes . RawAntagoniftic to all other theories fully defcribed Author's tranflation of an infcription found linfon's conjectures upon a brick A new hypothefis Sir H.... CHAPTER IV.xxii Contents. Chaldeans at Babylon Pages 71 80 CHAPTER V... " Michaud's Syftem of Trichotomies throughout the Ancient World The true meaning of the "Golden Wedge of Ophir" Caillou" The fymbol of the Chaldeans' god Anu. Layard's Sargon The Author's Ancient infcriptions in fupport of the new hypotranflation thefis Remarkable coincidences between guefles and the Author's tranflations Pages 8 1 I^DO . CHAPTER VIII. Forfter's theory Pages 101 115 ..." Author's Tranflation Queries refpeding Rawlinfon's Alphabet -Inconfiftencies and Errors in his Tranflations from the Black . Marble Obelifk .. Rawlinfon's Alphabet fully explained Opinion of Darknefs it by Dr. and worfhipped by the The Logos The Ineffable Name. C. Pages 1 1 6 126 No Contents of this Chapter Author's Motive for Brandis on " The Aflyrian Infcriptions and Mode of " I am Darius " Author's TranflaDecipherment" Rawlinfon's Apology for the Writing Rawlinfon's "This Phraortes. The Sun worfhipped Tranflation in Aflyria under the form of a Bull of an infcription found on the back of a winged Bull Author^ difcovery of the Aflyrian Numerals on the Black Marble Obelifk Annals of Aalpharr. . Rawlinfon's Temen Bar Rawlinfoi^s g errors in the Aflyrian numerals Singular coincidences betwe the Author's theory and the conjectures of Rawlinfon and others Critical notice of the Rev. . Wall calculated to myftify vifible Ideographs a term Rawlinfon's Theory more His Doubts Coincidences "Nineveh" Difcrepancy in the Hiftory of his Alphabets Rawlinfon's Tranflation of Temen Bar's brick White is Black and Black is White Pote's Bonomi's "Nineveh" Bunfen's opinion of the Syf- tem of Dr...
xxiii CHAPTER IX. Schlegel. 1 Page 30. and alfo." read 9 from top. 13 from bottom. Muir. 10 from top. for " Dr. ]. from the Winged Figure Corroborative Fa&s Pages 145 1 60 ERRATA. 1. for for Kopp." read " Fr." " Ulrich Fr.Contents. dele "vignette. Fox Talbot's Defence of Sir H." ." Page 30. RawlinCylinder of Tiglath Pilezer Great inconfiftencies in the Tranflation.1. . 6 from top. Author's Anfwer fon & c> Sec. " Profeffor Bopp. 1. Page 25." Page 73. Rawlinfon's confidence in his own works Rawlinfon's Author's Tranflation of Rawanachronifm requiring explanation Author's Tranflation linfon's "Invocation to the AiTyrian gods" Conclufion. " Bilder und " Eilden und Sbriften" read Scbriften.
or whether an art fo eminently ufeful to man is not rather to be attributed to a fpecial Divine revelation. throwing a doubt upon the Sacred Various opinions of ancient authors as to the antiquity Scriptures of the Alphabet The fulfilment of the Prophecy by Nahum Cadmus no mythological perfonage. but without fufficient evidence. nicia or Semiramis the Second The Author's application' of the Primitive Alphabet Probable refults. God Hebrew the Original Language Contradicof Sir H. with Mofes in the zenith of flourifhed nearly contemporaneoufly and Cadmus. greater or has caufed a greater writers diversity of of both opinion amongft ancient and modern days. It has been a matter of much controverfy whether writing be really a human invention. Many writers afcribe the invention of letters to the Phoenicians. Rawlinfon. but a merchant prince of PhoeAn ideal picture of the triumphant pageant of Queen AtoiTa. when the AfTyrian empire was its who power and B greatnefs. the Phoe- nician hiftorian.Ancient nines of CHAPTER Letters the gift of tions I. afcribes the . Scarcely any two writers agree upon the point. ERHAPS -in no fubject has been involved obfcurity. Sanchoniatho. than the origin of the alphabet.
that the ufe of letters was known before the prefumption and afterwards tranfmitted to the Aflyrians and Chaldeans by Noah. and amongft thefe may be mentioned Bryan Walton. of the Hebrew letters does not appear even in the oldeftform his pofterity. after which. their progenitor. who no doubt had confulted that magazine of ancient knowledge." fpeaking of the origin of letters. fays. yet the old were preferred among thoje who had the primitive tongue'' The <c That the greateft of modern authorities. Pliny." " The truth feems to be that letters were an antediluvian invention preferved among the Aflyrians or Chaldeans. fays Nothing appears fo probable as that it (the alphabet). or Mitfraim of the Scriptures. invention to Taaut. Hiftory flood. the Alexandrian Library." Mitford. I am of opinion that they were known in : There is a tradition amongft AJJyria time out of mind. who lived about A. who is faid to be the Menes of the Egyptians. with at Babel. and was loft everywhere in migration for want of con: <c ." the Rabbins that Abraham was inftructed in literature and the fciences by Shem. lefs in the fquare character many cafes the letters exhibit refemblance to the objects reprefented by their names. or at leaft. and that from Seth they defcended with the original language to Noah and fchool.D. the Ton of Mifor. Philo.2 Letters the Gift of God. and that Ifaac went to Shem's Other writers have attributed a knowledge of letters to Adam. Seth learned letters from Adam. and where that patriarch This circumftance affords a ftrong afterwards refided. fays " As for letters. who were the immediate defcendants of Noah. by the immediate anceftors of his family. and inhabited thofe very regions in the neighbourhood where the ark refted. whom they continued till the confufion now no Phoenician alphabet. in his " of Greece. the editor of the famous Polyglot In his prolegomena to that work he fays " that Bible. much Of courfe in in ufe. aflerts that the invention muft be referred to Abraham. a learned Jew. when new characters in progrefs of time were invented. Gefenius. with new languages. 40. was derived from the antediluvian world.
but elementary and compound founds. the difcovery of arbitrary chanot to denote words or the forms of things. fpeaking of the early hiftory of man. it is not reafonable to fuppofe fciences that a nation fo far advanced in the arts and art mould be ignorant of the and although we have at it. fays that " thofe who then Mofes drew lived noted down with great accuracy the births and deaths of illuftrious men . Jofephus. This muft be the ringer of God For the man who believes that our Maker intended to elevate the human fpecies by the ufe of a volume of revelation." The Pentateuch is generally acknowledged to be the moft ancient compofition extant and as that is held to have been written or compiled by Mofes. and to lead every devout mind to exclaim. who have. anterior to the Exodus. ftill the time may of alphabetical writing. and hence communicated to Egypt and fuch other countries as had acquired a fettled government. but preferved in Chaldea. feems an invention fo aftonifhing as to eclipfe all others.Hebrew the Original its Language. attributed the difcovery of letters to the gods. 3 ufe. that there muft have been a vaft mafs of hiftorical matter written. fpeak plainly as to this fact. muft deem it probable that He had provided early methods of fecuring the facred records which were to constitute that volume. have only venient materials for We recorded a tradition that has for whilft there is its fource in hiftorical truth . that the heathen writers of Egypt. conclude. and Rome. from which Mofes either directly or indirectly drew his materials. like the modern Hindoos. The difcoveries of late years. it alfo prefuppofes. nothing improbable in the invention of hieroglyphic writing. Greece." and Whifton adds in a note. prefent no evidence to prove not be far diftant when it will be feen that largely from the documents and records D^DD (SEPHERIM). preferved by the defendants of Shem in the AfTyrian archives. from the nature of its contents. . according to the primitive fafhion upon ftones. by Layard and As Nineveh and others. the AfTyrian empire had exifted for more than 700 years raffierS) ! . then.
being opprefTed by Belus king of Babylon (fuppofed to be Nimrod. the chief of whom was Percham. and that Adam and Eve converfed in that language in Paradife. for there is no reafon to fuppofe that men were not taught to read and write foon after they were taught to fpeak . in thofe early days. guage of laid the foundation of the Armenian empire. and here he incorporated with his followers a number of individuals whom he found living in the moft primitive ftate. " Thefe ancient fet down by thofe genealogies were firft them were tranfmitted down who then lived. Ibas. whom they conquered on the plains of Gortouk in AfTyria. and proceeded northward to the country round about Ararat. Thus Mars " Ibas. cc The Aflyrian King Ninus. Arieus the fon of Aram? nation and people had been called Haics ftrict there is much conflicting teftimony refpecting the iden- . who fays. and from to pofterity .4 Opinion of the *almudifts. 'Thefe people Jpoke the original lanHere they eftablifhed themfelves and Noah. and made himfelf mafter of his dominions. conquered and killed the then reigning King of Babylon." The Talmudifts are of opinion that the Aramean was the primitive language. and perhaps all by the Meffiah him/elf ." This is partly confirmed by Diodorus Siculus." May not this Ariceus be the fame as is mentioned by Mars Be that as it may. and who frequently. who not only permitted his reign. which I fuppofe to be a true account of that matter . affifted by an Arabian chief Ariceus. the Armenian hiftorian informs us that Haicus. appeared unto them. The fifth Togarmah. was the Creator and Governor of mankind. on Aram being terms of friend/hip with Ninus. who under the Father. without form or order. the reigning king of Nineveh. went forth with his family of 300 perfons exclufive of fervants. up to whofe time the . the mighty hunter). in defcent from Haicus was Aram. of the race of giants. and the tyrant was killed upon the field of battle. the fon of the grandfon of Japhet. but aflifted him in the confolidation of his kingdom and the overthrow of his enemies.
C. When the Semitic . one thing feems certain. probably B. the tenth (x. Rawlinfon. tion of Babylonia was to a certain extent difplaced by Turanian tribes from the neighbouring mountains. he adds. Rehoboth. He cc that the Chaldeans appear to have been a branch fays of the HAMITIC RACE OF AKKAD." reader will obferve. and that that land (Babylonia) went forth Afshur. inhabited fome period anterior to B. that it was Aram and his fon Arah who gave rife to the term Aramean. The prefumption is that the art of writing was equally Cf out of the Cities of the Plain. 156 years before the Flood). and Refen. and Chronology) he ftates. Erech." carrying with him the ufe of letters. and Calah. Rawlinfon tells us differently. Sir H. as the they fuperfeded. the river Halys. does not tell He us. to the Euxine. thefe immigrant tribes bringing with them the ufe of letters.Contradictions of Sir H. c< The of Scripture informs us that. neither do we find among the ancient progenitors of the race in way. and Calnah in the land of Shinar. and being otherwife far more civilized than the people whom Sir H. which it is not necefTary for our purpofe to enter into here. Rawlinfon " fays. to the nations extending from the mouths of the Euphrates and The Tigris. and to Paleftine. a great city between Nineveh and Calah. 2000. Babylonia from the with it originated the art of writing. which he made known to the known to all inhabitants of the cities he fubfequently built. Accad. This race." and that " out of that land went forth AJfhur and built Nineveh. and the building of cities. and all the arts and fciences. and throws at the fame time a doubt upon the Scripture narrative. beginning Nimrod's kingdom was Babel. a name that fubfequently became fynonymous with Syrian and Aflyrian.C. and In another place {Affyrian of aftronomy in particular." But Sir H. by the this name who this Akkad was. that at earlieft times.e. Rawlinfon.) chapter of Generis. here contradicts himfelf. " That which can be Hiftory eftablifhed without much chance of error is. Again. 2500 the primitive popula(i. 5 tity of this Aram and Ninus.
till the AJJyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wildernefs they fet up the towers thereof. of the following paflage in Ifaiah (xxiii. fome of which Origen tells us were found in Arabia Felix. 1900. in the dominions of the Queen of Saba. founded Babylon about A. : LXX. was intro- . Parfons. c. but concerning which we have no certain account. c. nearly 100 years before the birth of Abraham. The Sabians a book which they aflert to have been written produce by Adam." up had the priority of the Chaldeans ? The Aflyrian Belus. 13) ? ing " Behold the land of the Chaldeans. one Chriftian era. 2100. does Sir H." Now." fuppofes letters to have been known to Adam. beyond queftion. the For common the purpofes a running hand- writing. in which the Koran was originally written without points. known under name of Nifkhi. about the tenth They do not appear century to have of the had any Morrah alphabet until a fhort time before Mahomet. in his " Remains of Japhet. Rawlinfon mean to fay that the Aflyrian empire was not in exiftence until 200 years fubfequent to the time of Mofes ? The Sacred Writings plainly tell us that Afshur built Nineveh. Ben Morrah is faid to have introduced an alphabet which was founded on the Syriac Eftrangelo character. this people was not. the capital of and in the Hebrew copy the word rendered Aflyria cf cc Aflyrian" is written -num (ASHUR. B.6 Antiquity of the Alphabet. 900 years earlier. added before the end of the This character is called century after the Hegira.. traditionally from Ifhmael. however. the This is furely proof fufficient that the took its name from the founder of its Aflyrian empire What can be the meancapital city. they raifed unlefs it be that the Aflyrian the palaces thereof. Cufic. that they received their original alphabet their prefent one being the invention of Ebn Muklah. firft which were. in Aflyria" and century they . no guide to direct us any more than we have concerning the fuppofed Books of Enoch. tribes eftablifhed an empire in Aflyria in the thirteenth adopted the Akkadian alphabet. or B. Dr. M. The Arabians hold A(7(Tou|o).
2 Thus we have elementary very early feen that writing. It is obfervable that the Chaldeans. was built. and who were Hence. 1 7 duced by Ebn Moklah. becaufe and that many nations defcended from Shem Phoenicia. Phoenicians and Chaldees . The Arabian writers do not pretend to a very early alphabet. they all point to the Eaft. Egyptians. the people of the Book (i. Mitford and others. who were defcended from Ham. book-learned) who knew letters. had flourimed for a period of 500 years ED." . capital of Phoenicia. Shareftan informs us that fects of people. and the Eaft alone. all bordered upon each other. and fo numerous in fupport of the view taken by Mr. The Chaldeans appear to have the greateft claim . before Mahomet there were two and the Idiots who lived in ignorant of both reading and Mecca. and Japhet had their letters from the Phoenicians. the writing.Antiquity of the Alphabet. 2 From Hutchinfon's " They feem to forget Philosophical Works.e. there was ufe. many ages prior to the birth and though we have no direct evidence of their being antediluvian arts. but that the conteft may be confined to the Egyptians. and like the Phoenicians were among the greateft as well as the moft ancient of commercial nations.. as the birth-place of letters. the Jews and Chriftians who inhabited Medina." The vanity of each nation induces them to pretend to the moft early civilization. and Syrians. that we are compelled to conclude Mofes . the arguments are fo ftrong. Chaldea was peopled before Egypt or firft. and this is the chara&er ftill in When the Koran was firft publifhed. not a (ingle perfon in the whole kingdom of Yemen able to read or write Arabic. to whom the honour is due. and admit that they received it only a fhort time It is difficult to fay before the introduction of Iflamifm. but this one fad is certain. were known at a of period. former called Mahomet cc The Illiterate Prophet. the alphabet. viz. the empire. the capital of the Aflyrian before Tyre. 1 that Nineveh. and of courfe its characters.
and another tribe one or two more. how. but that the whole of the original alphabet can be reconftrufted from the alphabets of the various bodies of people that wandered from the Plains of Shinar.C. This can be very plainly feen by the tablet of alphabets at the end of this volume. each character bearing the 1 evident imprefs of its Divine Author. and in the arts and fciences. as is evident from the uncouth and mifshapen letters of the Etrufcans and Pelafgics and other early nations. the exigence creed among the Gentiles. the Orphic philofophers. the Syrians. and left behind them a lefs perfett knowledge of the primitive character. yet fo far removed from all authentic records that even the fite of their immenfe capital (Nineveh) has remained unknown for upwards of twenty-four centuries. " Monotheifm Myftically Developed in Triads" "I would obferve that a 15. the primal characters being in their beautiful perfect in form and eminently fuperior It to any of which we have now a knowledge. fimplicity is this original alphabet which we are about to fubmit to the fcrutiny of the learned. Pelafgic nians. and expofed to the view of Thefe difcoveries of Layard the aftonifhed world. but only . attributing art of writing to primary Revelation there arifes a difficulty from the query.8 *The Difcoveries of Layard that writing and the alphabet were. a mighty empire and people." p. 6) more than 600 years 1 "And I will caft abominable "An- cient Egypt. : Nahum (iii. contrafted with the perfect forms of the Primitive letters. Hindoos. if the art of writing was known to mankind at the dif- of which pure primeval fhown by the mythological fyilems of the Greeks. known. the few that had a firft and the moft perfecl knowledge of the primitive alphabet had died off. in fad. the Tyrians. far back in the mifts of antiquity. that in the wanderings of the early nations. one tribe or nation retaining the perfect form of one or more of the original. Gliddon's ftrong analogy in tracing writing to Primeval Revelation may be found in afcending to the Divine origin of the belief in the Unity of the Godhead and of his ineffable attributes in the Trinity. does it happen that each early nation mould have ufed each a cannot fuppofe that the art of writing was different alphabet?" We generally to a few of the mo ft cultivated ." the is perfion. the immediate gift of God to man. There exifted. who were far advanced in civilization. Sido" In Chaldeans and Peruvians. literally fulfil the prophecy uttered by B. and fupplying the others from recollection and inventions of their own. There cannot be much doubt. Only within the memory of the prefent generation have its long-hidden treafures been difcovered.
. 4.fulfil the filth Prophecy of Nahum. . . . and will make thee vile.M.. and of an high ftature and his top was among the His height was exalted above all the thick boughs. and foundation of every fcience ? Or. and that Cadmus himfelf and not of Phoenicia. and will fet thee as a gazing ftock. Herodotus informs us Egypt. fuch a view of the greatnefs and glory of this mighty empire. . of that of any fubfequent fhort. that its alphabet would fall in power or form. There is great diverfity of opinion concerning this Cadmus fome contending that the letters introduced were was a native of Egyptian. and his boughs were multiplied. when. . engraved with a pen of iron." A grave-yard covered a portion of Nineveh's ancient greatnefs. ! . and whofe glorious literature enfhrines fome of the brighter! emanations of the human intellect ? AfTyria had exifted as an empire for more than 700 years. formed the bafis " Behold the of kingly rule: Affyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a fhadowing fhroud. 9 upon thee. xxxi. 5-8).. and was in the zenith of its power and greatnefs. whofe alphafor example. becaufe of the multitude of . .000 years fince. that this Cadmus and the Phoenicians he brought with him " introduced many improvements among the Greeks and alphabetical writing too not known among them . the cedars in the garden of God could not nefs. when he mot forth Thus was he fair in his greatdwelt all great nations. . of Greece or Rome nation bets are demonftrably derived from the Aflyrian. and now flabs. about this time (A. hide him. and under his fhadow waters. Nor any tree in the garden of God was " With like unto him in his beauty (chap. trees of the field. and which. are placed in the mufeums of almoft all the civilized nations of the world Ezekiel of the mighty empire which rofe firft in the order fpeaks of time. can we conceive it poffible that it would be wanting in the very eflentials of civilization. to have introduced letters into Greece 2511) a mythological character named Cadmus is faid from Phoenicia. and his branches became long. and works of art dug from the ruins of her fplendid palaces.
" or " cc and pointing evidently to the locality of antiquity his fuppofed invention. (Latin. Jofeph Scaliger proves that the Greek letters and thofe of the later alphabets formed from them derive which are the fame their origin from the Ancient Phoenician. endowed with feelings common to humanity. us 3 ) we have the " the ancient ones Is not. he had vifited the great metropolis of the then known world (Nineveh) had feen it in all its glory and magnificence had been an eye-witnefs of the pomp and pageantry of a forming a Hebrew root (DTP). The Ionian Greeks inhabited at that time the parts adjacent to Phoenicia. (but very much in advance of the age he lived in. eaftward of Phoenicia and as alfo being the/r/?. and in the courfe of his commercial peregrinations. the whole hiftory of the Cadmean alphabet fimply a myth or legend. and they having received from thence the art of alphabetical writing. he had imbibed a tafte for trade and travelling. in the Hebrew idiom. or the fource of the alphabet. .io Cadmus a Merchant Prince. of the earth. before that time" (A. what does the legend of Cadmus mean ? him of all his mythological Strip appendages. taking precedency of all others. expreffive of the fact that the fixteen letters introduced into Greece were received from " The ancient ones of the Earth." or from the Eaft ? But let it be taken for granted that Cadmus was a mere mortal." (pWTOTp) a or indeed. Phoenicia. Moft of the learned agree that Cadmus carried the Phoenician or Syrian letters into Greece.) that living amongft a mercantile community." "priority. for by cutting Greek termination oc. employed it with the alteration of fome few characters. as the Samaritan. about the time of the Exodus. or. and that thofe were the fame as the Hebraic. Now.M. 2511)." "precedency. being " "eanV' or : COM. and he will become a merchant prince of Some ancient writers call him an Egyptian. and were ufed by the Jews before the Babylonian captivity. off the letters but his very name difproves the ftatement. The Hebrews but a fmall nation were comprehended under the being name of Syrian. meaning eaftern. They confefTed that the art was of Phoenician origin.
ftately youths riding upon horfes. priefts. ancient and . amongft that femi-barbarous race more refined manners. and this is readily accounted for its by the fuppofition that the intro- ducer. vifits to the city of Nineveh he had feen the beautiful fimplicity and fuperiority of the primitive AfTyrian Alphabet over the rough and mifshapen characters of the Phoenicians and Pelafgi and he could only fee with true prophetic eye the power it would give him with the people of his own nation. royal triumph the oftentation 1 1 had feen the (lately Queen AtofTa. and beautifully embroidered in all their parts. clothed in blue all moft gorgeoufly. and the wonderful art of alphabetical writing. fome few letters were altered. and invented new ones. kings. and warriors. altered fome letters. followed by captains and rulers. and the fhouts of the multitude. edged with gold and filken fringe of moft exquifite colours. valiant in fcarlet. feeing adaptability to the wants of his own for the tranfmiflion of their records from generapeople tion to generation.Ideal Pageant of Queen Atoffa. and thus accommodated his new alphabet to fome rude characters already in ufe. in all and pride of Oriental fplendour. He had heard of the whip. girded with girdles. mighty men with mields. clothed in rich and gorgeous robes. lightning-like motion. will convince even the moft fceptical perfon that all alphabets. the rattling of the wheels. and her father Belochus. whofe fplendour of appearance. The tablet of alphabets (Plate 7). might think of appropriating all the To this end he honour of an inventor to himfelf. the prancing of the horfes. fymbolical of the nation's god that guarded in filent majefty the entrance of her magnificent palace. chariots. emerge from between the coloflal winged bulls. as they welcomed the appearance of Semiramis the In the courfe of his Second. remarkable by the dyed attire upon their heads. if he were to introduce in ftyle. On me came furrounded by her court. of them deferable young men. made them feem like flaming in meteors noife . It has been obferved above that. in introducing the alphabet into Phoenicia. all of them princely men and the the broadways of the city.
. ducks. and notice the remarkable refemblance and early Cadmean. both in his own country and in Paleftine. and the Greeks.12 Infer ipt ions on Stone. And it investigation into the ancient languages. Sanchoniatho. and other works of art. in Syria. is well known that the ancients engraved on temples and columns the principles of fcience as well as the events of hiflory. are derived either directly or indirectly from It the Aflyrian arrow-headed (or cuneiform) characters. who informs us in his that Pififtratus caufed to be engraved on ft one ufeful precepts in hufbandry for the benefit of his is by means of infcriptions that countrymen. Let the reader turn to the tablet of alphabets (Plate between the 7). *f BG. c. truth of the primitive alphabet is the fact that on the various flabs." " by Plato.). can be fuccefsfully profecuted. in every probability. a Phoenician hiftorian born at Berytus moft of his Trojan War (1200 B. For example that the Romans O A B with >. But we know copied their letters from the early Greeks. f \S^ alphabet." we perceive the various changes and modifications of language . Herodotus tells us that the firft method of inftructing men and tranfmitting fcience was by infcriptions. it is by infcriptions alone we can trace its gradual improvement from its rude and primitive ftate to a more refined and perfect form as we find it at the And it is chiefly by infcriptions that an prefent day. and the gradual deteriora'primitive tion until its final lofs in the Palmy rene. d |> t IX and AB c '> With l^' B . is faid to have drawn from infcriptions which he found in temples and hiftory on columns. lyllables. words. >/. forming and fentences. A . |>. bulls. modern. copied One ftrong proof of the theirs from the Aflyrians. the letters of the primitive alphabet are feen to enter into combination with each other. the primitive and early Greek. and this cc who flourifhed about the time of the is confirmed Hippias.
a chamber filled about months the Mufeum the 9x6 with fmall clay tablets inches and under. not by 300 letters and 500 variants . placing them queftion. ff that there is nothing new under the fun. I Kouyunjik found it to contain a lift of phrafes or fhort prayers arranged fame letters. the firft fifteen phrafes are fhort prayers beginning with in the tranflation. Solomon faid. not by the cumbrous machinery of homophones. and ideographs. as you will fee in my primitive alphabet. authorities Within have thefe few brought them in glafs cafes in interefted in the Kouyunjik gallery. eight with O B." for we find that the original of Caxton's original is in the Britifh Mufeum. written upon clay . for ever. the myfte: O ! rious thofe movements of the True God. all proofs and one which will fet all controverfy. I examined with great before the public gaze. and alphabetically and precifely with the in the fame order. the excavators came acrofs what they called a f< Royal the matter at beyond Library. and " O it is defire mutations. determinatives. All.. eight verfes beginning with A. but that they had not only a knowledge of the True God. mowing us alphabet.e." ! my ! the purport of to embrace the beauty of the True God. plainly that the Aflyrians were not fuch idolaters as they are generally reprefented. and not break entirely with " Such is the fenfe the obligations of the people elicited." i. <c that I could adopt fome prayers as examples method of explaining the apparent changes. and what is remarkable. and fo on through the letters of the The prayers are deeply interesting. and upon examination of the fifth tablet in the fecond glafs cafe on the right of the gallery. 1 3 But the ftrongeft of reft. eight with G. but alfo an earneft Take the two following defire to know more of him. but by the fimple application And as of nineteen letters. Being deeply care the tablets in fubject. during the excavations at Nineveh or Nimroud and Kouyunjik. is contained in the following facts. all can be read. viz. juft as we have in our Hebrew copy of the 1 1 pth pfalm. polyphones.Application of Primitive Alphabet.
with the language. but others have difputed in favour of the Hebrew being the It does not feem primitive language of mankind. It was the Jones that the Primitive language was irrecoverably loft at the difperfion at Babel. that nine out of every ten words. Rich and others. or prayers beginning with O. by means of the primitive on the flabs from the Nimroud alphabet to be no other than Hebrew in its moft Palace. that. proves inconteftably that Hebrew was the primitive language. there are juft fifteen fhort phrafes or prayers. or upon any of the flabs excavated at Nineveh. neceflary. that land went forth Amur " Out of and builded Nineveh. proves The author in his application of the primitive form. and alfo. amongft the ruins of the Eaft.. are pure '. viz. This is a thrilling fa 51 as it ferves as a connecting link between the antediluvian world and the prefent day. opinion of Sir W. This faff leaves little doubt when the prefent difcovery mail be followed up. the fyftem of alphabetical writing which is ftill preferved intafl upon the multitudinous Jepherim lately difcovered by Layard. on the tablet above mentioned. has been very much confirmed in his views by the fact that all that has been attempted by him in the way of tranfinfcribed lation. who Hebrew words. Hebrew language to the AfTyrian cuneiform writing. to deftroy the primitive tongue in order to carry out the generally Juppofed miracle of the If we are to look upon the Old confufion of language." &c. in our opinion.14 between three 1 Caxton. 25th. : "A . confequently would carry with him the language he had been taught by his father Shem. found upon the black marble obelifk. thoujand and four years anterior to The language deduced. we mail find that previous to the difperfion. 1869 notice of Caxton's Fifteen O's. Sir W. Teftament Scriptures as arranged in chronological order. Jones's Opinion. and the/<z^7 elicited by means of the primitive alphabet. definite refult." In like manner. when the zeal of the archasologift and the philologift 1 See " Athenaeum'* of Dec. Botta. has given a clear.
in the primitive Great Eaftern by Noah. may not ftill be difcoverable ? Who will . philologifts with juft fufficient light to mow them thofe dim and fhadowy outlines of ancient hiftories. and handed down in the family of Shem to the firft rulers of this ancient empire. the refult will be its complete and final elucidation as an hiftorical hypothefis. to the effect that behind him ten volumes or tablets. fo for if water might deftroy that they might never perim the unburnt tablets. the prophets of God ? There is a tradition exifting to this the hiftory and the day amongft the orientals that Seth wrote wifdom of the ages preceding the Deluge. may not be found in the mounds of " Nebbe Allah Yunus" and Sheth. ledge may and long in the loft to the world mounds around ? What arts and fciences may not be brought to light from of her fplendid palaces hiftorical ? What precious truth of the Sacred the archives records. but neceflarily occult fubject. amongft the ruins of the buried can tell what memorials of cities of the Eaft ? is Noah left Who the antediluvian world. preferved from the Deluge. or fome trace of them. And what may we not expect to refult in the way of difcovery when the language of this ancient people is Who can fay what treafures of knowfully developed ? not yet lie buried in Nineveh's ancient ruins. that have lain for more than forty centuries in doubt and gloom. if they ever exifted. are now loft . on both burnt and unburnt bricks or tablets. the baked tablets which had been expofed to heat would only become more hardened." the tombs of Jonah and Seth. Hitherto the AfTyrian have been but groping in darknefs vifible. on which were written the revelations and commands of God. There another Eaftern tradition. but who can tell whether they may not yet be found. fhall 1 5 be awakened to purfue the clue given in thefe pages to its ultimate iffue. . when the ability of the great oriental fcholars of Europe fhall have been brought to bear on this highly interefting. confirming the <c Nebbe Book. the burnt ones might ftill remain and if a fire fhould occur. Thefe tablets.Probable Refult s. .
tainty. and to the knowledge of the true Mefliah ? Thefe fpeculations may appear to fome perfons as merely the dreams of enthufiafm but. philofophy. aware of the importance of the learning required to cope fuccefsfully with the many difficulties infeparable from fo abftrufe and occult a fubject. ceived notions upon the fubjecT: be caft afide. venture to fay what new light may not be thrown upon the hiftorical enigma of the loft ten tribes of Ifrael. but the caufes of this will In fine. and let the reader difpaflionately examine the theory now fubmitted to his attention. . we have (imply indicated here the courfe of hiftorical inveftigaLet all precontion and difcovery in our own day.1 6 Probable Refults. he feels that it is entirely worthy of the deepeft refearch and attention of all who are interefted in the advancement of fcience. after all. and what influence this may have on the final reftoration of God's ancient people to their fatherland. and we are perfuaded that its iimplicity. whilft the author is fully appear in the fequel. and true religion. He may naturally feel furprifed that the theory has hitherto efcaped the refearches and the learning of the fcholars of Europe . and felf-evident truthful nefs will fatisfy him of its cer. their kingdom.
infpired them with language and the language thus communicated to the firft man was no other hurft. in his Preface to his "It appears evident from the Mofaic account of fays: the original formation of man. ftate in patting that we hold firmly by the Scriptural doctrine that man was created perfefl. Moabitic Stone Homer. cc Hebrew Lexicon. and fully gifted with the capacity of holding communication This is the view of the learned Parkwith his fpecies. or attempt to combat the opinions of thofe who affert that man was created in a ftate of abfolute barbarifm." HEBREW IN WHICH MOSES WROTE AND . that language was the immediate gift of God to Adam. and Solomon Mofes wrote in the Cuneiform character The two Tables of Stone in the Britijb Mufeum. Job. with intelligence vaftly fuperior to that of the favage. or that God either taught our firft parents to fpeak. however." who. Babel The Weftern his Nations peopled from Alphabet from the Aflyrians Hebrew the Univerfal Language Samaritan Pentateuch Hebrew Poetry and Language Cadmus. David. Confufion of Sentiment the Eaft at II. than THAT SPAKE. Mofes. We may. Cadmus copied E fhall not enter into a critical difquifition on the nature of language. or which comes to the fame thing. . and afterwards became felf-civilized and invented language.CHAPTER LANGUAGE.
1 8 Confufion of Sentiment at Babel. which neceflarily fuppofes that he was furniflied with a ftock of ideas. I. God fpake alfo to Abraham. . God conBut man fell from his original purity. : for thee have I feen righteous before me in this generafc And God fpake unto Noah. and to his fons with him. and thy Cf Tons' wives with thee. Go forth tion. " verfed with Adam and Eve. God converfed with Noah." And God fpake unto Noah. over a period of many years <c And the Lord faid during the building of the ark unto Noah." we find this view fupported cc From the account given by Mofes of the primeval ftate of man. and held communion with Him. Enoch walked with God. and Jacob . Many critics language. in the firft volume of his " Obfer1 Genefis xi. the gift of language. faying. : ideas in the ordinary way. in giving names to the inferior animals which were brought before him for that purpofe. Vitringa ftates. the bow in the cloud. Leland's Cf Advantage and Neceffity of the Chriftian Revelation. Come thou and all thine houfe into the ark. Hebrew original of Generis. but was at once furnimed with the knowledge which was then He was immediately endued with necefTary for him. which would have been too tedious and flow as he was circumftanced . it appears that he was not left to acquire In Dr. He addrefled to Adam what and the patriarchs before the is This brings us fufion of language at Babel. with Cain and Enoch." when He gave them the token in the heavens." and But he did not lofe the faculty of fpeech." out He fought fank morally and intellectually." of the ark. Ifaac." undergo hold that it does not mean language but confejfion. thou and thy wife and thy fons. generally termed the conBy a careful ftudy of the' we find that will the word naw x (SAPHAH)J rendered fc confiderable modification. a fpecimen of which he gave. and there can fcarcely be a doubt that it was in the fame language as that in which flood. and defends this opinion. many inventions.
) his " Philofophical contends that the word now (SAPHAH) means literally lip.) it. 17). Each principal gained adherents. the heavens. Before the. and forced each. and each of thefe followed So each party the dictates of his refpective leader. p.Confiifion of Sentiment at EabeL 1 9 vationes Sacrae. "Gentleman's Magazine. His tranflation of the pafTage is as cc follows Come. and continued to be the univerfal language long after the event at Babel (noticed in the Introduction). 1797. and were beginning to frame another." May. iv. inftead of agreeing upon a new form for them all. This produced a feparation. and one common form ." only fay/' he adds." and in the courfe of his difquifition he fhows that Hebrew was the language then fpoken. notwithstanding the tranflation of the : He fully into the fub- Jews ufe the word in that fenfe in their private and where it cannot be in any other fenfe. " I need face of all the earth. in Works" (vol. and fo produce a new object of worfhip . and mould be rendered confejfion^fent intent. all men had the fame religious confeflion or creed and the fame words. apoftates wifhing to fet up an altar to the names D^DU. (Vide Parkhurft's letter in The learned John Hutchinfon. This confufion of Jentiment was in confequence of the Bible. the indication of the mind. (SHEMIM or SHEMAYIM). or religious opinion. fallen away from the true confejfion. which was oppofed by the true The effect I think was that thofe who had believers. the writings. and when ufed for the voice. formed itfelf into a feel. it is never once in the Bible ufed in any other fenfe than for confejjion. alfo enters ject. (except the ftrongeft which it is likely Nimrod headed. and. According to this hypothecs the univerfal language in ufe before that event would not appear to have been afterwards confined to any particular family or tribe. difagreed among themfelves about wording and the manner and degrees of the fervice. let us go down and confound their So Jehovah fcattered them abroad over the confejfion.apoftafy at Babel. . and each fetJ fet up a particular form of confeflion with regard to the object of its veneration. cc that now (SAPHAH) is the lip.
ancient condition of language and confequently into the 1 Walker. the difperfion of the Albigenfes. to which the latter prophets. and of the Covenanters of Scotland. the like of which has been feen even in modern times for inftance. by the permanence of certain forms. a confufion (or rather diffufion) of religious fentiments.2O The Wejlern Nations 1 to feek a feparate Jettlement and fo caufed a difperfion. certainly faulty in this place. but conThis confufion of founded. Changes and the fimple fact of the difperfion of mankind will fufficiently account for nearly all the alterations which The comparative ftudy language has fince undergone. of the Huguenots of France. realizes. By ywiVDnDW . is later writer. therefpeech is by all limited to the country about Babel." vol. We muft. or at leaft the New Teftament. of languages mows that races now feparated by vaft tracts of land are allied. verfion This view of the fubjeft is partly fupported by a " Ancient in his Mythology. do not refer. defcendants now form a new empire in the far weft. And I may affert that there is fcarcely one eminent miracle performed in early times and recorded by Mofes. nay even the apocryphal books. and whofe . But I think I may fafely affirm that the pretended miracle of the confufion of tongues at Babel is never once recited or referred to. and in tracing the leading epochs of development. fays : " Our (Saphath kol ha Arets) is not here meant 'The language of the whole Earth/ but of the whole region or provinces which language was not changed. of time and place will modify any language. by a difference of opinion or fentiment. 40-1. or by the more or lefs advanced deftruction of the formative fyftem." fore. in fad. by means of the more or lefs altered ftructure of the language. pp. and have migrated from one common Jeat> indicates the courfe of all migrations. numbers of whom were driven from their native lands." The " miracle" at Babel was. which race has retained moft nearly the language common to all who had migrated from the common feat of " The larger! field for fuch investigations into the origin. inftead of "the language of the whole Earth" fubflitute the language of the whole country. of the Puritans of England. and the difperfion of thofe who held them. iv.
went forth Hycus. fenfe . Calah. 1662. and eftablimed himfelf in the region of Ararat.) So Cape. and his name is feen on one of the walls of the Palace of Luxor at Thebes. and enclofed in one of the ufual cartouches. in hiftorical language. when ^ Manetho alfo notices the fa<5b that the firft man who ruled in North Eaft and founded the city of MemThis in itfelf is a ftrong argument phis. 1576. M. the grandfon of Japhet. p. Rehoboth. ufed various foreign alphabets century the Armenians." vol. period ftricT: 21 the whole family of mankind was in the of the word. 471. Out of that land (Babylonia) went forth Afshur. The early ages of Egypt are fo enveloped in the mifts of antiquity.M. According to Manetho this firft king was called Menes. to be regarded as one living whole. It is written U." Out of that land. A. the fon of TogarTo efcape from the mah.PeopledJrom the Raft.N > Menei." (Humboldt's cc we read that. and founded the kingdom of Armenia. Greek. went forth Mitzraim with his fons and followers and founded the Egyptian Empire. Ethiopians called themfelves Chaldeans. and founded the cities of Nineveh. 1 About one hundred years prior to the confufion at Babel. he went to the north with his followers. M. ii. prefents itfelf in the long chain of Indo-Germanic languages. extending from the Ganges to the Iberian extremity of Europe. in favour Egypt came from the from the of the migration of the firft fettlers plains of Shinar. And his fon Mitzraim began to reign as the firft monarch of Egypt A. tyranny of the Aflyrian Belus (or Nimrod). Diodorus Siculus ftates that the Egyptians were a colony of Ethiopians and Scaliger informs us that the . and Refen. and the . 1662. 1 The (hepherd " Till the beginning of the fifth writings. in their the Perfian. and from Sicily to the North " Cofmos. that it is almoft impoflible to tell what to but what we can gather from believe refpe<5ling them the moft authentic fources is that Cham or Ham arrived in Egypt about A.
and to the boundary line of Egypt on the fouth. B. other authorities call that them Phoenicians. but as the number of chara&ers in thefe alphabets was inefficient to exprefs all the founds in the Armenian language. thefe fhepherds were Arabians . the fon of Shem and brother of Afshur. were alfo called Phoenicians. their firft fettlement being named Sidon after Canaan's eldeft fon.D.") Out of that in a ftyle refembling the Syriac. and moft of the Perfian names which are to be found in the Grecian hiftories." and Sthan " country. particularly the latter . is considered to The country be the founder of the Perfian empire. the origin of the Egyptian language is. The Sidonians. kingdom of Egypt who put an end to the old 2200. written from left to right. It was alfo called Paleftine (from Pali a cc fhepherd. a term fuppofed to be derived from the number of palm trees (powxoj) which grew in the country. and that people always progenitor aflerted that they had formerly dwelt upon the Red Sea. ftationed themfelves on the coaft of Syria.22 warriors. and that names of perfons and places are for the moft Egyptian A ftill ftronger proof of part reducible to the Hebrew. or Phoenician origin. Now." to the Refer Addenda on Penny Cyclopedia. and originally confifting of thirty-fix characters. This alphabet. who built Tyre. called hiftorians to The Wejiern Nations 1 Hykfos. and migrating from thence. . that the facred characters of the Egyptians were Chaldaic. to which fubfequently two more were added. a term extended in antiquity to all Arabian races. where the defcendants of Elam fettled was denominated Elymais y fo late as the beginning of the Chriftian era . All the nations and ftates which arofe afterwards and fpread over the regions of Syria (the land of Canaan) fpread outwards from Sidon to the Euphrates on the eaft. was the of the Phoenicians. Scaliger alfo tells us that the moft elegant and moft beautiful of their facred and profane books are written Chaldean or Affyrian. again. Hebrew. c. Canaan. Elam. may be traced to a Chaldaic. is that which the Armenians J ftill ufe. 406. which was introduced in the year A. are now admitted by all Manetho fays have been of Semitic origin. the Shepherd Kings. Mifrob invented for the ufe of his countrymen a particular alphabet.
have been named from Areas. and for many ages after there was but one language Pelafgians in the world. &c. Beli Beli libi chu aluf." vol. and that by . Kittim and Dodamin. O.C. The Pelafgi were fubfedriven out of ThefTaly by Deucalion." fays that fome of the works of the ancient or real Jews (before the hopes be found preferved by the heathen . " I am not without Hutchinfon. many of the expreflions on the flabs." Pelafgii. 174. going far to fettle thofe long-difputed problems of the Pelafgic and primitive languages. king of quently ' 1 Many have been the inquiries about this ancient people. it will be feen that if the characters had changed. oh that thou wouldft mow me the True GodT (See tranllation from the B. was common to all mankind. even Herodotus is at a lofs to determine whether " The Arcadians are faid to they mould not be efteemed barbarians. Lalagees. being ftyled and Cadmeans. the fon of Zeuth. but there is fufficient hiftorical evidence to fhow that they fprang from the barbarian Pelafgi who wandered from the fliores of the Red Sea and arrived in the " Peloponnefus about B. From tranflations given in a fubfequent part of this work. "Oh that I could adopt fome method to mow the myfterious movements of the True God. land cc 23 went the fons of Javan. p. captivity) may yet It is my opinion that many of the doctrines." " When the Hykfos were expelled from Egypt they went under different denominations. The Pelafgian alphabet con1 fided of only fixteen letters. the great grandfon of Shem. by thefe were the ifles of the Gentiles divided in their lands.) 2nd. Elifhah. or to have fprung from the earth . alfo." ! " . M. as well as about their language . iii. Pelafgus Areas was meant Pelafgus the Afkite. before being called it is plain that Areas was a title. Antochthones. The Semitic language of Eber. My God. My God. Heraclidae. are to be found upon the Nineveh flabs . the ifles of the MediterThe Greeks believed themfelves to be ranean Sea. we read Tarmifh. tranflated by means of the Primitive Alphabet. in his "Philofophical Works. and the purport of thefe changes." the many ifles of the Grecian Archipelago. favour this opinion. Danaidas. 1760. : One or two examples will be deeply interefting. Inachidae. the language Hill remained the fame. mixed up with the errors of the Aflyrians. and much of the religion of the ancient Jews.Peopledfrom the Eaft.
24 Cadmus copied his Alphabet that country. that it was written from left to right. .C. e. a mount of the eaft. 30 of Genefis. of the New Teftament. they may be called the fame country." Dr. as mown copied from Eolian in the fubfequent table. letters as Grecian . they knew none older than Pelafgic the Ionic. 1529. the original peopling of India. Muir from which fays there is in the Rig Veda an expreffion 1 The to right Both Greek and Latin were anciently written alternately from left and right to left in confecutive lines. for we read in the loth chap. are principally tablets or columns. and its characters were the firft letters introduced into Italy. fo in many of the old MSS. beginnings of the hiftory of India. thou goeft unto Sephar. as we know from the Bouftrophedon infcription. whereas the We Cadmean was written both ways. but it feems probable that it was firft colonized by the defcendants of Joktan. and we may reafonably conclude that they would both ufe the fame alphabet. are loft in the mifts of remote anEgypt We have no records that can be relied on of tiquity. This fact rather militates againft the theory of the Phoenician origin of the Cadmean 1 The Romans would never acknowledge the alphabet. in B. The Etrufcan alphabet is certainly Pelafgic. of the Cf that their dwelling was from Mefha as fons of Joktan. ver. as appears from the Farnefe infcriptions of Herodes Atticus. when they parted into Italy and fettled in that part called Etruria.g. the Alexandrian. like thofe of and Greece. I mention this becaufe the Cadmean letters. Ionia and Eolia being colonized by refugees driven by where Cadmus firft introthe Heraclidae from Bceotia duced the art of writing and lying adjacent to each other. alphabet is. a period of 750 years having elapfed fince they had been taken from the oriOne remarkable fact connected with the Pelafgic ginal. may notice here the ftrong refemblance exifting between the Etrufcan and the Cadmean alphabets. There is every probability that the Pelafgic letters had fufrered great deterioration from the time of the difperfion.
and the furviving reprefentatives of one older language. Zend. the anceftors of the Homeric poets and of the poets of the Veda muft have lived together as members of one and the fame race. with which the language of the firft inhabitants gradually blended. but afterwards feparated to wander from their primitive abodes at various times and in different The comparifons that have been made bedirections. 25 would appear that the ancient inhabitants of India always retained fome recollection of having previoufly lived in a colder country .from it the AJJyrians. reduced to their fimpleft form. Greek." . ftrong affinity exifting others of the fame region lifhed between (fince It appears from the this language and conclusively eftab- by Dr. which now no longer exifts. and Latin are all fifters. that thofe forms of fpeech have all one common origin. Moreover. as fpeakers of one and the fame language. Manu. or derivations from. Max Miiller) " who cannot perfons" (fays ProfefTor realize the fact that. In after ages a people of Japhetic origin certainly fettled in India. the daughters of one mother. and the roots of the Arian languages. Muir and others). and in all probability formed the Thefe brought with them the origin of the Arian race. bringing with them their own dialect. the races of men who fpoke thofe feveral languages all defcended from one common ftock. have made it more than probable that the material elements with which they 1 There are many both ftarted were originally the fame. and their anceftors at a very remote period lived together in fome country (out of Hindoftan) fpeaking one language. defcended from the northern mountain after a deluge. tween the Semitic roots. at a very remote but a very real period in the hiftory of the world. and that Sanfcrit. precifely the fame number that Cadmus introduced into Greece. and ultimately became what we call the Sanfcrit. fixteen rock-infcription letters." 1 " Hiftory of Antient Sanfcrit Literature. and he adds that in one of the Bramanas there is a tradition that the progenitor of the Hindus.
being the firft to emigrate from the land of his fathers. and fentences. in their moft claflic monuments" (alluding Is it any wonder to the familiar honeyfuckle ornament). Mr. there are fome points of ftriking likenefs in thefe characters to the letters of the primitive alphabet. he cannot fupport. if we of the original letters.26 Cadmus copied his Alphabet all Thus we have feen that countries. the Egyptians. may judge from their alphabet. muft have left the plains of Shinar with a perfect knowledge of letters but from their wandering life. Layard is of opinion that the Aflyrian writing <c the (cuneiform) is from left to right and he fays that . for in their alphabet we have many traces The Etrufcan and Pelafgi. fouth. with fome improvement. or elfe from the nature of his purfuits in after life had entirely for. AfTyrians pofTefTed a highly refined tafte in inventing and ornamenting. during a period of 800 years. Still. as no other fet of letters known to have been in exiftence and within reach of Perfian obfervation were written from left to In another place. while he holds this view of the direction of the writing. north. had been peopled by tribes wandering from one common centre the plains of Shinar carrying with them the alphabet and the art of writing in more or lefs perfection. eaft. fays He powers of its elements (the Perfepolitan cuneiform) were chiefly borrowed from the Greek alphabet. Rawlinfon. The Phoenicians appear to be the next in order of time and literature. . gotten them were obliged to have recourfe to the clumfy expedient of pictures to reprefent letters. had either been brought up wholly ignorant of letters. . that Cadmus copied his alphabet from fo refined a people Sir ? H. draws an inference which." to the cuneiform characters it is important to obferve. fo that his defendants. and weft. according to the period that had elapfed fince their firft departure from the land of their birth and thus I conclude that Mitzraim. words. he ftates that cc with regard right. which the Greeks adopted. as it that cc the feems to me. many of the characters had furTered great deterioration. .
in a recently publifhed work. and inconvenient laxity. " the he pompoufly calls mathematically conceived and divinely-formed for its angular uniquenefs of defign and flyle. and what is ftill more remarkable. . as a proof. amongft the various colonies planted by the Phoenicians to CarIt thage. from its period probably of Cyrus the Great. Sufiana. all languages are derived from Antiquiffima. to be the one fole type of writing employed by all the nations of Weftern Afia. and of Elymais are fo far as eflentials are concerned. with imperfections. and their fojourning in eaft. Babylonia. Egypt. were eflentially one and the fame. J. Nearly all writers on the fubject are agreed that Hebrew was fpoken all over Arabia. Noachian. from the primitive Welm. like the Bardic alphabet. and Armenia. from Syria to the heart of Perfia . Aflyrian or Hebrew. Thomas. as well as the Gaelic. There is therefore no doubt but that the alphabets of Aflyria. and even to the CafTiterides or Britifh Ifles. all its 27 that the Aflyrian alphabet." And yet this Aflyrian alphabet. Mr. quently . or even the clafs of language to which it was required to be applied. continued from the time many was firft organized. (See 5th Cimmerian. is derived. appears that one common language was fpoken all over the 1 the days of Mofes. one and the fame.from of homophones. cumbrous array its moft when it Egyptian model up to the Armenia. and many ages fubfeto Canaan. whether called Adamic. the Aflyrian alphabet was thus adopted without reference to the language. borrowed How I introducing his alphabet into phonetic powers from the Greek ! is this to be reconciled ? mail enter more fully into the character of this alphabet fubfequently . which muft have exifted at leaft 700 years prior to Cadmus its Greece. which Hebrew.) There is but little doubt that the Welfh. but my object at prefent is to mow that the earlieft languages. Phoenicia. along the coafts of Africa. up to 1 A " Britannia the colonial author. when the Ifraelites returned with the Egyptians notwithftanding their intercourfe during feveral hundred years. J. its the AJJyrians." contends that and all alphabets from the Bardic or Welfti alphabet." column of alphabets.
<c Then . and the people of Nineveh. fled to the firft feaport. as the Ifraelites did too freely and when the Ifraelites entered with the Moabites Canaan they converfed with the Canaanites. Jofhua ii. 4 and Numbers xxii. c. who they fuppofed. or The Hebrew very near it. who made a league with them nations they and Spies. by the deceit practifed upon them. which went out with them from Egypt. 5 the meflengers of Mefopotamia the King of Moab. paid his fare.28 Hebrew the univerfal Language. Rahab Balaam lived at Pethor of Deut. and fo did many others. his nobles. proves that in Mofes' time and many ages after. evidence that Hebrew was the is ftrong prefumptive language fpoken by the AfTyrians at the time of the preaching of Jonah. fpeaking the Hebrew tongue.). and it feems There to have continued fo up to a very late period. (Jomua ix. tion and of what people art thou ? And he faid unto them. And when he had entered a I am an Hebrew. When Mofes lived. in his Canaan de Colonis and Sermone Phcenicium. . Jonah difobeyed the command. Heathen faid be gathered What is thine occupathey unto him. the wildernefs forty years. but that they were fhipmafter and mariners belonged. thus be traced as a native tongue of the eaft all may round the coafts of the Mediterranean. they fpoke the very fame language as all the met with in their travels. may from their language to Jonah. Bochart. who was commanded by God to preach repentance to the effeminate and luxurious King Sardanapalus. and moft part of their time with a mixed multitude. xxiii. and afterwards he and his princes converfed freely with him. might have come feveral hundred miles. . ftrangers. Joppa. and even with the Gibeonites. ? and whence comeft thou ? What is thy country. and took fhip for Tar/him or We are not informed to what country the Tarfus. . and had no fufpicion from their language." Book n. . &c. but took it for granted that people at that diftance (poke the fame lancc guage as they did. all fpoke Hebrew. it appears to have been the only medium of communication throughout the known world. Tell us.
They did not require an interpreter. and fubftituted it for that which they had previoufly ufed. king of AiTyria that is. A. Hebrew was the language of The characters employed by the ten tribes in Hebrew were. in all the pomp of eaftern fplendour. he cried and faid. through the mouth of his Up away to the period when the ten tribes were carried captive into AfTyria. and was a free It was here that Alexander city of Greece and Rome. then a rifing colony. the Great nearly loft his life. Jonah's flight took place in the reign of Jehoafh. c. through bathing while heated in the waters of the Cydnus. being the only feaport pofTefled by the Jews. What that was there is no mention. Ezra borrowed the fquare character with which the Hebrew text is now written from the Chaldee. 3142. or B. and fubfeIt was quently the moft celebrated city of Cilicia." ftone him ? did they imprifon him ? did cc Away upon faid with him. king of Ifrael. Thefe coins clearly fhow that the characters in queftion Phoenician. 862. Samaria. Here alfo Cleopatra paid her celebrated vifit to Mark Antony. but the ftory on which this refts. being almoft the fame as thofe feen in the Samaritan copies of the Pen- . letters (as they are called) are clofely allied to the and appear originally to have been emIt is ftated that ployed by the whole Jewim nation. and hence he ftyles himfelf a city free-born Roman. retained nearly their ancient fhape. Joppa." No they fuch a fellow They believed what God prophet Jonah. and about the time of Sardanapalus. efpecially with Tarfus. totally different from writing The Samaritan thofe now in ufe among the Jews. fituated on the banks of the Cydnus. by the Maccabean coins dug out of the ruins of Jerufalem. Hazael king of Syria.Hebrew the univerfal Language. forty days and Nineveh fhall be overthrown. the it is not fit ! fhould live earth. "Yet Did they cry out. It was alfo the native of the Apoftle Paul. however. 29 day's journey into the Great City. M. had confiderable trade with all parts of the coaft of the Mediterranean. proves to be utterly unfounded.
Many of the of our own alphabet that one Still more origin of the Greek alphabet. if not their actual identity. c. the very alphabet that God employed to preferve and tranfmit to us the pricelefs 1 Hebrew modern Hebrew Gefenius. the elements or wedges are nearly the fame. are the infcriptions found amongft the ruins of Palmyra. remarkable coincidence or corroboration. tially the fame as the Aflyrian. truth of this . Thomfon's remarks upon a Phoenician infcription found upon a will juft Sarcophagus terefted at Sidon.30 tateuch Hebrew for the univerfal Language. 130. then we have on this tablet of Afhmanazer. death when this ftory reprefents complete change. and fo traced the modern Hebrew to its fountain head. ProfefTor cc Bilden (in his he traces the Bopp. but they enter into different combinations. Etrufcan. until the them The oldeft writings in Hebrew to about B. more than three centuries from the time to have undergone a of Simon Maccabeus. this accords with and confirms the ancient tradition in regard to the me much in this tablet. admits the fquare or to be defcended from the Palmyrene. he could have gone one ftep further. in the laft edition of his Grammar. one of which is dated as early as the fortyninth year of our era. mowing the Babylonian new theory for if ProferTor Bopp had known anything of the AfTyrian cuneiform. If this be fo. interefting is the fact that the characters on this ftone are fo like the old as to eftablifh their clofe relationship. the celebrated German philologift und Shriften der Vorzeit"). 1859: "Another thing in- very letters^ clofely rejemble thqfe can fcarcely be miftaken in tracing ours up through the Roman and the Greek to that of Phoenicia . the The Babylonian character is efTenAfTyrian cuneiform. We mention two more facts. ftrongly corroborative of the truth of the primitive alphabet. 1 This is a Phoenician to the Palmyrene. as we have done. Dr. mowing a different language or dialect. . which the prefent Hebrew character mows any likenefs of figure. ftates that modern Hebrew letters down from the character through the early Greek.
no doubt. there are that the Jews rejected great doubts. apes. there mutt have been one of an earlier date. philofophers and hiftorians point to Phoenicia as the birthplace of letters. Graham. upon gazelles. but with regard to the details of the origin of this character. it is alfo very probable that they reverfed the order of writing. in which they found a vaft (tones number of were reprefentations of camels. making it read from right to left. let any one look at the primitive. known to the Hebrews as the land of Bafhan. Efq. many ages prior to the fettlement of the Phoenicians as a people . It has been afferted their divinely-formed letters. and in all nations of the myfterious 'Three in One. Phoenician alphabets. gradually deteriorating and blending with the and mifshapen letters of the early Greek and Phoerough nician alphabets. Again. horfes. but now Again. but this expreffion tf one original" conveys the idea that loft." Look at the primitive alphaformed. which has analogies with the oldeft Greek and racter. in a paper of bet. which accompanied a number of ancient infcriptions in an undeciphered character found in the Eaft of the Hauran. every letter of which forms a perfect geometrical figure fymbolical from the earlieft ages. by Cyril C." <c One " original ! What can this mean ? Many writers. are evidently derived from the Phoenician and Palmyrene . The firft intimation we have of a foreign language Rabfhakeh was before being fpoken in the eaft is when own . and horfemen always accompanied " The infcriptions are in a rude chaby infcriptions. 3 1 his Divine Law..Hebrew gift the univerfal Language. aflertion. Therefore we conclude that the Hebrew letters now in ufe. only becaufe the If there be any truth in this Samaritans ufed them. and the time of its introduction. the Triune Deity. called the Chaldee or fquare character. and no doubt he will recognize the one original in all its beautiful ftmplicily. and it is not improbable that they may have been old enough for a time when the Greek and Phoenician alphabets were nearer to the one original which than we find in any other cafe. read before the Afiatic Society in September 1857.
and Jofephus upon informs us that Cf plague feized upon them by which they were deftroyed they learned by an oracle which they confulted that they ought to worfhip the Almighty God as the method for their deliverance. and made them molten images. 26. and the people were by them taught the laws and the holy worfhip of God. even two calves. and worshipped all The new the hoft of heaven. ." 1 2 Kings xviii. fo they fent ambafladors to the king of AfTyria. and defired him to fend fome of thofe priefts of the Ifraelites whom he had taken captive . faid cc unto Rabfhakeh Speak. and without doubt their fyftem of writing alfo. and the plague ceafed immediately . or cared for any facred records expelled Jews (the Pentateuch and other facred books were kept in Jerufalem). this very day. by worfhipping them. they alfo brought with them the manners and cuftoms of thofe cities." Again. which could not be any other than the burnt incenfe in all the high places as did the heathen.32 The Samaritan Pentateuch. and. and made a grove. and ferved Baal. Eliakim. and indeed they continue to make ufe of the very fame cuftoms to them their A .and Joahjasweread. : the conquering king of Affyria. and there they primitive or cuneiform." colonifts from the five cities of AfTyria brought with own gods. 1 Jerufalem. brought themfelves the anger of God . and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the '. and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger. I pray thee. for they were funk into the loweft (late of cc heathenifm They fet up groves and images on every hill and under every high green tree. when Shalmanezer. people that are on the wall. to thy fervants : in the Syrian (Arameari) language for we under ftand it. brought men from various cities of AfTyria and placed them in the cities of Samaria. and they left all the commandments of the Lord their God. and when he fent them. We are nowhere told that the had any.andShebna. they wormipped him in a refpedlful manner.
Mills. alfo. from (as before a fpirit of oppofition to the Samaritans. although the author appears to have been an Idumean 1 . p. " That in the earlieft had fpecimens previoufly ftated.The Samaritan Pentateuch.." by L. or " Stones crying independently framed by him under Divine influence. he adds. have here a ftrong confirmation We of the identity of the Hebrew language. and of its being fpoken by the colonifts from the five cities of ArTyria. the priefts. the Samaritan Pentateuch being in pure Hebrew. after infpefting the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch. having their intellectual and fpiritual imat heart. between which confiderlater AfTyrian the great charafteriftic element is the able modification was effefted Mr. 288. that when the new colonifts had . p. cc Lectures on the Sacred Poetry Bifhop Lowth. was written in the primitive character." But the author forgot to mention what out." ftates his opinion that tc Job was an inhabitant of Idumea. 33 The date and origin of the Samaritan Pentateuch have been hitherto wrapped in myftery but I think it may be traced to about this time. provement 1 this time. there can be no From doubt. that the Jews change their alphabetical characters. for it is not improbable that all the pofterity The Rev. and wiflied to imitate their neighbours in every refpect in letters and religious polity. who refided fome time at Nablous in the years 1855 and 1856. " is pure the race of Abram" Hebrew. J.. with which the prefent Hebrew has no Modern Samaritans. procured for them a copy of the Pentateuch from the original. fo that any Hebrew fcholar. having a knowledge of that character. 85. Mills of Chaldean writing and the wedge form. 9." Mills' s . R. together with his friends. viz. making began to them ap- proximate more to the Phoenician. I think. but written in the Samaritan character. become fufficiently enlightened refpecling the laws and religion of the Hebrews. N. which. "concludes that the old written Samaritan alphabet muft have been given by Mofes. for it feems to be the moft probable conjecture. or at leaft Arabians of the adjacent country. is able to read that ancient document. obferved) But to return. nearly word for word. in his of the Hebrews. either modified from character previoujly exifting. it was. all originally of The language. affinity. ch.
it does feem aftoniming that a people fo far advanced in the arts and fciences as the Affyrians. The next in order of time are the writings of Mofes. Idumeans. fays in his " Grammar" " As far as we can trace the Hebrew language. we find that the earlieft literary compofition we have is the fublime poem of Job. or B. With all thefe facts before us. and was with them transferred to Egypt and brought back. 34 of Abraham Ifraelites. and weft vailing tongue down to the deftruction of Nineveh. ledge they pofferTed from the patriarchs who furvived the Flood. Noah and his immediate defcendants . Enoch. whether of the family of Keturah or Immael fpoke for a confiderable time one common language.C.Hebrew the Original Language. called the Pentateuch. and with the Hebrew nation fubfequently to the time of Mofes and yet of whom there is not one authentic hiftorical record known to us. to Canaan. and that it continued to be the one preeaft. . teen alphabetical letters only. Canaan was its home. and Arabians. If we take a retrofpective glance at the early literature of the world. 2180. was originally written in the ancient down to us by means of nineHebrew." Finally. excepting an occafional mention of them in the Holy Scriptures. and who muft have received all the know. the greater! of modern philologifts. which muft alfo have been written and tranfmitted down to the prefent age by the aid of the fame nineteen letters. Gefenius. has been handed . if it This poem. that it was fpread by them north. mould be fo little known a nation the firft and greateft of ancient days. Job is fuppofed to have lived 184 years before Abram." It has thus been mown that the Hebrew tongue muft have been the language by which God at the creation communicated his will to Adam that the fame language was fpoken by Seth. fouth. It was eflentially the language of the Canaanitim or Phoenician race by whom Paleftine was inhabited before the immigration of Abraham's pofterity. which had flourimed for a : a people who muft have been period of 1500 years well acquainted with the patriarchs of old.
and its people muft have had frequent intercourfe with the AfTyrians. the forerunners of all nations. the infcription that has been found in the Phoenician and what is worthy of particular notice is the facl. juft arrived in this country. that many of the letters have a greater likenefs in form to the primitive than any The force of this arguthat are feen in later Phoenician documents. is it to be imagined for an inftant that the great and mighty people. the ArTyrians. ftyles of architecture. to make known their wants or to exprefs their ences. viz. 1 With thefe facts before us. About 150 years later Greece gave birth to the fathers of heathen poetry. weapons of war. and the Greeks began About cc 450 years fubfequent to Mofes. king of Moab. and with the fame number Solomon has handed down to pofterity his invaluable proverbs and lefTons of wifdom. . fhould be fo far behind all others in literature as to require no lefs than 300 letters in their alphabet." gave forth his infpired poems. the rubbings of the Moabite ftone. and yet the record contained upon this ftone was written with an alphabet of about 19 letters s and. will mine forth clear as the noonday fun. the fweet finger of Ifrael. Egypt muft 1 And now we have. and records events which tranfpired about the time of Homer and Hefiod. zenith of its power and greatnefs. from whom the elegant Greeks copied and adopted manners and cuftoms. with 500 variants to thofe letters.About this Hebrew Poetry and Language. Homer and Hefiod. character minds. more overwhelming evidence as to the truth of the new fyftem propounded in this work. who reigned B. and even their fyftems of religion. 35 period Cadmus introduced letters into Greece to cultivate literature. ment in favour of thp new theory muft be feen and felt by all reflecting upon this ftone is the earliefl . arts and fci- modes of warfare. what is remarkable. between five and fix hundred years before the final deftrudion of Nineveh. 896. The truth doubt. when the empire of AfTyria was in the Moab was the adjoining kingdom. This ftone was written upon. ideas ? No ! When the veil that has hitherto concealed is removed there will be no more AfTyria's brightnefs no further conjecture on this fubject. and thofe muft have been written with the fame nineteen letters. and relates fome of the works and doings of one Mefa. David. whofe immortal works required only an alphabet of fixteen letters to immortalize them in the world's literature.C.
They are flightly convex. king of Samaria. and magnificent kingdom. called the cunei- form It ? not be amifs to introduce here. beautifully cut. AfTyria. and that God himfelf wrote upon the tables of ftone in a character underftood by the people for whom they were efpecially intended. They are written upon cuneiform character. in the earlieft . by way of mention of the fact that there are at this moment in the Britifh Mufeum (or ought to be) two ftones anfwering in every refpect to the defcription given of the two ftones delivered to Mofes at Sinai. is it not reafonable to afTume that Mofes wrote with the character then prevalent. THE ART OF ALPHA- BETICAL WRITING. came out of Egypt. of the firft temple built by Solomon (2 Chron. 10). their may epifode. with holes drilled in the thicknefs of the ftone in the lower part. down. at leaft. v. fo that both fides could be feen and read. and that that character was no other than the primitive or ancient Hebrew. a fize being about 12x15 inches. when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Ifrael when they think it probable. what became of the two tables of the law and the coveread of them in the account of the dedication nant." that at the facking of the temple by Jehoafh. to the time of Mofes. refined. They are fuch ftones as a man of ordinary ftrength could take. the edges of the letters being well defined and looking frem as from the chifel and they have in fact every appearance of being The facred record does not ftate miraculoufly preferred. From the many facts and arguments brought forward to prove the famenefs of the language originally fpoken all over the Eaft. evidently for the purpofe of fixing them upon a rod of metal. " There was nothing in the ark fave the two tables which Mofes put therein at Horeb. and carry a confiderable diftance. they were transferred with the ark to Samaria both fides. as being the cradle of the arts and fciences and the preferver of the greateft of all arts and the foundation of every fcience. one under each arm. We We .36 yield the fitter The Two Tables of Stone palm to her ancient. however.
invaded Samaria. fee. Juft as. ix. Nineveh: for." It is not Jikely that Jehoafh would overlook fuch precious booty : as the ark of the covenant. fo that all might read for themfelves. "And he" (Jehoafh) took all the gold and filver. and after a fiege of three years conquered and facked the capital. and all the vejfels that were found in the houfe of the Lord.. from the original To fatisfy their natural curiofity. which. when the Scriptures were firft tranflated from the original. if excavations are continued. and carried away everything of value into AfTyria. and to read for themfelves the laws of God and his covenant with his ancient people." This is con" He firmed by Jofephus (book ix. mufl be difcovered" Let us look at the pofition in which thefe two ftones were found. covered with gold. anxious even to get a glimpfe of the precious articles. the great king of AfTyria. and carried off all the took away gold and filver that was in the king's palace. may fuppofe that the We Samaritans had heard and read in their copy of the Pentateuch of the awful wonders of Sinai at the giving of the law. copies of them were exhibited in the churches chained to the defk. but free for all who chofe If fuch was the cafe. 14). and when Jehoafh made his triumphant entry into Samaria he was no doubt prefTed upon by eager thoufands. and returned to Samaria. The Jewifh population he diftributed into the various cities of his empire . xv. f< 37 (sKingsxiv. from fome higher motive. in the " Journal of the Royal Afiatic Society" (vol. Now. Shalmanezer. independently of its facred contents. but the riches and precious part of the booty he carried with him to Nineveh. 117 years fubfequent to the facking of Jerufalem by Jehoafh. in the early days of the Reformation.in the Britijh Mufeum. trace the ftones into the capital of the AfTyrian empire. there yet exift two archaic treafures. 3) the treafures of God. chap. and endeavour to form : . or even Sepharim. we can eafily to come and read. page 305) are " Beneath thefe eminences thefe remarkable words (alluding to the mounds of Nimroud). he caufed the ftones to be fet up in the temple or fome other public place.
and the feeding-place of the young lions ? The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps. Mr. faith the Lord of Hofts. tranfgrefllon. merciful and abundant gracious. long-fuffering. the wonders performed by the leader of the Ifraelitim original Sinaitic ftones. 7)." the prophet his enemies. Layard fays <c It is difficult to determine the original fite of the fmall tablets they appear : : to have been built up infide the walls above the flabs. and (his children) ftrangled for his lionefles (wives and concubines). forgiving iniquity. army in Egypt. proclaiming God's feverity againft " Where is the of Nineveh. and truth. keeping mercy and for thoufands. my fon." They had heard of his terrible doings. and from fculptures found at Nineveh had been cuftomary for the AfTyrians it their gods in proceflion upon the (houlders of to carry men (Ifaiah xlvi. I am againft thee. he couched as a lion. and the fword mall devour thy young lions. as an old lion . and their hearts fainted The nations around worfhipped gods of within them. As the ark of the Lord had always ftone .38 The Two Tables of Stone fome reafonable conjecture for their being placed in fuch an extraordinary fituation. fays dwelling of the lions (the monarchs). who mall roufe 1 Nahum. and the voice of thy meflengers mall no more be heard. from the prey. of their pafTage through the Red Sea. They were difcovered behind one of the human-headed lions * which formed the enin the fouth-weft palace of trance to the chamber D Nimroud. of Ifaac. Similarly. to me and this coveries." conjecture was confirmed by fubfequent difLet us aflume thefe two tablets to be the and it is eafy to account for their Tradition had told the AfTyrians of fingular pofition. They of Abram. and that will by no means clear the guilty." And . Behold. and of Jacob. and of the many miracles performed by the God of the Hebrews not the in their tranfit God in through the defert. the inhabitants : him up. wood and appears that it The lion appears to be a type of the reigning monarchs of Aflyria. as goodnefs knew <c the Lord God. and " Judah is a lion's whelp. and I will cut off thy prey from the earth. and fin. and his dens with ravin. and filled his holes with prey. the Scriptures fpeak of the lion of the tribe of Judah. thou art gone up : he Hooped down. or to have been placed behind the Jlals themfehes .
that the Ekronites cried out. but it may perhaps ere long be found that the palace was either being built." And cc the Philiftines were afraid. but when the God of taken at Samaria its glory had departed Ifrael had given up his ancient people to their own hearts' defire and when Shalmanezer found nothing in the ark fave the two ftones containing the laws which denounced his own practices and the cuftoms of his nation. about the time of the Samaritan caufed the flab to be conqueft. years fubfequently to this period we hear the infolent and blafphemous language of Sennacherib before the walls of Jerufalem." The Affyrians we may fuppofe had hitherto looked upon the ark with awe and dread. frefh in his "Hath any of the gods of the nations memory: delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Aflyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad ? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim ? and have they delivered SAMARIA OUT OF MY HAND ? Who are they among all the gods of thefe lands. or the king may have removed for the exprefs purpofe of hiding what he imaFourteen gined to be the actual God of the Israelites. what more reafonable than that in the pride and blafphemy of his heart. Woe for there hath not been fuch a thing mall deliver us out unto us ! Who of the hands of thefe mighty Gods ? 'Thefe are the Gods that fmote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wildernefs. . with the acts of his predeceflbr.in the Britijh Mufeum. God ! is come into the camp. what he had done to the furrounding nations. They have brought about the ark of the God of Ifrael to us to flay us and our people. faying. he refolved upon placing them where they would be as loft for ever ? At prefent we have no dates. for (i Samuel iv. And they faid. . Woe unto us heretofore. as in fact the Ekronites did: "And it came to pass as the ark of God came to Ekron. that have delivered their land . or undergoing fome extenfive repairs. 7 and 8) they faid. there can be no wonder if they afcribed all the miracles to the ark or to the objects contained in it. 39 been borne upon the fhoulders of the Levites in all their wanderings.
I found they could not be the ftones I had feen in 1 849. but. there is no mention of them in the folio volume of inscriptions publifhed at the expenfe of the Imperial Government under the fuperintendence of Sir Henry There is fome allufion to them in the Rawlinfon. and gentlemanly demeanour. Of this particular / am quite confident. . which bore a great reiemblance to the two I had defcribed above. and guarded by the human- my headed lion. that the mighty God of Ifrael was imbedded in the ftone walls of his palace. to be compared with the infcription on the two ftones found at to my leaving the colony of Victoria for had looked moft anxioufly for every monthly mail to bring me fome news from the gentleman to whom I configned my manufcript of the Decalogue but I looked in vain. 1 author fent to England a manufcript copy of the Decalogue. " Afiatic Journal" where it is dated that they contain the cc Standard Infcription. On my arrival in England in June. thanks to Dr. written in Hebrew. in two ftones I had feen nineteen years previoufly ." But is it likely they would have been buried in the wall if they contained any of the records of the empire ? As well might we expect to find a genealogical lift of kings built up in the wall of a ! . but. The author has not had any opportunity of learning what may be the nature of the infcriptions upon thefe two remarkable ftones for. and placed on a ledge of the 1 For three years previous I England. Birch allured me that they had no boles in the bottom. . upon mature reflection. the genius of his race Of courfe. two ftones were found. to be the On my rirft fight Here I think it my duty to record my fincere prefent is a myftery." He thought. After many earneft inquiries. kindnefs. They were enclofed in glafs cafes. I loft no time in vifiting the Mufeum . in the ignorance of his heart. wall on the right as you enter the Nimroud of them. and Dr.40 out of out of The Two Tables of Stone hand. What has become of them at my excitement I really believed them gallery. for they were double the fize. nor any one that could remember fuch ftones as I defcribed. alas! in vain. 1867. but in the cuneiform character according to the primitive alphabet. this is but hypothecs. though he thinks me a little cracked. common But the drain ! to fet this matter at reft and to teft this difcovery. fingularly enough. that the Lord fhould deliver Jerufalem my hand. I believe in affifting me in all my arduous inveftigations. Birch for his unwearied attention. No fuch Hones could be found.
broke the firft two tables. however. 26) is in precifely . however. twenty-third chapter of Exodus. being the fame. . In the new alphabet. and an epitome of what was contained in the paflage juft cited. Should they not agree. careful examination of the Hebrew copy and from many texts of Scripture. Thus. there is no D probable that when the alphabet was given as concife as poffible. example. But turn to the thirty-fourth note that there follows chapter of Exodus. Greek Digamma/*. and continued unto as we know. another formidable obftacle will appear in the comparifon. and I will give thee tables of ftone. But ftill the comparifon might be worked out. and p a fofter b. In any cafe the might experiment would be attended with many difficulties. verfe one. having only one the fign for b and />." contained in the twentieth. twenty-firft. that it will be found. 41 Nineveh. and be there. Come up unto me into the mount.in the Eritlfli Mufeum. equivalent to the ancient will be wanting. twenty-fecond the nineteenth verfe of the chapters. Again. The If we take it for granted that the Decalogue alone was written upon the ftones which would take up but it will be difficult to a very fmall portion of them account for the fact that the originals were written upon I think. on a both fides. The Arabic has but one letter to exprefs both founds. for fign for each phonetic power. The clofe of this epitome (v. xxiv. q (or p ) and laftly. The ancients frequently ufe one for the other. and a law and commandments which I have written. namely. the voluminous nature of the infcription. 12: the Lord faid unto Mofes. Mofes. the Deca- logue containing all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. the author's for they theory would not necefTarily be difproved be infcriptions of another kind. Thefe are evidently that thou mayeft teach them. It is to man it was by ^ (vau). it will be obferved. that the two ftones contained a law "And and commandments. as b is but a harder />. Exod. and the Greeks were often doubtful which letter to ufe. but fupplied by k (or n). the B (or pfi) will very likely have to be fupplied (p).
the fame words as the clofeofthe commandments (19 v. Then the Lord faid unto Mofes.) thou (this epitome) thefe words. for after the tenor of theje words." all the /. I have made a covenant with thee and with This <c law and commandments" would require Ifrael. } to be written on both fpace afllgned them fides of the ftones and in this particular the refemblance would be at once feen between the two ftones found at Nineveh and the actual two tables delivered to Mofes .42 : "The Two Tables of Stone. Write 23 chap. e. amidft thunderings and lightnings at Sinai. .
moft Jimple were the ear Heft. gift of God then. Layard. and that there was a gradual It was from progreflion towards the moft intricate. [SSUMING. PRIMITIVE ALPHABET. after exprefllng an opinion that . all H. we cannot imagine an alphabet planned by Infinite Wifdom fall fhort of the utmoft It perfection. gation leads rather to the conclufion that the moft diffimilar alphabets muft all be traced to one common The Aflyrian cuneiform. viz. Nimroud Palace by Mr. that letters are the direct to man." one of the flabs from the Nimroud Palace the author to : formed the alphabet feen Sir in the tablet which follows. Author's Opinion of the Primitive Alphabet The Cuneiform of the Nimroud Palace the Earlieft Charafter Sir H. Now. as it proves that the jik. there have not yet been difcovered two alphabets effentially different alphabets The progrefs of learned inveftiifolated and unrelated. muft be an alphabet free from all defects and redundancies at leaft as perfect as the Greek or Roman. found in the fource. Rawlinfon. who fays that cc thefe characters long preceded thofe of Korfabad and KouyunThis is an important fact.CHAPTER III. Rawlinfon's Opinion of the Charafter and Language Greek Manufcripts and The Sigaean Infcription Change in the Form Syftem of Writing of the Letters The Alphabet.
each fucceeding line beginning where the preceding one finifhed a mode of writing which was fhortly after fuperfeded by the prefent one of writing from left to right. This infcription muft have been engraved as early as the time of Solomon." But what can this mean ? How can Sir H. but it muft be remembered. The infcription begins on the left hand fide of the tablet and proceeds to the right. is unintelligible and in the laft degree obfcure ? The earlieft Greek infcriptions we pofTefs mow not only many of the forms of the primitive Hebrew alphabet. (See Plate I. but the next line begins at the right hand and proceeds to the left. language.) Figure i reprefents the . it is highly interefting and convincing to fee the ftrong likenefs exifting between the two. a limitation of ufage. according to his own account. and thus it is carried on. but un- queftionably the alphabets are in the main point identical. or at leaft 3.44 Author's Opinion of the alphabets in the Eaft (cuneiform alphabets) were origicc there are nally one and the fame. we mould ftill be very far from a connected hiftory of the AfTyrian Empire. and comparing them with the primitive or cuneiform. near the fite of ancient Troy. except through the imperfect key of the Behuftan infcriptions and the faint analogies of other Semitic but that even if all the tablets tongues (mark this) hitherto difcovered were as certainly to be understood as the memorials of Greece or Rome. and is contained on a tablet which was difinterred upon the promontory of Sigaeum. goes on to fay that peculiarities of form. but alfo the ancient mode of writing from the left hand to the right. an affection for certain characters incidental to the localities. that not only is the fyftem of AfTyrian writing in the laft degree obfcure. and to notice the change that took place as time advanced. a headland of the Syrian coaft.000 years ago. In tracing the Greek characters up to the time of Cadmus. and the language in which the writing is exprefled unintelligible. The moft ancient of them that has come down to us exhibits both methods. Rawlinfon undertake to aflert this of a people whofe .
Several of the ancient alphabets will mow that they were formed from recollection or conjecture and it feems that. the fame name in the early Greek or Cadmean the dotted lines mow the alterations fuppofed to be made by Cadmus the Awleph or Alpha having its right point obliqued to the right. Figure 3 gives name of the Spartan king in the character of his own time. from the form of the Pelafgic or Etrufcan fome of which are erect. as that part of the earth became over-peopled. that they would be fcarcely recognizable as That this in fact took place is the fame characters. we find that the Awleph or Alpha has a right leg or fupport added to it the Gimel or Gamma has a perpendicular line given. and the Lamed or Lambda is turned upon its two . . a few ages after the Confufion. writing man never again recovers. points. Primitive Alphabet. No tribe or race of man its ftructed (the triangle). evident. that long before. emigrated in large bodies. retained not only the original principle upon which an alphabet was con- land. . but We . in the primitive or ancient Hebrew charafter. widely diffufed.' 45 name of Agefilaus the Spartan king. however. fome oblique. They took up their dwellingplace not far from the locality of the fuppofed miracle have already given of the Confufion of tongues. fome letters turned to the right. and fettled for a time at various diftances from their native There might be fome among thefe emigrants who would retain a knowledge of writing. and a the left leg or fupport given to it. Figure 2. 500 years fubfequent to the introduction of letters by Cadmus. which forms the k . Now. but all alike The deplainly derived from the primitive alphabet. fcendants of Shem. in order to efcape from the tyranny and oppreiTion of the great ones of the earth. but the common people would in time fo confufe the form of the letters. is an art which. God had taught man it as our opinion And though very an alphabetic fyftem of writing. and altered from an obtufe to an acute angle. when once loft. the multitudes. and fome to the left. : proper application in the formation of an alphabet.
. has ever fucceeded in regaining the art when loft. viz. which is a compound of Samaritan and Phoenician and fometimes to eke out their theories. viz. refemblance between the letter and the figure of an ox. ALEPH. they go only to the ancient Hebrew. with but a fingle exception of one.. ALPHA. The the Hebrews and ancient alphabets in ufe among the whole race of Shem appear to have been conftructed upon this principle.. which are alfo Hebrew names of vifible objects. that this principle will be clearly traceable in the primitive alphabet in nearly every one of the nineteen letters . The names of the letters commence with the founds they feverally fignify.46 Author s Opinion of the with which we in modern times have become acquainted. they bring in the modern Hebrew. The firft which fignifies the chief. we mall fee that all the letters are compofed. or A. not from any or tribe of letters. There are fome philologifts who aflert that the letters of the ancient alphabets are pictorial reprefentations of the founds or names of the letters . 1 5) as the and in this fenfe may be taken as the head of a family It alfo fignifies an Ox. or head. each with a name fignificant of its figure this principle is . two or three triangles. we mall endeavour to fhow that only true with refpect to the primitive Thefe theorifers do not go back far enough alphabet. the nail or hook-pin. is called aleph. . the form of a phyfical object was made the fign of the found with which its name commenced. the vau y which has is any refemblance to the object which its found to reprefent. as we proceed through the alphabet. while in the prefent or modern Hebrew there is but one. It will be feen. letter head or chief of a family or tribe (Judges vi. In treating of the primitive alphabet. "> fuppofed . . and in the pages that will immediately follow.
" &c. but flightly inclined it to the right. which is nothing more than an equilateral triangle with its apex of letters into in the reign Greece by Cadmus. Bardic. defire. We corroborative proof of its origin. it will be clearly feen that they are deteriorations or departures from the primitive fimple Awleph. So that the very name of the firft letter is expreflive of its meaning. 2). imperial Rome gave it a right leg (No. and gave it the addition of a left leg (as feen in No. the modern Hebrews have evidently copied their firft to letter. Aleph it alfo is denotes in " beginning or origin. nation of the firft letter (fee the Tablet of Alphabets) of the Pelafgic. and launched it forth to the world From an examito be ufed in its prefent form (No. being a mere breathcc a breath. not only becaufe that pofition cc C{ be joined to any one. Alpha afluming or to its prefent figure by the addition of a approximating and finally." " to adhere to any one. ." to accompany.Primitive Alphabet. 4). 3) little ornamentation. The Phoenicians began to be a little the right. and. but from the latter 47 being the chief or leading animal of the brute creation in its general utility when alive. The firft breath is to be accompanied and joined with others to communicating and making known our wants to our fellow-men. as in ." from a natural of precedence. the Greeks gave it the name of Alpha. proceeding from the heart or foul. which is only a tranfpofition of the About 500 years fubfequent to the introduction letters. the Palmyrenes a little more fo. find this form of the letter upon the earlieft Greek monuments . and alfo in its forming the principal article of food to man when dead. and Samaritan. of AgefiSpartan king. but from its having been the firft right articulate found uttered by Adam. Awleph. from whom fanciful. laus the we find the . &c." and rnV (LUFH). compofed of nit* (AUE).. ancient Hebrew. or wifti ing. This is the firft letter that Cadmus took the liberty of altering he retained the original figure.
blended the Palmyrene and the Phoenician. at fome prea flill further departure There is much ." Primitive (No. who wandered from the plains of Shinar to the eaftern part of the Red Sea. and there is every probability that the Hebrews. 3). S. as they wandered from the plains of Shinar. Afia muft claim them as her own and I take them to be an offshoot of fome Hamitic tribe. BETA.Author's Opinion of the Pn. It is evident Gefenius never faw the B. we have the exact reprefentation of the primitive houfe or tent. BETH." In the modern Hebrew character there is not any refemblance to its name but if we take the Primitive No. and that it more properly reprefented a tent. and Moabitic. or northern part of Arabia. and Gefenius. whofe name has not come down to us. and gave the Hebrew alphabet its In the Etrufcan B (No. . By look. in his Lexicon. cc from one point of view. Gradually they merged from the primitive character into the Samaritan. 4). or B. as reprefented on the Aflyrian flabs or he would not have faid that the Phoenician ing at the Tablet of Alphabets it will be perceived that the Phoenician and ancient Hebrew are both alike. clofe from the primitive form. but from their alphabet (rude as it is). which fignifies Houfe. and fo continued for ages. as Dawleth look at it did a tent door. we obferve prefent form. i. i). the fact appears to be. fays that "its original figure was the Phoenician B (No. and . with Dawleth the door. and myth as to the origin of obfcurity the Etrufcans and Pelafgii. had adopted in fome meafure the form of their letters. until fome individual. living in proximity to the Phoenicians. that was its primitive figure there was a gradual departure from the original fimplicity of the primitive alphabet by the Hamitic tribes.
. GIMEL. .. and which I take to be the one which was introduced by Cadmus into Greece. but whether Cadmus or not. c. a. B. which forms our prefent P. and Etrufcan letters both clearly derived from one common origin. GAMMA. or early Greek B (No. illitealphabets fettled in that part called Etruria. one thing appears certain. 1529. The name of . P. E or G. as is the cafe in Arabic and Moabitic. 5. The Cadmean. There. 2). about 1700 B. and P a harder B. fevum. fcripfi alfo. is precifely the fame in figure as the primitive No. king of Theflaly. either in form or phonetic power. until driven out by Deucalion. half The Pb the form of B.Primitive Alphabet. as I have not been able to find in the primitive writing any character. c. when they pafled into Italy. was alfo fupplied by Vau. are nearly the fame as the Pelafgic. . fore. C. from the remarkable refemblance between the Cadmean and the primitive. C or Roman G. both. G. 49 as a and firft became known wandering people who inhabited a country fince called Argolis. adopted by the Greeks. alfo B. comes pafco from labor. that the one was taken from the Affyrian or primitive. and thofe were the firft letters introduced into Italy and the Etrufcan and Pelafgic are both characterise of a wandering. Ph. like our I conclude that. In ancient times B and P were frequently written one for the other. and with fome flight alterations (which be noticed in their proper places). i. comes lapfus fcribo. and as we find from ancient words from bofco. in the infancy of days. they gave the fofter found.. hiftoric period. In progrefs of time. and if we look down the fecond column of letters in the Tablet of Alphabets which I have rate named the Cadmean. or v y and in the Hebrew lan- / guage the n or b is frequently founded as i>. 3 or 4. The and unfettled people. for B is only a fofter P. 6. febum. E or P. b was ufed for />. as language and ideas fhall became more refined.
GML. The Romans C and Casfar. 3). 5) has degenerated into a femicircle. be obferved that the 2). 4). It will primitive (No. that the earth gives or returns nourimment to intimating every living creature for the labour beftowed upon her. who is reprefented breafts. and who continues to fupply it until the child is of cc when fufficient ftrength to be weaned. the true profile of the breaft of a woman. and Bardic (No. with many VD:J." yield or return the fruits. No. in- G . ufed as a verb active in this fenfe. it for G or K. In our more probable to be a peror fymbolical reprefentation of VQJ (GML). for Cajus. &c. Parkhurft fays." and in this fenfe applied to the breaft of the mother that yields or returns the nourimment me has received to her infant. wherever they found the letter C changed . is a proof of its derivation from the gimel of the Hebrew. here we have." we are to believe that the founds of the letters reprefent vifible objects. writing Tuioq alfo ufed . 5). i). This idea appears to have been adopted and carried out by the Greeks in the worfhip given by them to Diana of the Ephefians.50 Author s Opinion of the is this letter (according to Gefenius) to be feen from its Phoenician figure (No. are alike . when the breaft of the female is fully developed. then is me confidered mature. The Greeks. Etrufcan (reverfed pofition it holds in the Roman alphabet. then. " earners neck" (very rude and opinion the primitive letter is fonification a rude reprefentation of a far-fetched indeed). &c. as the magna mater. alfo means "mature or ripe" and of woman is in this fenfe alfo the breaft the emblem or fymbol of maturity. or in a ftate This letter is the forerunner of the Greek of puberty. or Cybele. in tranflating from the Latin. gamma and the Latin C. as alfo the ancient Hebrew and Samaritan gimel (fee the Tablet of Alphabets) from the Aflyrian or primitive. " to " retribution or return. which fignified the earth. the Roman (No. the agent that returns in a life-giving ftream the nourimment me had previoufly received.. the mother or the nurfe it is always applied to If who fuckles the child. or the great mother. and the Cadmean (No. for. anfwering to that of Gamma in the Greek.
which are to be feen on Eolian tablets in the Britifh Mufeum. angles . with the addition of a leg. Dawleth.). This character is alfo the primitive numeral ten (X." The ancient Hebrew and the Phoenician gimel are both alike .. i) than The Etrufcan (No. we read.&Phce. accordThe Latins began ing to the direction of the writing. A The ancient Henearly preferves its original figure. Delta. by leaving the left angle as it was and circumeafe in writing.. 6. converting the into a femicircle. Appendix. primitive. &c. for Legio pugnando effugiunt. and in the famous Bouftrophedon infcription. flecting the other two. to change the form of this letter about 100 B. as we the celebrated Farnefe infcriptions by Herodes Atticus. Mod. differently. as feen upon the Black Marble Obelifk and the Bull infcription. and the Samaritan are all like the brew. Cadmean. Etrufcan. 2). Sam. Primitive. See alfo the Chapter of the Mafonic Symbols. " door of a primitive houfe or tent. reprefents what its name fignifies. the Phoenician. the Samaritan is the fame as the Modern Greek. All evidently derived from only turned to the left. Gnosus. memorate the And on the Cnoeus or Gajus. erefted to com- the AfTyrian or primitive.C. as Cajus.Primitive Alphabet. pillar of Duillius. Roman. 3) the modern Delta (No. 51 firft naval victory gained by the Romans over the Carthaginians. the angles of this letter are unequal and come nearer to the primitive (No. or D. which is found fometimes to the right and fometimes to the left. " Lecio pucnando ex" fociont" &c. acnom. 5)." In the earlieft Greek characters (No. forming our prefent D. agnom. for the greater find in two Subfequently they placed it upright.. Greek.
or hook. can and Pelafgic (3 and 4) are precifely the fame as the . and for which. being uttered feebly in fome words and more ftrongly in others. * * This is one of the letters of which there is fome doubt. Bardic. (the 5th) was ufed both long and fhort among the ancient Greeks. EPSILON. and of which all the Hebrew grammarians fail to give any meaning to its name. peg. Etrufcan & Phoenician. which is partly corroborated by ( what Gefenius fays in fpeaking of Cheth (which is no other cc than the long E or nra of the Greeks): While the Hebrew was a living language. We think it anfwers to the power and form of {lender E or E<7r<nAoi/. anfwering to the Cheth of the Hebrew. Cad mean. or 6. the Greeks had the character 6 to diftinguifh it from their Ainfworth tells us that this letter long E or yjra. anfwers to the modern Hebrew in form and meaning. i is the Greek Digamma: the Etrufname. Samaritan.52 Author's Opinion of the n of the E. E^iAo* of the Greeks." This opinion of a duality of found as well as of form is greatly ftrengthened by the clofe refemblance exifting between the letters He and Cheth in the ancient and modern Hebrew. nail. fome ages fubfequent. anfwering to the Hebrews. viz.. : Prim. this letter had two grades of found. It is our opinion that in the primitive times the Aflyrians ufed both long and fhort E or f n and Cheth n ). 2. and this is the only letter' in the of its modern Hebrew alphabet whofe form is fignificant No. DIGAMMA. F or V. only one was ufed (the 8th). The primitive Vau VAU. and Phoenician (fee Tablet). It is wanting in the Etrufcan and Pelafgic alphabets the nearer! approach to it in form is the Palmyrene. or flender E. VFVVA I. At the time of the introduction of letters into Greece by Cadmus.
viz. U U threefold fymbolical reprefentation ift. as the emblem of the Deity. Old Canarefe. wanting the top outline. The (W) characters in all the remaining alphabets have a ftrong This fixth letter of the primitive and family likenefs. and the Bull infcriptions from Nineveh. the initial of Cf The Word" in feveral of the earlieft Oriental languages. the Greeks turned it firft to the right and then to the left. fame 53 The Bardic is the primitive. fpeaks to God in prayer. down. they retained this character as a jj. where the author Vide Appendix.Primitive Alphabet. as the numeral One (i). the Latins fequently to the primitive (No. as the element of that God-like gift to man for through it God fpeaks to man. It " <c the ancient ones of the earth had appears that when from their primeval faith. : the 2nd. praife. and man alphabet. Hebrew alphabets is a moft myfterious character. /^-keavem . The Hebrews alfo thus we . in fhape as the Greek Digamma. i). The Eolians ufed it the latter way. of notation had fome reference to the mythology of the 1 This (ingle character alfo is the primitive Vau ancients. and conIn fad. and meditation. the worfhip of the departed true and living God. or V. Sanfcrit. Vide the in all its article in of it various phafes. ^z-kyam. and fometimes turned it into V. VV. treats . the firft or the beginning this character forming the primitive numeral One (i) y as feen on the Black Marble Obelifk. Ainfworth tells us that the old Latins letter from the Eolians. inftead of OFIS writing ovis thereby mowing its relationfhip to the Hebrew Vau. and jrdly. " Ann? the chief of the Chaldean triad .. New . Mafonic emblems. but turned it upfide pofition. retained in Tulugu. made it their twentieth (2Oth) letter. Among the primitive races numbers were confidered to have myftic And with this view it was thought the fyftem powers. but corrupted in and was no doubt copied from it . received this . gave this character the phonetic power of fee whence our double is derived. V. and the name of the character of men. 1 ^-kyamu firft each language.
Opinion of the
Canarefe, ^z-kiavu ; and Tamul, ^z-rtie. Laftly, the in its horizontal portion (as feen upon Michaud's figure Caillou, fee figure 2, plate i, Appendix) is the primi-
Lamed, the initial of the Logos, the emblem of the Invifible God by whom all things were created. Therefore, I think we may reafonably conclude that the early Chaldeans worfhipped darkly under this The fymbolical reprefentation of form
the Divine Logos
yv TTpos rov @fov,
o Ei/ Aoyos, xal o Aoyog '/)&*? ?i/ cc @io? ?v o Aoyof." Thy Word is of the Divine is the perfonification
This Vide the cap on the mafonic fymbols. in its triple character, is the Star of the Eaft, figure alfo, worfhipped by the ancient Magi, and proves to be the
facred pentagram, or triple triangle, blending one into the other the grand arcanum of the Cabalifts, dif-
covered, according to tradition, to Mofes on Mount Sinai, and has been handed down from father to fon without interruption, without the ufe of letters, for they
were not permitted to write them down. The ftudy of pentagram leads all true Magi, or wife men, to the knowledge of the Ineffable Name, which is above every name, and to whom every knee mall bow. Again, in this figure we behold the element or foundation of See chapter on mafonic fymbols. Freemafonry.
Cadmean. Etrufcan.
Roman. M.H.
ZAIN, ZETA, or ZED.
the character Zain,
Hebraifts contend that
fwordy amongft
a reprefentation of a weapon or is Gefenius, who further adds,
with God, and
"In the beginning was God was the
Word, and the Word was
Primitive Alphabet.
refembles in form in all the more ancient alphabets." Others, again, fay it is the picture of armour. Now, with refpect to the former likenefs, certainly the modern Zain bears a tolerable refemblance
weapon of fome fort, but this will not hold good with any of the more ancient alphabets. The ancient Hebrew character appears to have been loft, unlefs we allow the Samaritan (No. 4) or the Phoenician (No. 5) to be the archaic form of the Hebrew letter Zain in
to a
thofe cafes
from the
fee that they are derived immediately I primitive (No. i) as to the fignification.
we can
know of no word under
the letter Zain in all the lexicons have confulted, that can give any fatisfactory meaning as to its figure but as the fibilants, Zain, Samech, and Sin, commute with TJadde, under the root py, znn (or zanain phonetically), <c to be fharp," <c to prick," I think
its original meaning. Again, as the (or Zain) interchanges with Gimel, we have <c we can fee how to protect." jn gnn, or ganain,
mall yet find
the primitive letter with its Jharp, prickly, chevaux-defrife figure has degenerated into a weapon of defence, or Jword. Again, as to its original figure refembling armour:
whether they mean by the ''original" the Samaritan or but this I know Phoenician, I am at a lofs to know for certain, that I have feen in a collection of ancient
armour, a cafque and cuirajs very much refembling in and this profile the primitive character Zain (No. i); we can trace to the original ganain cc to promeaning This point is not tect,'' /. e., a protection for the body. of very great confequence, yet fo far we think the
argument is on our fide. The Cadmean (No. 2) is formed from No. i by taking away the back and bottom outline and placing the remaining figure upThe Etrufcan (No. right, which forms our prefent Z. the Samaritan (No. 4), and Phoenician (No. 5), are 3), The Roman all derived from the primitive (No. i). is taken from the Cadmean. (No. 6)
Author's Opinion of the
Anc. Heb.
This letter is the n, CH, HETA, H, or E. of H, and it appears to me that the phonetic parent power of this primitive character was the long E, but the more modern Greeks were not contented that this letter mould retain both the long and fhort found of E, therefore they gave the long found the form of the ancient Hebrew Cheth (No. 5), which is alfo the form (with a flight modification) of the Samaritan, the Phoenician, and the Himyaritic (fee Dr. Adam Littleton's Latin " Lexicon," article E), and was copied by the Romans, from whom we have received it in the form of It H, all evidently derived from the primitive No. i. is, in fact, no other than a hard afpirate inverted with the phonetic power of the Hebrew Cheth, and the fame as the Greek ^, Chi, /. e ., a hard afpirate and in many Latin words borrowed from the Greek, it is plainly fub;
ftituted for
humi, &c.
as %<X'AW, for halo ; p^aw, for hio ; p^a^t, in Latin, michi, nichil for mihi, nihil.
Where he
Gefenius fays that rrn, Cheth, fignifies gets the word I know not.
It is
not to be found in his "Lexicon," neither is it in " Buxtorf ;" but Parkhurfl has it with a very different meaning. He
fays that rpn chaith, fingular in regimine, a living creature,
an animal including birds, from the root TI cc to live" or " animal "life," alfo feems ufed for the appetite." A P. ^/. C. A YOD, IOTA, or I, T, which Po. XV. R. Et. E. " hand," as the fignifies hand of man is the chief organ or inftrument of
power and operations.
very extenfive agency, pofleflion, dominion, and the like. Gefenius fays, " that it probably fignifies hand, and that it had refe-
ufed in
Hence the Hebrew Yod is manner for power, ability,
Primitive Alphabet.
rence to the Samaritan Yod, a rude reprefentation of three fingers ftretched out." 1 fhould think it more probable that it had reference to the primitive figure i. The wedge was ufed, perhaps, as the fymbol of phyfical and intellectual power as the wedge is of great importance as a powerful mechanical agent, fo the hand appears to be the reprefentative of power, ability, and dominion. In ancient times pillars were erected with the Yod or hand cut or carved upon them to commemorate
particular event, or as a trophy or monument of victory, as can be feen in Gefenius' monuments of
parts of the Old Teftament that it was cuftomary to erect fimilar find, Scriptures ftructures with the figure of the hand cut upon them,
in various
emblematical of power and dominion. 2 And to this in the Eaft Indies the of a hand is the day picture emblem of power and authority. The Yod is alfo the initial of the Ineffable Name, the fource of all power,
This vowel is often majefty, and dominion. with e in the Latin ; in Arabic it is compounded
alfo ufed
the fame
Hebrew Yod.
the Phoenician, with the Moabitic and ancient Hebrew Yods, are evident wanderings from the original, being the largeft in all the ancient alphabets ; and this is mown
by the
to the
Yod, Matthew
Verily, I fay
jot or one
unto you, till heaven and earth pafs, one mall in no wife pafs from the law till all prefumptive proof that the Tod was or
had been the
it is
fmalleft letter in the
in the
Zend (which
alphabet, as the ancient Perfian),
and the Palmyrene, from which the modern Hebrew is derived. With the above-named exceptions, the form of the primitive letter Yod or I is carried through all
the ancient alphabets down to the prefent ancients frequently changed their I into
to ftrengthen
See Samuel xv. 12. Literally, " the " to cut out or carve the hand ;" 3,
far-fetched indeed.
pillar of the hand." 2 Samuel alfo I Chronicles xviii. 3.
. Etrufcan. according to the general " the hand. are ufed as the Cadmean. QD. 6. max#mus. i) . as to Kj Claudius Caefar (Klaudios Kaifar). 2. or L. LAMED. max/mus. where both numeral One (i). Primitive. for it is crooked on both fides.Hebrew.Heb." and this appears to be the fignifies right thing in the right place. as for optimus. i. as feen on the Black Marble Obelifk. M. fays that the cc a goad or LMD. KAPH. Ainfworth certainly muft have had an obliquity . frequently as the fame character. fignifies hollow of the hand. Ainfworth modern Hebrew character fignifies which the figure refembles." fpit. A. Cadmean. &c. or K. for if we look at the Tablet of Alphabets we mall find that all the Kaphs are crooked only on one fide until we come to the primitive (No. KAPPA. Pelafgic. Gimel or C. LAMBDA. I. and that the farther we go back to the primitive age the Jefs is or " the hollow of the hand.58 Author's Opinion of the the found. This primitive letter often third Kaph fupplies the redundant Koph or Q. the The Latin C anfwers in phonetic power letter. It is commuted for Cheth or Ch. then we fee that it is crooked in the fuller! fenfe of the word." Gefenius fays that it alfo C anything crooked ." or the acceptation of the word." but whatever the word means." it like {C the hand bent. Gr. L 7. Primitive. The AfTyrians alfo ufed their Yod or I. as well as their Vau or U. VLA 3 and 4. optamus.& Pelafgic. Etruf. our lexicon-makers feem to forget that the prefent Kaph is a modern invention. A.
and forms. 3 turned upfide down. reprefenting an Arab driving a yoke of oxen with a fledge. 2) day. fignifies to teach perhaps. w. it is evidently the letter a corruption of the primitive No. we fee elongated. with the handle afTume The ancient Hebrew (No." and with the prefix o . the fame figure. in confequence. . root .H. Moab.Primitive Alphabet. fignifying hence the fea is called Im. Bardic. Mem. This weapon has been ufed from the earlieft ages of the world. Pelaf. No. only its legs are equal. with a flight departure from reprefents in Syria at the prefent its original fimplicity. overwhelming evidence of the truth of the primitive This 4th character eaft covered on the M alphabet. Mu." and I Aquila renders it." -roV. with other letters upon the fame ftone. of vifion. i). cc It c< fignifies. for beating or thrafhing out the corn." D-> the motion 1 feems to be derived from cc tumult or tumultuous Im. or. 2. or to train cattle. 59 rendering crooked things ftraight. and is to be feen in ufe have now before The Cadmean (No. a little more verfdy to fay modeft.orEtruf." me an engraving. i. and vice it refembled fuch an article. LMD. as <c the teacher. Gefenius. "^ax-mp*. If he had faid it had the likenefs of a reaping-hook. fays. vw. and in his hand the long-pointed ftick or the ox-goad. i. an inftrument for doing fo a goad. is to be feen on the Moabitic Hone lately difof Jordan. \ D^O. it of left handle. an ox-goad. he would have been nearer the mark. the very counterpart of the primitive letter (No. and 4. and it is made to ftand upon them. 5) is beginning the Roman fhape. wv. Nos. and proves to be the moft archaic form of hitherto found upon any ancient document . 7 is the Roman L. 6) is the fame as 3 and 4.A. prefent Primitive. one or Em. Sam. Cadmean. The modern Greek (No. to Cadmus having given it a fort In the Etrufcan and Pelafgic.
driven to exert their ingenuity. 5 and 6) are alike. it is difficult to decide from whence they came but from the likenefs exifting between their alphabets." boles des Egyptiens compares wherein he clearly mows that the fignifications of the Egyptian figns are nearly the fame as the initial of the glance at the Table correfponding word in Hebrew. Frederick Portal a ceux des Hebreux.. and hence the wavy character of this letter M. I mould take them to have come originally from the Plains of Shinar at a very early period.60 in Author's Opinion of the its liability to be ruffled and raifed tumultuous motion by the action of the wind upon its furface. differing . will convince the moft fceptiof Comparative Alphabets cal that all the ancient and modern Ms are derived from : would fuppofe. fomewhat from the The ." fays. original. the defcendants of Mitzraim feem to have had a faint recollection of the principle upon which the primitive alphabet had been constructed. the knowledge of the primitive alphabet on their difperfion from the plains of Shinar. 2) has The been deprived of its top and left fide outline. to the primitive is the modern Hebrew o Gefenius that cc the fignification of the name is doubtful. no doubt. from the non-refemblance nefs. for they have adopted precifely the Jame figure to repreIt is pofTible that the fons of Ham loft Jent Water. to have fettled down for a time in the Peloponnefus about 1900 B. The Cadmean (No. of A the primitive letter No.C. This ^rd character I take to be a fair fpecimen of the Etrufcan and Pelafgic M. they reforted to the clumfy expedient of hieroglyphical writing to record the facls of their early This hypothecs is borne out by a work rehiftory. The Samaritan and ancient Hebrew (Nos. and. . of the Etrufcan and Pelafgic people being loft in origin myth. i. ftill bearing the family likeBardic and Phoenician (fee Table of Alphathe three bets) ftill bear the primitive characteriftics The only one that does not mow any refemblance points. and fubfequently to have fpread themfelves over Greece and Italy. " Les Symcently publimed by M. As corroborative proof. He thought fo.
cc child or fon." Others. drawn out.. or a fifh is found in water or. we fhall find there is more truth in the latter fignification than the former. but the character in the original alphabet (he cannot mean the primitive) was perhaps ftill more conformed to its name. the other at ginning the end ( ) . . y "a child or If we fon. it is generally faid to fignify a fifh. e. Again. ." as being the offspring of its mother. The modern Hebrew alphabet pi. Gefenius to be too far-fetched to be the right meaning. or that one is found in the other. again.Primitive Alphabet. e. i. Hebraifts) of calling it pi Nun. or En." of Mem. Nu." This is not the firft time that He Gefenius alludes darkly to an original alphabet. Nun is taken But this feems from Mem. confequently it is the offspring. hence the reafon (according to fome j prolonged. water. 2. Moabitic.. Etruf. This 1 character alfo forms the Aflyrian numeral as feen j. that the fignification "Fijh does not fuit the common fays fquare character. fay it is called Nun from another fignification. a fifh is taken from the water. /. Appendix. as we can fee very plainly that Nun is taken from Mem . or Pelaf. upon the Black Marble Obelifk. Cadmean. in plain terms. or Nun is found in Mem. Nun. Primitive. has two forms of this letter the one ufed at the beand the middle of words (j). or perpetuated.. e. " /'. we fhall fee that the latter is taken from the former. Bardic. viz. Roman. 61 of the modern character to its name. take the primitive as the foundation. Mem. . but what analogy there is between the modern character and a but if we take the fifh I am at a lofs to imagine primitive form of Mem and Nun. i. 1 See chapter on Mafonic emblems.
Samaritan. e. according to the Eaftern fafhion of reclining. at an earlier period. Roman ^ DD ' ^AMECH. and this is precifely the cafe with Nos." Then. Prim. 2) has its top and left fide outline (fame as Mem) taken away." /. 4. which. are not of the oldeft or original form. On the coins of the Macis found another character." and as evidently taken from the preceding one. 3. for he fays. Etrufcan. and which bears a ftrong refemblance to the Phosnician letter. was probably in general ufe (alluding to the Samaritan). and in clofe relationfhip in from Nin pj . not appear even in the Phoenician alphabet. in the early " Grammar/' that the Hebrew letters now in part of his ufe. called the Chaldee or fquare character. little 6) placed upright and gave it a ornamentation. SIGMA. from Syriac fays cf In this inftance he perhaps the fame as the letter. Cadmean. therefore it is its immediate iflue or offspring. Cadmean. The Chaidee or fquare character is alfo derived from the Phoenician.62 Author s Opinion of the feems to think there had been an earlier alphabet than the Samaritan or Phoenician. Gefenius appears finding a be driven to great for the name of this to ftraits in meaning Samech is Semka. as upon a . a fitting together. only the characters are reverfed. where can we look for this oldeft form but in the primitive before us? After all that has been faid. it The Romans (No. " immediate the form of the letter is form and found. The Cadmean (No. its circular figure." Subfecc he fays The oldefl form of thefe letters does quently. I am cabaean princes inclined to believe that ifTue Nun is or offspring. or a bed for fupport at meals. Pelafgic. or Ess. and 5.
is called the Scythian bow. the The bedftead or ftretcher. bed. OIN. 5." and by looking at i) we fee at once the true of a prop or fupport ufed to this day in all parts figure of the world. or O. 5) is what we Greco-Romaic. f 3. The AfTyrians ufed another form or modification of the Samech.Primitive Alphabet. 2. 2. true pofition. 2). The alteration that Cadmus made in the primitive was the taking away of the right fide outline. year. Roman. 1 fignifying. . we fee by the Phoenician character that. OMICRON. fignifying them. there is every probability that the Phoenicians had retained fomewhat of its original figure. as feen (No. Etrufcan (No. and we fee the fame change of form in is what the Cadmean (No. i. 4. 3) its The leaving the perfect Greek Sigma. inftead of the Greek Sigma being taken from it. to uphold. but not in figure 1 . is the fame reverfed. in the various arts of life rope-dancing." By looking at the Table of Alphabets. fupport evidently derived to " 63 The Syriac word Semka is from the Hebrew Samech. V4 i. fupport for X Greek Sigma (No. partaking of both forms but that it is gradually merging into the Roman is This primitive Samech Black Marble Obelifk as an Primitive. Etrufcan. . building the body." Samaritan. can fee The Samaritan (No." or " Samech (No. 6. Phoenician. therefore they added the fupport or prop to make it like what the name fignified. according to The Pelafgic is a corruption. and in that common and primitive plaftering. to fuftain. i). call a may we s. the primitive prop. Cadmean. frequently ufed upon the " initial for Shina. 2) Ainfworth fays that it is taken from the c< Phoenician alphabet without variation. but they could not reconcile it with its name. The Moabitic is the fame as the Phoenician.
has the 2. the diamond fhape. 3. the Samaritan (No. Primitive. and the Bardic (feen in (No. And thofe two figures letter . the Tablet) are alike. 5). 4). 5). Etrufcan. but I think it not at all improbable for if we are to believe that letters are of Divine origin. or great o. and the lower fhort o But leaving this as outlines. we mall fee that Cadmus deprived No. fays. O ^ we cannot but imagine they were made perfect in every refpect for the primitive ufe of man. round form refembles the human eye. i of its top and upper half right and left the long o (). (o) an open queftion. Zain and . yet fome ages fubfequently they (the Greeks) added another letter to their alphabet. and gave it the figure and power of double o (w). i) would form or Omicron. conjointly will bear a refemblance to the primitive ("). Ts. The upper portion of the figure (No. I will not pretend to fay. and looking at the characters i and 2. 2). approximating to the Roman. commuted with Samech. i) was meant to reprefent the long and fhort O. leaving the refemblance to the Diamond. a much greater human eye than the (No. The Phoenician (No. HV. Moabitic. i) bears to its name than any other lefs am in the alphabet. the Moabitic is and early Hebrew are circular.64 Author's Opinion of the the general rule. 4. to the Phoenician Oin (No." I confefs pleafed with the likenefs that the primitive character Oin (No. Whether the figure (No. Ancient Hebrew. The Etrufcan upper Phoenician part femi- The Cadmean circular. No. or Omicron. I. TSADDE. 5) growing in likenefs to the Roman. "an eye" to an eye in the modern nius its Where Hebrew is the refemblance ? Gefe"it has rewhich from character to ference I get out of the difficulty. Omega. 2. Although Cadmus at firft only took a part of this figure. and gave it the form of little o.
or when it took the name of fifli- How impoflible to fay . Etrufcan (No. " to break or to matter to pieces the clods of dry ground. for he had previoufly ftated it to give that meaning. there is not phonetic power that will give it the above fignification." mation ? But How the objects reprefented by to harrow" fponding word Sadad. are modifications of the fame figure. in Be that as any word equal in his "Grammar. and the true 1 The figure of the primitive letter Tfadhe (No. and fee what we can make of the letter. and in its combination with other letters on the Moabitic Hone it forms Hebrew words which the Samech could not do. at the beginning of the letter Tfadde. Mr. Deutch." and fecondly. 2). we find it to fignify and rrni. Gefenius. 3). cc 1 which he facl:. gives this charadler of Samech . 4). in patent the exaft triple counterpart of the primitive Tfadde. letter u> Sin. . In ParkhurnVs Lexicon." And in Gefenius. i).Primitive Alphabet. perhaps they faw fome refemblance in the modern character which induced them it hooks is it may. but it calls Some has a great refemblance to the harrow. and 2 Moabitic (No. wifely abftains from faying anything as to the probable meaning of it. The Greeks ufed the letter Z as an equivalent for the Hebrew letter Tfade. under the corre- names. it has no likenefs to the prop. to break all to pieces." that <c in many inftances the'letters exhibit no refemblance their to could they after their modern forlet us turn to the primitive. of the Britifh Mufeum. 65 The Hebrew philologifts do not appear to have ftudied very deeply in order to arrive at the fignification of this letter. and under the word rm> Sadady we find the " meaning to matter to pieces. which can mean nothing elfe than the harrow itfelf. formed from the primitive noun iu? Sad. Sin. c< a field or cultivated piece of ground that This laft had undergone the procefs of harrowing. Sade. 2 the power an article perfon in London lately has patented " The Harrow'' and which is." mentioned word appears to be a denominative noun. ancient Hebrew (No.
. *as Greeks had two characters had not in the reft of the (Rho). gave form (No. diftinguifh of the two forms given to this fpeaking " It feems to early Greeks. may ftrain all their mental and ocular powers to no purpofe to make the modern Hebrew letter Refh fignificant of its name. 5 reverfed). the great Firft the firft or higheft of its kind in figure. with the head " turned back. It will be feen (by referring to the Tablet) that the Phoenicians. 2. equilateral triangle. to from the above-named letters. at once folves the difficulty for as the is" (fee article B). will be the firft change from the . Rbo. Phoenician (No. letter by the probable me that the alphabet. and fome of the early Greeks. and ancient Hebrew Dawleth takes the fame form therefore Cadmus difplayed his the precifely the . ron. A. gifts. from which. denotes " M^ head" and has reference to the Gefenius. Samaritan. PC. or R." but its primitive form. P and R into their alphabet for their P. P As firft letter an in the primitive alphabet (Awleph) is in figure in the fame alfo. viz. G. Ainfworth. judging this figure to be the moft fignificant of the modified power of the B. to the transformation it underwent by the hands fubject of Cadmus. which they : Ainfworth. & Pn. R but the great German fcholar forgot that its moft archaic like the primitive in fhape. M. fo Rem being the fymbol of the triune Deity. E. Rho wifdom in adding a right leg (as feen figure it No. according to RESH. took the former of them to its figure. u a head . 'Earth. fays Latins. it feems to me. or . being : form obliqued to the right. Littleand a hoft of modern philoloton.. RHO. Gefenius. Dr. comes the Greek figure " P. .66 The Ancient Ones of the c. 2). in Cauje reference to the primitive Awleph the Refh. This letter. obferving that the for one found. 2) was more fame form as the Alpha alfo the Phoenician.
it will be " I will" and R D H. with a mutable yet or omiflible final n. though of uncertain meaning. 67 original. then collectively. it would feem to read.firfl or Mighty One. Awleph. N. "to rule. "the myfterious . (imply a contradion for "0. " I will rule" Rodah. " / will rule" See Appendix. " ruler? or with the Aleph prefix. 3.Primitive Alphabet. . " a door or entrance . " The " the head. n 4." ergo. 2. or A " I will" 2 (No. the higheft or beginning (is) the door by which fmgular future. H <] or E.. or E (No. -|> 'A. T. 4). and He the third. Arodah." Raefh or R (No. in taking the letters Jeriatim with their Ca" The baliftic meanings. taking the laft three letters." beginning . R. " Dawleth or D (No. or one word (the Trinity in Unity).A' A. 3). . Mighty One. i. the Dawleth being the fecond. R D H. and let the reader judge for himfelf. but in different pofitions. it will be feen there are four characters in the primitive alphabet which we call equilateral triangles. i). it feems to be derived from mn. fignifies the firft alfo the initial of 1 perfon AL. D. Three in One! 1 3 (See Mafonic Emblems. By a reference to the Tablet. for inftance : 2.) 2 N. but and give the Cabaliftic meaning of each letter in order. I will not take in meaning will upon myfelf to fay there is any hidden the combination of thefe four characters. and He. I (am}. -i. fignifying "to be" or "to exift" Therefore. a). H we enter into life " or. viz.
Sin. and u>. fays Gefenius.68 Primitive. Phoenician (No. 2). form of the letter in all the Shemitim alphapronged From thefe premifes. I. it muft be evident that Sin is a and confequently was not to be found redundant. but ufe Sin inftead. Sin." In the courfe of time. and the Syrians ufe their Semka for both. Palmy rene. 4). Shin. letter .. Again. and carried through the Samaritan (No. pronounced without doubt as Sh. pu>. the leaft affinity or likenefs between the character u>. that Shin and Sin were originally the fame letter. u?. in the primitive alphabet. and in the Moabitic. SHIN or SH. which. Sin differed little or nothing from characters alike in in phonetic ( D ) Samech power . Etrufcan. or Pelafgic but . Shin w.form in the modern Hebrew alphabet viz.&Moab. the Hebrews thought it neceflary to adopt Sin into their alphabet. for no other reafon. endeavoured to mud or mire. a meaning iignificant of its form and there cannot be feen. neither is it in accordance with the fimplicity of the primitive alphabets to have two letters with one found.H. and Palmyrene There are two (No. than that the Arabians ufed it as well as the Syrians. letters either in the have no double correfponding Cadmean. We we have a clofe refemblance to it in the ancient Hebrew (No. it would feem. The Arabians have no Samech. Sh. 3). diftinguifhed only by the diacritic point.. Gefenius (who the meaning its name gives us. and . 2. fignifies tooth or cc is derived from the teeth. when the " Hebrew alphabet underwent fome confiderable change from the ancient Hebrew form to the prefent modern figure. 5). Phoenician. " is confidered the greateft authority in thefe matters) fays." viz. A. Samaritan. every primitive letter has. with all the arbitrary ftraining poffible. The Ancient Ones of the Earth. as I have fhow. to the modern Hebrew. and in unpointed Hebrew this is ftill the fame.
has the form of a crofs in fact. probably (fays Gefenius). 69 bets. not this crofs. Cadmean. Samaritan. Samaritan. in. & Pelaf. Primitive. as feen upon the Black Marble Obelifk. with the exception of the Palmyrene and the modern Hebrew. fent day. make their mark or fign.Primitive Alphabet. or Te. An. throughout the whole of the ancient alphabets. I." in a final fenfe. This character is as the Aflyrian or primitive numeral IV. the illiterate who cannot fign their name. and from which the Greeks and Romans took the form of their T. Hence." in or Being the letter the "bound Hebrew and it was ufed as a fubfcription or even to the preto writings or documents." and which can be feen from the five ancient letters at the head of this article (from 2 to 5). the hieroglyphical reprefentation of five teeth. 5. Etruf. three upper and two lower.. which in the ancient Hebrew. branded upon the flanks and necks of horfes and camels. and as the Latins from the Greeks. clofely locked in each other. as laft "extremity. & Moab. all evidently derived from the primitive (No. Tau. fig- nifying "a mark or fign" or in Arabic. Heb. the ancient : Hebrew is alfo ufed finifli. Phoenician. fo the Greeks from or more properly fpeaking. the name of the letter Tauv or T. mark X May letter be a type or fign prepared and defigned by God . borrowed the form early Greek. 2. which was 6. a mark in the form of a crofs. the early final Greek alphabets. the means of Cadmus. and Phoenician. by of their letter T from the fountain-head the Aflyrian The word TatfV or primitive (fee figures i and 2). alfo^ufed confiding of four elements. Tauv. i).
which means and as I have endeavoured nothing more than great O firft . laft: " the fignifying beginning and fini/h" which latter fenfe is not conveyed in the Greek Omega. and proved by the New Teftament Scriptures. the myfterious Word. the redemption of man. Is it too much to fay that many. language. there would have been much more fignificance in the words. upon the Tauv. or to be. John we have our character? Lord and the I am faying. or " // is Crofs. be typical of the completion of that great and glorious work. . that the whole of the Mofaic ceremonial law was a typical inftitution. figning the Divine compact between God and man with his own precious blood.70 Paul The Ancient Ones of the Earth." This was addrefled to the Greek Church and in that age Omega was the laft letter in the Greek alphabet. Alpha cc the beginning and Omega and the laft. Alpha and Omega fc the ending. when we find its Divine Author. if not all. as St. "a Jhadow of things to come ?" It is generally fays. If it had been addrefled to the when Hebrew was the almoft univerfal Jewifh nation. the Lord of Light and Glory. may not this letter. I fay. the letters of the primitive alphabet partake of this typical In the Revelation by St. to prefigure fome future thing or event. allowed." I am Again. I am Awlefh and Tauv the firft and the the firft and laft letters of the Hebrew alphabet. the mighty God. and exclaiming with his expiring breath : finijhed!" . to mow that every primitive letter has a fignificant or fymbolical meaning.
the fame great and holy name. . but this was relinquifhed in confequence of Chriftians having ufed it in demonftrating the doctrine The Cabalifts ufe a of the Trinity. and hence the number three has become religious rites. 5 and 6). and ever will be. it is obfervable alfo in their temples and tombs. to have been adopted by the earlieft feems. or (as fome call it) a trichotemy. in India in Brahma. 4). and alfo in the form Neoplatonifts afTerted that triadi. IV.CHAPTER TRIADISM. ROM | the human mind the earlieft ages there has been in an idea of a triplicity. races of men. Nor is the idea confined to thefe fyftems of Seeva. therefore. in their Chronos. fig. in The involved in the greateft The moft ancient fymbol ufed by the Jews writing the myfteriotis Ineffable name was by three Yods in a circle (Plate i. Vifhnu and Belus. but all writers afcribe to antiquity. in Phoenicia and Apollo . and almoft every its is it nation retains the idea of a triadifm in origin of this idea great obfcurity. The 4. A " Michaud's Syftem of Trichotomies throughout the Ancient World " Caillou The Logos The Ineffable Name. religion . applitriangular form of cable to that Being who was. and is. Jupiter. the EJfence exifting (Plate of fig. It ifm was a theology given by Divine Revelation. a facred number. fig. or triadifm.
and by the immediate defcendants of Noah. therefore.J2 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. was foon introduced into Egypt. 1 If M. give to the antiquary an idea of a common origin with them. and about the fun being the "greater light'' and the moon "a The tradition of fuch a power and influence being given letter light. It requires no ftretch of faith to believe that. and who rejected with horror the profane reveries of Sabeanifm 2 the ark It is uncertain it . but more particularly the (lands of Samothracia and Imbros. when it came to work upon the fervid and corrupt imaginations of Oriental people. but : . Macedonia. The term Sabeanifm is derived from the Hebrew word buy. they brought with From them. Even the architectural remains of Mexico. the equilateral triangle. Dacier. is right in his reading of the Egyptian hierowill appear that the Pyramids were built by the Ifraelites." 2 et Precis du Syfteme Hieroglyphique. It is probable that the worfhip of the heavenly bodies originated partly in an indiftincl: tradition of a primitive revelation. and thence carried into Greece. worfhipped a trinity of deities under the name of the Cabiri. Lemnos. "Lettre a M. Sabeanifm. Thus. moon. and liars. and whofe influence was fb extenfive and benign. Herodotus informs us that the temple of Belus at Babylon was pyramidal." to the fun and moon. which confifted in the worfhip of the fun. called the hoft of heaven. glyphs. i where their worfhip was firft eftablifhed " " Myfteries of the Cabiri appears from Faber's <c that it took its rife in Babylonia. The inhabitants of Thebes. on the afTumption of a primeval revelation. He fays The of Nimrod to force his abominations upon the attempt reluctant confciences of mankind produced a war between his followers and thofe who ftill perfevered in commemorating the event of the deluge. the pyramidal ftructures of the Eaft. the Pyramids of Egypt 1 and the tombs of Etruria. and that their form. Faber's Mjfteries. would be very likely to incline them to afcribe divinity to thofe creatures whofe majefty appeared fo glorious. and which originally came from Ur of the Chaldees. and it is well known that pagan nations in all parts of the world ufed the fame form in their facred buildings for inftance. about the rule of the fun by day and the moon by night. firil arofe in Chaldea. i. from their refemblance to . boft" and is employed to exprefs what was probably the earlieft form of Polytheifm. fome broken traditions would be "a handed down by the antediluvian patriarchs. Zaba. and partly in a kind of rude natural theology of the human mind.e. . Paris. Champolion it Champolion.
for he fays in a note (" Nineveh and its Remains") " It would not be difficult for thofe who are apt at inveft the arrow-head or of ancient fymbols to difcovering the hidden meaning of the AfTyrian charadters. whence But they were carried into Greece by the Pelafgi. . either as the bafis or element of the or of fome emblematical primitive written character. (See vignette." the Samothracians had a peculiar dialect of their own which prevailed in their facred rites and Jamblichus.) feen that the figure had been worfhipped in Chaldea as a facred object. fpoken upon earth.Micbaud's feftival Caillou. and to the impious rites of that Sabeanifm which was united by Nimrod with the Diodorus Siculus informs us that Arkite fuperftition. and alfo 2nd figure of the From this altar it is mafonic fymbols. 73 was was converted into a fuperftitious idolatry. the meaning attached to its form. but of Egypt and AfTyria . and they will be found throughout to refer at once to the cataftrophe of the deluge. called landmarks. Mr. as it frequently does. the ftrongeft of all arguments will be found in perhaps the remarkable ftone altar found amongft the ruins of Babylon. and for ever united with the worfhip of the heavenly bodies. Chaldee or Hebrew" to Sanchoniatho. nothing more than a mythological account of thefe events . that the language of the myfteries was the language of the gods. the firft and moft ancient language that was . The myfteries of the Cabiri are. with the fame figure (referred to above) engraven upon them. wedge the form of an equilateral arTuming. Layard feems to have anticipated the employment of this interefting relic as an argument in favour of fome new theory of this kind." tells us that "the language ufed in the Myfteries of the plainly Cabiri was not that of Greece. and now preferved in the Bibliotheque Nationale 1 a Paris. and that this language was the myfteries According were adopted by the Phoenicians. " Michaud's Caillou . Appendix." there are alfo in the Britifh 1 Called Mufeum two conical ftones. in fact. in " his work on the Myfteries of the Egyptians.
as being the reprethe firft of the Chaldean fentative of the god Anu facred triad. to diftinguifh between one and the other. and as it is well known that numbers amongft the early Chaldeans were fuppofed to be inverted with myftic powers. or of another wellknown Eaftern object of worfhip (the Phallus). One thing feems certain. Again. carved. which. molten. they feem to get into a maze. Whenever the MefTrs. or reprefentations of ideas or powers of their various gods . 1 of Rawlinfon my Rawlinfon have recourfe to the cuneiform. if properly deciphered. viz. the fingle wedge is the true figure of the numeral One(i\ as difcovered by the author on the Black Marble Obelifk. There is an infcription upon this interefting relic of antiquity. fome by engraved The We . images. they think they have determined the name of the god Anu as the firft of the triad . or powers.74 'The Ancient Ones of the Earth. the ban's of Chaldean worfhip and theogony." . Bil Niprit. and the laxity of the ancients. and this idea is darkly fhadowed forth in the writings and doctrines taught by the philofophers of ancient days. or actions they imagined thofe figns reprefind they ufed images. "The phonetic reading of the fecond god of the triad is a matter of fpeculation. or fented. might throw great light upon this myfterious object. &c. and to find of the facred triad. this numeral One (i) comes into immediate contact with the Chaldean mythology. but they add. as my own with I do not adopt the opinions refpeft I mention them as fingular coincidences and ftrong to the god Anu. but through the many employment of cuneiform groups with or without any adjuncts. mythic properties.. and as the things are mentioned we have only to guefs at their ideas as to how thofe figns were like the things. the careleffnefs. fyftem itfelf. from which they can only efcape by attributing all the difficulties to the For inftance. fome of them borne on carriages. 1 triangle. collateral evidences of the truth of theory. that this fingle figure had been worfhipped by the Chaldeans in the days of remote antiquity.. which make it moft difficult inconfiftencies in the for Bil. with facred and in it a direct illuftration Babylonians worfhipped figns. was to the laft degree lax and fluctuating. as well as its From this we infer that the mythological mode of expreffion. ignorance.
) that the figure in its horizontal pofition is the Lamed is and. the true figure of the numeral One (i). the copy of the myfterious fubject. and there were four golden wedge-fhaped I^yyts or charms hanging down from the roof. a Grecian who lived in the early part of the third philofopher. and alfo the emblem of the tongue. In the monument of antiquity before us we have the fymbol of the Chaldean's god. that it would be only wafte of time to placed in this . beafts. D. I is to be found in the Britifh Mufeum. infcription anfwer Yes but there is not the leaft dependence to be Lambda." " " often occurs in the Scriptures to denote tongue and the peculiar appearance of language or fpeech cloven tongues on the day of Pentecoft was emblematical of the diverfity of languages which the Apoftles were about to be able to utter. The king was wont to givejudgment there. the There is an . Philoftratus. or of the Divine word. " There was in the century (A. and by means of thofe tongues of gold the judgments of the king would become Divine oracles. the new theory propounded volume is fo diametrically oppofed to the Rawlinfonian fyftem. prepared by the magicians or wife men. of the primitive languages. or the Word . Anu . initial ! upon that tranfcript . 214). Tome by men. who called them 6fwt> yAwn-a*' or tongues of the gods. palace at Babylon a ' . and fome fmall images which were and portable in a fmall compafs and fometimes light they made the creatures themfelves figns of the things or powers they worfhipped.The Logos. the firft. (See article Vau in the Another fingular coincidence Hiftory of the Alphabet. The word and be fo efteemed by their fubjects. it is the Vau in the primithe initial letter of " The Word" in feveral tive alphabet. with of gods placed aloft. and appearing as it reprefentations were in the air. what is more remarkable. the Alpha. this altar of which I infcription upon I have not been able to obtain a copy from the regret no doubt it would tend to enlighten this original Some will fay. the organ ofjpeech. fays: royal room vaulted like a heaven. the Logos. 75 .
As the darknefs vanimes at the rifing of the light. fpeaks of the moft ject c holy Word' (Logos) as the image of the abfolutelyexifting light throw additional : upon this Being. John feems to gather up in the opening paflage of his Gofpel. juft fo is it where the Divine Word Another Alexandrian Jew likeilluminates the foul. who. is we may c whatever worth feeing. and as the Agent in the creation of the Philo ufed many more expreflions with regard world. and that very naturally. St. and the All that deftroyer of the firft-born of their oppreflbrs. is reprefented as the Phyfician of our difeafes. as the Man of God. who fee is fufficient to fee into all things. and to apply to Chrift the Saviour. more ancient and general than all creatures. and the Ineffable name. the Alexandrian Jew. but yet fuch as we cannot read without fomething even of wonder. And laftly. here add fome extracts from various authors on to the new theory the Divine Logos. this paffage of .' often dark and myftical. like the viceroy of a great king.' thing wife fpeaks of the f All-powerful Word as the agent in the world's creation. refulgent or more radiant than the by whom What is more Word of God ? ' The Word of God is alfo fuperior to the univerfal But world. and that all things were made by Him. that the Word was God. immortal and incorruptible. and mingled 4 with notions borrowed from the Platonic philofophy. The Divine Word difcerns moft ' acutely. but to affirm that this Word was in the beginning. was to be charged with the government of the whole creation . In this paflage he feems to fay to the Gnoftics that true it was. there was a Word. as they aflerted.' there was of truth in this remarkable language of the Alexandrians. each of which truths was a refutation of part of the Gnoftic fcheme of doctrine. . as the firft begotten Son. as the guide and healer of the children of Ifrael in their wildernefs journey. and everyis enlightened. his Angel. attempt a tranllation are non-effentialS) fhall what are according to that fyftem I moft ejfential.' to the c Word.y6 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. which may deeply interefting fubcc Philo. who is the Word. Thus.
Name." is Barnes. it is fcarcely. and Lucan fays. ibid. that. we think. 17. us that they did not dare to only two. as well as the moft clear and perfect elucidation of His power and attributes that the human mind is capable of receiving. with no lefs truth than beauty. John.'The Ineffable St. and to carry along with it the moft folemn veneration for His facred name. that to name the Name would make the earth. Meffiah. we all know with what a juft of them carry fo far as which many they look upon it . 77 John feems to challenge and appropriate to the defpifed and crucified Jew all thefe dark and half-underftood fayings of the Grecian philofophers. to be fuppofed that St. not only amongft Chriftians and The Word meant to be clearly Jews. but alfo in the heathen world. was To the ftoical writers the name of the the Deity or all-pervading Soul very familiar to exprefs This term was alfo ufed by the Jews as of the World. may but to mention underftood from numberlefs writers . John wrote what he did So without fome knowledge of and reference to Philo. in their Targum on applicable to the " Ye have apDeuteronomy xxvi. fometimes as the Spirit and Barnes on St. convey to the mind fome idea of that Great Being who is the fole author of our existence. in which they fometimes as the Supreme had fpoken of a Word reafon and Guide of Man. as and tell of heaven." <c Heathendom was not without its ' unconfcious prophecies. fo thoughts beyond their thoughts lifp to thofe high bards were given/ Again. Thus. Amongft the and awful veneration Jews. Ruler of the World. 18. we may with great probability regard the language of the Greeks about the Word as of the New Teftament in which illustrating the paflage that epithet is applied to Chrift. in this indirect way. And that this is the light in which the Name and Word hath always been considered from the remoteft ages. Cicero tells mention the names of their gods . it is faid: to WORD .' and of its bards and philofophers it has been c little children faid. believe that to pronounce the Word would be fufficient to work wonders and remove mountains.
The Jews are averfe to mention the name of mrr (Jehovah). and 2ndly. and is. becaufe the language now in ufe among that in which the Jews is fo corrupt and altered from Mofes wrote. for which reafon the Jews call it SHEM EMMURETH the Philo tells us not only that the Unutterable Word. that it was loft through the day of expiation. word was loft. Jofephus fays that the God told it to felf did name was never known till the time that Mofes in the wildernefs. . and that he himit. and have fubftituted for it various devices and . and many the manner of and the latter contend that Mofes did only the Almighty for His name to carry to his . except once in the year. when he appeared before the mercy-feat on the adds. He wickednefs of opinion import delivery not afk and hence has arifen a difference of fome fuppofing the word itfelf loft.78 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. The mind of man. and that this title can be applicable only to that Great Being who WAS. clear. or even to write it. feems bewildered and loft in contemplating the greatnefs of that Being whofe very name is wrapped up in impenetrable myftery. that none of them except a few of the very learned underftood anything of it. pointed the Word of God as king over you this day." was ufed by the Jews who were {battered among WORD. but alfo the time and the reafon for the But amidft all thefe learned difputes. and efpecially thofe who were converfant with the Greek philofophy. that the NAME or WORD is expreflive of SELF-EXISTENCE AND ETERNITY. others the or meaning only. unlefs upon very particular occafions. by the high-prieft alone. one thing is lofs. man brethren. and EVER WILL BE. namely. which points were not extant in the days of Mofes . becaufe it is : capable of fo many variations from the manner of annex- ing the Maforetic points. or THE that he may be your God. the Gentiles. but only for the true delivery or pronunciation. not dare to mention for that it was forbidden to be ufed. It is certain that the true mode of delivery cannot now be proved from any written record ift. The term MIMRA. indeed.
abbreviations, to
fome of which high
have been afligned.
myftical qualities for inftance, the myfterious
fometimes written with two
with 3 Yodsenclofed within a circle
this laft
very ancient form has been relinquifhed, and one of the Yods is often expunged in old examples in confequence of fome refort having been made to it by Chriftians, in demonftrating the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Jews are quite aware that the true pronunciation of the word is loft, and regard it as one of the myfteries to be unveiled in the days of the Meffiah. They hold, however, that the knowledge of the name does exift on earth, and he by whom the fecret is acquired has, by virtue of it, the powers of the world at his command and they account for the miracles of Jefus by telling us that He had got porleflion of the Ineffable name. In this word forms the famous fhort, tetra-grammaton, or of which every one has heard. quadriliteral name, Some imagine that this was the fame T* Tpot* TU?, which the Pythagoreans knew, and by which they fwore and that a knowledge was abroad in the world that the true name of the True God bore fome fuch form as Jehovah may be traced from Jah, Jao, Jevo, Jove of the heathen. The Jews were afraid the heathens would get pofleflion of the name of Jehovah, and therefore in their copies of the Scriptures they wrote it in the Samaritan character, inftead of in the ancient Hebrew or Chaldee. They believed it, moreover, capable of working miracles, and they held that the wonders in Egypt were performed by Mofes in virtue of this name being infcribed on his rod ; and
any perfon
would be able
was com-
manded in the Jewifh law that tures mould be infcribed on
fentences from the Scripthe doorpofts of their
and therefore the Jews had a cuftom of
The Ancient Ones of the Earth.
writing the Decalogue on a fquare piece of parchment, which they rolled up and put into a cafe, and after infcribing the name of God within a circle on the outfide, they affixed it to the doorpofts of their houfes or apartments, and confidered it a talifman of fafety.
Author's fyftem more Recapitulation of the four preceding chapters Sir H. Rawlinfully defcribed Antagoniftic to all other theories
fon's conjectures,
and Author's
tranflation of
a brick
A new
an infcription found
H. Rawlinfon's Nineveh
Author's tranflation Mr. Layard's Sargon The Author's Ancient infcriptions in fupport of the new hypothefis Remarkable coincidences between guefles and the Author's tranflatranflation
|N the
preceding chapters I have endeavoured to fhow that letters were the gift of God, and that the primitive lan-
Hebrew tongue
in all its eflen-
have ftated my reaions for fuppofing letters to have been copied by Cadmus from Nineveh ; that the moft ancient written documents have been handed down to us in an alphabet remarkable for its brevity that Mofes wrote in the cuneiform character ; and that this character is the earlieft of all. I have given the hiftory of the alphabet, and have fhown that its formation is in ftricl: accordance not only with the fymbols ufed for the Divine Trinity, but alfo with a fyftem of triads in ufe throughout the
ancient world.
now proceed
to enter a
fully into the ancient lyftem of writing. " Thofe who have ftudied the fubject with moft care
have arrived
at the conviction, that all the infcriptions in
The Ancient Ones of the Earth.
the complicated cuneiform character, which are feverally found upon rocks, upon bricks, upon flabs, and upon cylinders, from the Chinefe Mountains to the ftiores of
Mediterranean, do in reality belong to one fingle alphabetical Jyftem, and they further believe the variations
which are perceptible in the different modes of writing to be analogous in a general meafure to the varieties of hand and text which characterize the Graphic and
of the prefent day." acknowledged by all the Affyrian philologifts The that the cuneiform writing is from left to right. groups of characters which Rawlinfon calls letters are but aceach compofed of from two to five elements cording to my fyftem each element is a letter, and has Glyphic
It is
elements change themfelves into two primitive letters, L and M, L being placed over M, Lm, or Lam, which word in the Perfian language fignifies "reft, or mercy." Again, Rawlinfon's fecond letter B (No. 21) is compofed of three elements (and the primitive alphabet has alfo three), but it is two letters, B and Vau (Nos. 2 and 6 in the primitive alphabet) Vau with the phonetic
own individual phonetic power. Thus, referring to Rawlinfon's Perfian Alphabet Plates, we find that the firft letter is compofed of four elements, one placed horizontally over three perpendicular ones ; but on looking at the primitive alphabet we fee that the four
power of ou-Bou, fignifying, "to go in and out." And fo on through the whole alphabet, every Rawlinfonian
refolving itfelf generally into a Perfian, Arabic, Some may object to this fyftem as too complicated, for many of the groups have from being two to nine elements, and the numerals have even more ;
Hebrew word.
but then many of our own Englifh words are compofed of fourteen or fixteen letters. Then, to account for fome of the letters being placed one over the other (fee Plate V., figure 2, No. 6, and figure 3, No. 5), we muft recollect that in the very earlieft times ftone was the only material ufed to write upon, and confequently the fcribes We find this to would be very economical of fpace.
a to dwell or abide. or the Halah of Kings. with the Lameds (or Ls)." and the lower.. from its peculiar by a letter. the other.) which Sir H.. its complete fyllabic power is. but fome- times the word begins with L. but it alfo appears very frequently to reprefent one of thefe founds." Sometimes the upper L ftands (Plate III. and form the word GLL. Rawlmfon's Conjeffiures. it will be or at the end of the lower L (Plate either in the centre III. and whether this curtailment may be the effecl: of that refolution of the fyllable into its component : . as LEVEKH. beginning at the top where there is more than one Lamed (or L) . I mall proceed to give the refults of the application of my alphabet to the Cuneiatic writing. in AfTyrian R-M or. unfortunately.. figure 4) . the word LN." As the reader will now. if we take the eighth letter in Rawlinfon's Perfian and place the elements in that clufter one after alphabet. which would be the fame thing. fee what large fpace is required (Plate III. " to roll over and over. if only one. or Gimel. them by placing them one above another. For inftance. 83 be the cafe. . Rawlinfon reads doubtfully. underftand my method of reading the infcriptions. the I word generally take the elements or letters in order." my fyftem. figure 2). according to " to redeem or GAALL. it will . for example. figure 3. fay G figure. and then the next or fecond letter will be over the L to the left. and then. and the lower will have a letter above on the left if there are more than one or. the name of a city. I hope.Sir H. which he fuppofes to be the Calneh He fays " The of Genefis. regarding which I entertain fome doubt . The group we juft referred to forms. buy back. which are fometimes double and fometimes treble. There is an infcription upon a brick (fee Plate IV. and the confequent neceflity for condenfing figure i). I think. form is one.. embrace both the upper and lower L. and in that cafe I take the upper L to be the prepofition "to. L-V. and the fucceeding letters following on to the right (as in Plate Sometimes double L will be preceded III.) alone.
The Ancient Ones of the Earth.
natural powers to which I have alluded, or whether it and V, is a may be owing to the homogeneity of the
Such, indeed, point which / cannot yet venture to decide. is the laxity of expreflion in Afiyrian, that even if the true power of No. 3, Plate IV., were proved to be L-V, I could ftill underftand Nos. 3 and 4, Plate IV., being pronounced Halukh." This was the conclufion that Sir
Henry came to twenty years ago ; with all his letters (at that time his alphabet confifted of only 150 letters, fince increafed to 300) and variants he could make nothing
of the inscription but a rigmarole of nonfenfe but now, after the lapfe of twenty years, when this alphabet has increafed to 300 letters or figns, he has arrived at an equally Jenfible and intelligent meaning, viz., the nominative and genitive of the city of Calah y cc Calah, of Calah" I (hall make no comment upon the above but as this was the firft infcription I attempted after I fufpecled the language to be Hebrew, I fhall fubmit it to the opinion of thofe who may poffibly be better
; ;
Hebrew language than myfelf. The fcholar will perceive that there is, in my interpretation, no arbitrary diftorting of the meaning, no
acquainted with the
of ideas for founds, no myftical homophones or ideographs, but a fimple following out of the principle fubfequently (though imperfectly) adopted by the Rev.
C. Forfter, the principle, namely, of giving to
alphabetical forms the fame known alphabetical powers. With this key I found the infcription to read thus:
Thy fon will be built (up) like rock." By referring to Plate IV. the reader will find the groups in the Hebrew,
AiTyrian, and Cadmean numbered comparing the Aflyrian with the
i, 2, 3,
4; and by
Cadmean, or
fecond and third line of groups, he will fee the principle " carried out. I will of " like forms with like powers this infcription to a critical analyfis, in order to fubject I will convince the reader of its truth and fimplicity. n BN, the root of run, Ba Na H, take the groups in order with a radical, but mutable or omirlible n H, c< to build
alfo " the young," as the fon up/' &c., and
Tr(inflation of an
Inscription upon a Brick.
by his father, and the Ton alfo builds up and continues his father's houfe. inanimate things it denotes what
comes or
produced from another for inftance, a twig from the tree is called in the Hebrew language growing " <c the fon of a tree the arrow (hot from the bow is " the fon of the bow called ;" and in this cafe a brick is is the material to be built produced from clay clay up or made into a brick, and as clay cannot be a brick until it has undergone certain changes of form, and is Subjected
to baking, burning, or expofure to the fun, therefore p c< " (group i ft), sn with the fuffix D, K thy/' will be thy
Aleph, or A, denotes the firft perfon but as I have ufed it in the third per " it will," a few words are necefTary by way of exJon, There is no doubt but that planation of this change. this brick infcription was written many centuries before the formation of any fyftem of Hebrew Grammar.
Singular future
Now, we
find that
Grammar grew up
the fchools
of the Greek philofophers Plato had only two parts of fpeech (the noun and verb), and Ariftotle added conjunctions and articles, but in his time there were not About 250 years any fuch terms as Singular and plural. and even fo B. c. all pronouns were clafled as articles late as in our own day Gefenius, the greateft of Hebrew cc greateft difficulty is found grammarians, fays that the From all this in the explanation of the third perfon." I infer, that in the earlieft ages, before any of the nice distinctions of grammar were known, and before any attention was paid to fyntactical arrangement, the firft To proceed and third perfons were fynonymous. cc third perf. fing. future, //," D> (is) from HUP Aleph, a root frequently ufed in the O. T. Hebrew Scriptures, and found very widely fpread in ancient languages, whence " to the verb UP (eSTe), " being," and hence be," future " built " will be" made, or become.'" 3 (K,) a up, (p BN) " <c nv of fimilitude, " like (TSR), rock
prefix particle
= " Thy fon
will be built
like rock."
accordance with what Heroquite rendering dotus tells us in his defcription of Babylon, that the
The Ancient Ones of the Earth.
fon of Canfh built (this) fortrefs to be the moft likely.
bricks, foon after they were made, became as hard as ftone or flint. friend has fuggefted another reading:
which he thinks
The Rawlinfons, Layard, and others, imagine that moft, if not all of the infcriptions found on bricks confift either of the names of cities or of kings, and it fo that the majority of the names actually thus happens
discovered are thofe of well-known perfons in facred or
Now, fyftems of decipherment which profane hiftory. to recover names of kings, cities, and events preprofefs vioufly known from Scripture or from ancient authors,
for, as Mr. Forfter naturally give rife to much doubt remarks, the natural bent of moft men engaged in juftly
fuch purfuits
look for.
to find
they fee k,
and to fee what they
From the experience I have had in deciphering the Hebrew infcriptions found upon bricks, I venture
to ftart the hypothefis, that the majority of the infcripOons found upon bricks are not the names of kings or
cities, but are merely the paffing thoughts of the brickmaker, ftamped or marked down at a moment of leifure while the clay was foft. This could very eafily be done with two fticks, the ends being made of a wedge fhape (fee Plate V., fig. i), and with three fticks of this kind 1 The every combination or group could be formed. translations from various bricks, by means of the new
alphabet, ftrongly favour this opinion. Take, for inftance, " the brick figured on Plate IV. Thy fon will be built up (made or become) like (to, or as folid as, a) rock." What can be conceived more natural than for the brick:
maker, while thinking of the durable nature of the materials he was working up, to mark down at the moment his thoughts with 'the tools he had by him for
In Rawlinfon's " Five Ancient Monarchies," vol. i. I find the " Tools following remarkable ftatement corroborative of this fuggeftion with a triangular point made in ivory, apparently for cuneiform writing, have been found at Babylon;" mowing plainly that they were ufed to
the letters Jinglj, and
H. Rawtinfon's Nineveh.
There is no doubt marking fome important order? but that fome bricks have been or will be found with names of kings or cities written upon them but it is
hardly reafonable to expect to find bricks infcribed with a genealogical lift of kings. There is another infcription " read by Sir H. Rawlinfon as " Nineveh (fee Plate V.,
fig. 2)
whether from a brick or not
fact that the fenfe eliminated
from the
cannot fay ; but confirmatory of
was fo. This inof characters, confcription compofed of five groups fifting of twenty-one letters, forming ten words, according to the new theory; whereas Sir H. Rawlinfon has but one word of feven letters, which he calls "Nineveh" I will give the Englifh with the Hebrew juft as it occurs in the infcription, word for word, and letter for letter, fo that any Hebrew fcholar can teft its accuracy bearing in mind that this infcription is in Hebrew of the moft archaic form. The translation may not pleafe the modern
hypothefis, I
Hebraift, either in
orthography or
arrangement was written probably 1500 or 2000 years previous to any Hebrew grammar being formed, confequently the language itfelf muft have undergone confiderable For inftance, look changes during fo long a period.
in its fyntactical recollect that this infcription
change the Englifh language has gone through orthography fince A. D. 1349, only a period of 500 years. Take the following for an example, cc But whenne thoufchalt preye, Matt. vi. 6, 7, and 8 enter into thi couche and whenne the dore is fchet, preye thi'fadir in hidils, and thi fadir that feeth in hidils.Jchal
at the
zelde to thee.
mychefpeche. zour fadir woot what
But in preying nyle zee Jpeke myche, as doon, for thel gejjen that thei ben herd in her 'Therefor nyle ze be maad lich to hem, for
nede to zou, bifore that ze axen much whether the ancient
fo great a
Hebrew had undergone
change up to
Englifh language from 1349 period of little more than 500 years.
1870, a
3." : in "oV 9. Logf a Jewifh meafnre of capacity containing three-quarters of a pint. LN. 7. foregoing tranflation may appear to fome Hebraifts as very puerile. i. i IN 3. Buxtorf's "Hebrew and Latin. going out. my 1 log 9. Group. r> r^dil3- 1.1. 3. VD 7. with the Hebrew equivalents and Englifh meaning. a particle prefix "to. 2. coming in or -oV. reft. infcription. refremment jVn. but I queftion whether it will not contraft favourably with thofe of Sir Henry's. " nothing Chaldee. "To nothing nV. in. nV 2. 4. 2 f^ LLN. dom / did not lay up. D 5. 2. i.<J nV." " 2.88 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. 8. iii. always VD. 1. IN. i. 4. I. and that find on them names well known in facred and profane hiftory.2. to pV." 1 There not being a word exaft meaning of the above word. (fo) deferable." Whoever heard or read in the whole courfe of ancient or modern hiftory of a king recording what he never did ? The Ajjyrian i.1. juft a nice draught for a thirfty man. in the Englifh language to exprefs the " " I have retained the original. 3. ^Vn 6. 1 in 8. ." and to ftay. or abide. LE. lodge. n. " ^3r. the fame as V " Hebrew Gefenius' Hebrew. and i. 2. 6. or in The recording works and events that a king never did> viz." Deut. rejoice my The precious treafures of my kinghigh place of power." and Parkhurft's " Hebrew and Englifh Lexicon. at the 1 time (of) 3. Lexicon.2. 3. : " The feat of my kingdom in the city which did not In all my dominions I did not build a heart. L. In Babylon buildings for myfelf and for the honour of my kingdom / did not lay out. reft. fVV i. Heb. " reflr 2.2. 5- fV?. . 10. to take in. 10. that inveft every brick with an air of majefty.
my. and the infcription on it (fee Plate V. to obtain or " to take." Vau. or to take one's reft " refrefhment." nearly. and make them fmooth as ftone." alfo to come at anything. VD. Layard's Sargon. refrefh." */ about. " my log. and now in the It is the earlieft fpecimen of glafs Britim Mufeum." in or Chaldee. Layard. whilft in By Layard's deciphered name there are only fix letters. cc to ftrengthen. " coming going out." in " i. figure 3) is read by MefTrs. " LG. to /'. or aou. the Hebrew the commuted for the G. go e." root m. 89 JT7 w. difcovered by Mr. " "W. the name of a king well known in facred hiftory. -|rds city. the application of the primitive alphabet we find it to confift of ten words and nineteen letters. Bou." infcription is expreflive of the quality and " of the object it is written upon Thy gravelly and earthy matter will repair the roof and turrets. u. ware in exiftence. Bou. containing about meafure of capaof an Englifh pint.. to be read as Aim the fame as nw. always." y " 3." LGI." Another highly interefting infcription. to. and reading . c( or BLG. Another deftination : Now. and out. K. "according almoft. AO." b. <c K all. Rawlinfon and Layard as Sargon. cc nor for Princes to defire ftrong drink. comfort." M jfc. " ^Y STABLE inclination. every. a prepofition. that beautiful and interefting relic of antiquity. or rBLK KL. fupporting my hypothefis." V (*/) i. viV.Mr. is found on the Glafs Vaje. 4. in this infcription there are feven groups. xxxi. Prov." " with Yod fuffix." it.
I will give his explanation verbatim: "As the name of Sennacherib. whether royal or .. are not written phonetically.' ' beloved deities and of a fecond word. &c. " vtyatpa yotE^r)Q orav /Lir^re fKreivrjTai STTL TI. the firft ftep in deciphering is to know which god this particular fign denotes." Plato. in his Doftrine of the Origin of the World. epithet. countries.' &c. and the truth centred in itfelf" Philo Judasus. names with which we are acquainted. but by monograms. fays.' and < Daniel ' of the Hebrews) and Abd-ullah and ' Abld-ur-rahman ' of the Mahommedan nations. it fees the truth of all things." . and the deciphering of them is a peculiar procefs which may fometimes feem fufpicious to thofe not acquainted with the fubjecl.not. whilft the fecond character denotes an AfTyrian god. " hide (or cover) the fecret within 1 What can be the meaning of this myfterious legend ? " to cover the myftery within!'" It appears to me that this glafs fpherical vafe or bottle has been made ufe of in religious rites to fymbolize the pure. fphere of the foul is luminous when nothing external has contact with the foul itfelf. e.. method is not very intelligible. and were commanded to endow us with all the perfections of which we are fufceptible. may in their retirements into themfelves find out truth. ii. ] Made round and expanfive. nothing new .' to which no phonetic ' value attached . It is this fa6l which it fo difficult to determine with any degree of certainty or con- . in " <j)d)ri XajUTrrfT-cu The lightened by a ray of light" As the reader may feel fomewhat curious to know by what means and as the Mr. that is by letters having a certain alphabetical value. and cities.' Abimelech. as well as thofe of many kings.' The firfl component part of the name Eflaris is haddon renders the monogram for the god Afshur. ethereal foul of man. fays. it is the fame with many (this names in the Holy Scriptures) like the Theodofius and Theodorus of the Greeks (and he might have faid like the Ifrael. that their /0#/r. nothing interfofmg (to) thus. but when lit by its own light. pyrei taw ffvvrpeKtj pyre a\\a /. in the name Sennacherib we have the determinative of God." lib. fuch as {lave of. appear to have been made up of the name. they pray that God would give His bleffing upon the day.\r\Q(. " At the rifing of the fun fpeaking of the Therapeutic Effences. we read. orrjv a. whofe name was 'San. " The inferior gods formed a mortal foul. or title of one of the national * ' fervant of.90 " 'The Ancient Ones of the Earth.' is of/ protected by. In "Mark Ant. and they have ordained that the blind and grois portions of our fouls Jhould be en- KCU rrjv tv avr/. that true bleffing whereby their fouls may be filled with heavenly light j and at the letting of the fun. The names of the gods being ' ' ' commonly written with a monogram. Thus. Layard difcovers the names upon bricks. a few words by way of explanation may be The greater number of AfTyrian proper acceptable to my readers. And we find this idea embodied in the writings of the ancients.iav opa rr]v TravTuv. being wholly difburdened of their fenfes andallfenfible things.
" within. according to Gefenius. collected in itfelf.) "a a particle. a bottle ftill denotes the hut of a Bedouin Arab from its r<?##^ " form. means round. " to cover or hide. and Efarhaddon. . Arabic." " hiding." fecret. not. and afterwards drilled out." This tranflation was made before I had feen " Nineveh and its Remains. a vacuum. failing." Has not the fecond word in this infcription." or in the to be 5th conjugation. chevi." GG. Vau. (Chald. Sennatainty? no!) cherib. cap. intermitting. hollow Perfian. " Y i. a dome. nV. as Sargon. " " and. compact. That upon the idea of engraving the thoughts of the maker articles of manufacture is quite in accordance with fidence moft of the Aflyrian names. top. from :nn. gather. vi." /. u CHUa (in). Chaldee. " e. GG. i. Chug. the interpretation of all thofe which are found upon the monuments of Nineveh is liable to very confiderable doubt ? LA YARD'S Nineveh. and which leads me to warn my readers. a circle/' and alfo from in. " to collect. " Layard fays in defcribing the vafe ? That it was originally caft in a folid piece. Raz." with. round." " LE. " Perfian." n. cupola. Roof. page 147. for the marks of the tools are plainly vifible upon it. empty. 91 U P> r " to u CHUA. cover and expanfe. folid. n. that with the exception of fuch as can be with certainty identi" name with cerfied (have the AfTyrian Philologiits identified a fingle "with well-known hiftorical kings. root> nn> Kin." or had known anything of the difcovery beyond the fact that there was a glafs vafe found. collected in i&\fParkhurft. which." fome reference to what Mr." " ' ' Arabic. Vau. nothing/' " no." ^/ AL . " interpofing. .Mr. Layard's Sargon.
Beth Rab^ and which in Englifh means 1 Obferve that the above groups which they call Beth Rab> or "great boufe" are precifely the fame as theory? two groups they ufe in " the name of S argon (p. where Silenus is reprefented gloating over his wine. fig. and hence Sir H. I am ready" On another. and other evidently copied from their more There are many ancient neighbours the AfTyrians. What a " Great Houfe has to do with the name of Sargon I am at a Jofs to know. What a very convenient. 1 09). Rawlinfon and others call it cc The ftandard infcription." (See Plate IV. vafes in the mufeums of Europe with fentences antique and often colloquies written on them. and which they call. with the infcription " nPOSAFOPETO. " HATS-CINQS. on a prize vafe at Athens was I am a prize from Athens. or to anything that it cock is reprefented in might be fuppofed to contain. the cuftom of the ancients.) Thefe were the firft words I conftrued by means of the Hebrew language. Layard. 3. or CC KAAE COOS niES0E. but I fuppofe thofe two groups come under the category of Polypbones. but ! fays. the wine isjweet" it is Jo good that you may drink it" Another vafe has an inscription which bears no immediate reference to the vafe itfelf. can be proved from infcriptions fictile many upon Greek and Etrufcan vafes. Again.92 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. conjectured very erroneous fyitem ! What man in his fenfes could believe in fuch ? . on which the conteft of Heracles and Cyenus is depicted. "KA0IE. he exclaims. and the difcovery encouraged me to proceed with the ftudy of It is particularly gratifying to find coincidences that tongue. on a vafe ornaments. Thus." fome remarkable between the conjectures of fome of the AfTyrian philologifts and words I have found by means of the new alphabet. firft Remains." the two " groups mean Palace or great houfe . in his cc Nineveh and its " It has been that in a note. A How infcribed " d'ye do ? " TON A0ENE0EN A0AON. the hero and his opponent are made refpectively to exclaim.. lie down" and "KEOMAI. Mr. the act of crowing. Amongft them all there is none fo ftriking as the firft five groups of characters of an infcription found upon nearly all the flabs from the earlieft palace at Nimrod.
name <c " Aaflioik is preferved to this day in the mound BAASHOIKah. Then V follow the laft three groups. variants. Hinckes alfo imagines that the fame group has the Sir H." Therefore it reads. it is do not . in the orthography of the word. fourth group (or Aafh) Sir H. what appears to be the true Solomon truly fays. is group. which means " and" " together with. The whole infcription is thus " Proclamation Palace and Aafhoik. Hinckes is convinced that it is either that name. Layard's Sargon. Thefe are {ignificant and 5 as Nineveh.'' The coincidence here is the more remarkable as the application of the new alphabet was made before I had feen Layard's book. will juft fuit their The firft purpofe. Rawlinfon identifies the phonetic power of Sha. immediately adjoining Nimroud with the prefix B and termination ah in addition. and we have at Nineveh* once the name which is {till preferved in the fuppofed Dr. " There . "to mow. mark the coincidence. therefore they {imply content themfelves with and give them the meaning that calling them Ideographs. AASHOIK. Now. power of Sa. or pa> lace. n Binin. T7 . or an abbreviation of the name Athur. according to the primitive alphabet. neighbourhood of Nineveh. Great Houfe. which read AASHOIK.Mr. and [3=^7 ln (Chaldee). namely. all pointing to name of ancient Nineveh. the country of In another place he afligns to it the value of Aflyria. groups 4 coincidences. which is the modern Again. "Proclamation Palace" The next character is the primitive Vau. or knew anything of the for I find that the locality of the mounds of Nimroud : declare or proclaim. 93 worthy of note that the arrive at the meaning of Aflyrian philologifts thefe two words by the application of any letters of their multitudinous alphabet they cannot find any to fuit their purpofe out of the whole 300 letters and 500 Now." &c. and to the latter portion of it he gives the fyllabic tha. Rawlinfon gives it -2&AJshur y and Dr. which means great building. He alfo admits that group 4 (Aafli) {lands for the name of the city of which the hiftorical name is But let us add group 5 to it.
in words like thefe Li. that thou aloud and fcatter the multitude of rock wouldft cry god. What is the inference to be drawn from this ftriking coincidence and the fimpler tranflation ? Clearly. containing more than 200 words. Rawlinfon declare. oh that thou wouldft. edicts. that a beginning had only been made. that the fact that thefe five groups of characters commencing every infcription in this particular faloon. my god. or an AfTyrian prieft. and that Aflyrian decipherment is only in its infancy. Beli. (very What volumes of ancient lore are yet locked up in the rib tfr alu . that after all that has been done. carrying on his left ." or or cc Windfor Caftle. and an earneft prayer to the god Bel for enlight" enment of mind. much abridged). or laws emanating from this particular palace of Aafhoik. viz. waiting for the true key to unlock this vaft ftore of primitive literature Well may Sir H. I mall now endeavour to give almoft a literal tranf! . deftroyed through its crimes and grofs depravity. amounts almoft to abfolute proof that the fubject matter of each flab contains proclamations. goat and the figure evidently a refemblance to an ear of corn The fubject appears to be about offering a facrifice. riz ou eeber . or Aflyrian in his right handj held up. li bi. <c St. James's Palace. The flab from which the above infcription was taken bears a reprefentation of a winged figure.94 is is he Ancient Ones of the Earth. chu alu " ! My ! 20. or Aa/hoik? appears to be a prophecy of the deftruction of the city." mation Buckingham Palace. (how gods me the true god " There is alfo an allufion to the deftruction of the city of Baalbeg. Beli. nothing new under the fun. and that which hath been now." for we find our own beloved Queen adhering to the very fame kind of formula as that ufed 4000 years ago ! : " Proclaby Aflyria's early monarchs. <c 'The Temple of that follows the ftandard infcription.000 feraphim already difcovered." as the cafe may be. is fomething that bears arm <c Oh. with the more than probable meaning elicited by means of the new alphabet. though equal in fplendour This is the fubftance of the firft four lines to Aafhoik. : a kid of the Capr<e Egagrus.
as. B. A after the I. fing. " Pabuilding. "in. abide. "will "a/h" foundation." page 105) Englifh : equivalents. midft of. y. " Great. ftay. alfo." &c. to lodge. I cannot think thofe two characters no." but it is my opinion not." but. nearly. into the Bmal. flab 95 the Aflyrian lation of the infcription with the Hebrew and on the above tions meaning on the Hebrew language which follow the analyfis of the " Brick Infcription. future. 2.) and (3. about. &c." Y7 Y i. be." like the Greek that they will act with a feparate meaning as V ^ u ancV' and 3L almoft." and hV. after. or dwell. Houfe." . 3. and." "together with ." Rawlinfon by guefs. Lun. are intended to anfwer the negative fign " oux. or proclaim. Binn. N. " |> Ppft- into. ^ rTTO pVa. <." or " Rawlinfon by guejs. a.'The Author s Tr(inflation. " Great lace." me more trouble than this one. >. firft perf. " according to.) A. &c. with the as follows (fubject to the obferva- Roman Tranjlation of an Infcription on a Jlab with wingedfigure. a prep. " V7 $7 y V Ouk.a. 2. " to mow." in. among." a connective particle. TI 6.) among all No that character the infcriptions has it I given cannot arrive at any other conclufion but It moftly occurs muft be " disjunctive fign. " declare. yet." And (2. 4 preceding groups.. prefix. fince. (i. Chu.
The Ancient Ones of the Earth. 6. diftrefs." or 2. or Mp." . i and 2. Lun "lodgings. AR. God c< forbid. a pre.4. 1??Nn HALou. chali n." I. cc far be it. ' or nnn V " mountaineer. ill pVn. N. "a 2. OUK. to mine. HRRou. lodging. a particle.3. or myftery. 2.2.4. __ 3.' 3 " " if. "among. cc The fame as as No. B. <e and. chief head or capaffliction. the true God. Rze. Ln. to become light. ^ ALF. for." and " fVV. 20. 1." 12. <c to lodge. or V^Vn. ce " it will be. pipe with or chalil. a knife. 3. 13. to inftrucV' 2. J 4- ^ Nl>*X7 i. Rzou. am.^ m. V. alfo." np. a pre. 2.96 I. future. a flute or paragoge ufed as (milel). Great. prep. I." T7 V." Dan. u and ~ narrow. a ftone.2. " " of L." the eftablifhment.2." Leader. i. f?." 2. AA iv> TSR." mountain. N. Llin. I. BLun or Bmal. ^^ 19.3.3. Third perf. 17. 1. prep. nV. LF. mighty. ^ . i." 1. . " Of iV. ^^-i i. 1 8. Light. ^ I. the. or Rza. Y7 <\ 2. 10. " ." and ALF. ." " Chief. 'J an interpofer and mediator. i. 2. or HRRI. " nin 4.3. cc A fe- cret. The fame No." and 4." O that.1. 3.3.." ^j^^^ Pv^" v T." God. 8. 4 to enlighten. 16.. 4-3-2-I. an ad. RB.
" as to vegetables." |>l^|^_ ^nn. 19." cc /z/V. """' """' /^A. or proclaim. " rough and wringreennefs. appearance. cc . molu y ALF. and 22. intensifies the meaning of either of the above words. 15. RU. tc j^^24. Figure. to l^j^P^ AA Y7 n>" RZou. majefty. honour. . chu " to fhow. chalum." am inclined to think that this is the H . 29. a feer. 26. hence a prophet." &c. L 30. 97 rna " 2I * ^^ may 1-2-3. n. The fame as Nos. ^ BChl. to fuit the context." cc " de" ftrudion. to fee. to dream." oppofed to riVs. 25. Rou. >^T7 ^*> ALF. give it as.. EDR> EDR ' " Atl rrient." The word being repeated. a prefix conjunct:. KLch. chu. n. pomp. M/ n. declare. to loathe.Tr (inflation of the Winged 1. L kled. The fame from D^Vn. as The fame Ct No. as the cafe be. to be. Therefore I <c Extreme Jpkndour."or it maybe vau fuffix. "afpect. "fmoothnefs. or glory. him" " his His Jeer et> or myftery." to wafte away." 31. and TH. cc from nV. '/Sk deteft.3. " and. n^J^\7xLxL>l uVfVrM c< Y*^^^ I nnn<l> we have mn. if fo.2. Lch. cc as Nos. r^ry >Vn. doubtful ?. as applied to man. chalu." a vifionary. <c to naufeate. 1 1 and 23. |^^\7 in. or beauty. p^v TV W^ ^" 3 " FulL " iV." &c. and iVo.. alfo V to cry out." I^^^r7 V. 32. the fame as 24. 22. glory. lam. fplendour." Chaldee." Vi.
future. . 5." pa. " x> Arabic. I. term " WN. 3. which converts it into the letter L. Rawlinfon gives this " character the power of King" not by means of his alphabet." and Vau. decc noting failing or defe6t. the firft would be " roof. " fuffix. LIBou.5. " roof. top. dee." &c. // i. AGG. u. compound word of 'V. meaning of this word GG. 2.3. 2. 3. 15." I muft leave this to the judgment of the Oriental Jc hoiar. account of the comparative extent of their dominions." in the fecond it will be. LI." cVc. cover. or RZ. forming ALSH." fing. n. The other letters. I am very doubtful as to the true 1. T. "him. or SGR in inftance it would be C Deputy. This group differs from No. prepofition fuffix i. above. J J GG. . 2. with K. denotes prefixed fecond perfon " 4. A "/#.The Ancient Ones of the Earth. thy fon. expanfive. n. clofe. 2 in having the fecond character carried through the third." .4. top. have nothing nearer than SGN." or n. i. ALTS. to prefs." It is a fingular fact that Sir H. the Shin being commuted for ^sadde^ making . efpecially 98 is as it repeated.2.5." to expand/' and Parkhurft fays that the was given to the Amalakitifh kings on In but he calls it an Ideograph for " King. Bou. cover. Chalto go in or out. 2. prefix. GG 3. 6. lieutenant." and n. third perfon fing. i. the I firft " to fhut or overfeer. SGG. mod archaic character for the Great I am.4. urge. ^^J wwJVvAvs. V A(C The fame n-V. The fame as No." " to be fhut up.SGG. Bnk. as No. B.
as a conjunction. " to wander. wool morn off. "fpeak. K." or "the foundation. to fhow. particle "if. GG. that." referring to paft or future time "therefore. Winged "not. or abide. from." 99 LV that. A tor. adv. pa. dwell. to perim." or F. Chu. on this account. AB. GGSGG." and prefix B. a word. AZ." *. .Tranjtation of the ." // u. Same as No. 31. as before. " to move quickly or cheerfully. * "to hedge in. D. or opprefs. or be fruftrated. in. or the young fuffix grafs after mowing. &c. a forefather. or to hedge round. "then. 3 V. at that time. fail. negative "O "perhaps. a maker. 187 Y7 y V V V TW> Shuk. Same as before. to lodge." n ol"der to protect. after .""to proverb. a benefacbut with the A 1.. Same V. fpeak. 1 ' . a thing. LLN. BRTS. to run> a runner ^ to rum u P n J to aflail." Figure. the "The With fhearing. father. as in the infcription." . with. As _^ A or A/\ /\ ' ?. As before. fpeech. &c." ML. " \^ /v ^n> in. r> A^ Y-Q. go aftray. by. V TO GZK. fVV. "perplexity." 1 "a L." GG. mowing of meadows. V fleece." "confufion. to be loft or miffing. "The fire. by word. LML. prefix "to." before. Bouk.
nothing. or together. . <|1?ra> " an viron." mediator." "appearance." and fee. but open at the top. Vt*NV. as before. &c. prep." nyn. ing. open court or building. " The true God. and A V i. en- fe^A7 Pt^Hr Belt. by. denoting "defect. into the midft of. ZR TSR." Rou. B. LI. as before." hence." &c." and AL." . LAAL.ioo in. afpecl. or hold faft." &c.. confine. out of. "God. Chaldee. " to furround. " interpofer. not. " and. a place walled round. To fhow." V. . " in. LIALRou. into. to embrace. ." or "to interpofe. Chu." "failAL. among. &c. "to " either with a prefix. from." *' CHTSR. of. The Ancient Ones of the Earth. " My God. or word of LA. iy. This appears to be a compound no. with." &c. or alluding to the Aflyrian god " Court of a temple. " To bind up." &c.
the type of intellect of the bull was the fymbol of ftrength and power. the Aflyrians the fun. Forfter's Sir H. no mere images of fancy. and the wings of the eagle were Thofe winged or Omniprefence. C." Under the fymbolic form of the winged human-headed his bull they gave expreflion to tradition had fpoken darkly. attributes. RawRawlinfon's errors in his numerals linfon's Temen Bar Singular coincidences between the Author's theory and the conjectures of Critical notice of the Rev. Thus.CHAPTER The Sun worfhipped VI. as being the moft worfhipped . glorious body God of in the vifible creation : " That with furpaffing glory this crown'd look'd from his fole dominion. Rawlinfon and others theory. As the new world. or of Omnifcience . have inftrucled races of men that have parted They . of which the The human head was and knowledge. HERE is no doubt that the gods of the heathen were the heavenly bodies but it is equally certain that they worfhipped thefe bodies in conjunction with certain mortal creations. fymbolical of ubiquity bulls are thus no idle creations. THE NUMERALS. in Aflyria under the form of a Bull Infcriptian Author's difcovery of the found on the back of a winged Bull Numerals on the Black Marble Obelifk Annals of Aalpharr. body or of Omnipotence.
. and the two lower elements would fimilarly Rawlinfon). and now they fpeak to us language equalled only by the infpired voice of The following is a tranflation from an infcrip" Made tion on the back of one of thefe winged bulls cc I am Almighty. had the three upper ones been feparate elements. of which I could make nothing was the fifth in confecutive order of the numerals (Plate IX. is compofed of five Now." There has been in the courfe allufions to the AfTyrian numerals I naturally afk by what means this work frequent the reader will very . I began forming a vocabulary or lexicon of every them ? The word found upon the monument (from the folio volume of the infcriptions publifhed by the authorities of the Britifh Mufeum. arrive at a knowledge of of anfwer to this queftion will lead me to the relation of what I deem an important difcovery in connection with the infcriptions on the Black Marble In the month of October. this work a certain group of characters or elements would it obtrude themfelves. which.). years. I was inclined at firft to give the group the phonetic power of cc Min" but I did not I next came record it as a word. C. This led me I to think that there was more meaning in them than was aware of at that time. with the fix elements all diftincl:. upon the fixth group in the plate. joined together they would have formed the primitive letter M. under the fuperintendence of Sir H. and in order to facilitate the work.IO2 again in Ifaiah. as will be perceived. refolution of giving my verfion of the infcriptions on the Black Marble Obelifk. I obferved that thefe two groups were preceded by a fingle character or element. myfterious his fires. revolving and re-revolving away more than 3. correfponding word in Hebrew or Whilft profecuting Englifh meaning.000 : the vaft expanfe in. to reprefent the fupreme God. 1863. with its its Arabic and : have made the letter N. not in illuminating heaven's (whofe) going out is nothing to equal fails who coming return. The Ancient Ones of the Earth. I formed the Obelifk." dwelling in heaven's circle.
of years Temen Bar Sir : king commence on the it fifteenth or fixteenth line. or. over 1 This Awleph. Look Numbers L. and followed by a group of fix elements. and Plate IX. the initial of AL. from 6 to 15." graphs to make BLACK WHITE How very convenient this fyftem of Ideo- ! . 103 the At the time I made this difcovery I was not aware that Sir H. Hebrew copy. as feen in Plate IX. Then it read. But in Sir Henry's fyftem it is an be long or Jbort.Annals of Aalpharr." &c. it Ideograph. XII. he gives the XI. with the former I was to make it fuit the interpreobliged to give it rather an arbitrary twift " The firft. AwlefW (as feen in Plate IX.. Rawlinfon could not have known the groups referred to were numerals. "/'." thus leaving us to infer that the annals of the &c. Sir H." tation . but upon comparing it with the original the Awleph turns out to be a Lamed or L. Now. and XIII." " O/the fecond. I made it A.. it was the right thing in the right place. I followed up the clue thus obtained. XXII. Rawlinfon's Temen Bar. but alike in both cafes. but upon fubfequently perufing fome of the Afiatic journals I faw that he had either difcovered them. Rawlinfon had difcovered any numerals. &c. was copied from the Folio Volume of Infcriptions. year. the Lamed or L. Now may be ftated confidently that the annals of the king (whoever he may be) do not commence until nearly the clofe of the twenty-fixth line. will (how the refult of my dif- fome fingular coincidence. but immediately following " In the the invocation he goes on to interpret thus firft year of my reign I crofled the Upper Euphrates. and XXIII.) of the primitive alphabet. it matters not whether the character has the fame meaning. year) up to the XX. But in adopting the right character. and he does not tell us there is any other matter between the invocation and the firft year's annals of Temen Bar." and fo on. for he tells us that the firft fourteen lines are taken up with an invocation to the Aflyrian gods. "the fecond. " O/the firft. it fuited admirably. by covery. Hinckes fays they commence on the twenty-fecond line. after giving the annals and the numerals in confecutive order (with the exception of the IV. in the total II. "the" (Arabic). Rawlinfon. (Dr. inftead of giving the XXI.) Again. had given the exact number of the reign of his fuppofititious H.
" or <c the beginning of a thing." or " fo many cities taken or burnt. fc^ X " if y u * k at the P rimi ~ . L. in which there are from one to nine elements to form an individual letter." &c.) Now. year. the edge of the obelifk being fo broken that the numeral is quite obliterated. We clufion ignorant of thefe or was very carelejs in particular groups being numerals. they fhould be (XXI. ments. the firft numeral followed by a group reprefenting AS (or) S 1 which in Arabic means "principium rei. It appears to me that he has made his imperfect knowledge of the numerals the fole foundation that Sir H. Rawlinfon proceeds rightly again until he comes to the XXIX." inftead of Awleph. XXII. A." or " fo many captives taken or killed. and there he gives the numeral XXVI. his fupervifion. But more of this anon.). (Vide Plate IX.104 again. Cf *The Ancient Ones of the Earth. The numerals are the ikeleton upon which he builds up the body of his tranflation and the very fact of the numerals being compofed of from one to nine elements. elfe he could have eafily fupplied the proper can only come to the conones. The laft three errors I look upon as almoft proof pofitive that Sir H. muft be fubverfive of his fanciful alphabet." we find them in the order Sir H." Then the group of fix elements. "of. proceed with I my difcoveries refpecting the nume- found that the numerals were preceded by a fingle character^ which I fubfequently found to be Lamed. each element having its own individual value. find upon c< Monureferring to Layard's that there is no numeral at all to be found. on referring to Layard's Monuments of Nineveh. read by the primitive 1 There is a very curious and laughable coincidence in what Sir H. Rawlinfon did not certainly know thofe particular groups to be numerals. To rals. in its place . Rawlinfon calls his " Simple B. as I have done. . Rawlinfon was of his tranflations from the Black Marble Obelifk ." we but. for wherever he finds a numeral he reads it as " fo many times crofled the Euphrates. and XXIII.
Sari of 3600 years each. Selimarim. that Rawlinfon's fimple live alphabet you will find forms Smith's (ftupid) firft or beginning.Rawlinfons Errors in bis Numerals. thirty-one." Read fecond of thy reign. thine by right of birth." "ASS." But in Arabic AS(a)S means - me .. (( thine "Of the whofe name occurs frequently (or one very much like it) on the monument. 105 " AALF or VRR and the . but the annals of Aalpharr. with fuffix K. collectively. viz. as read by the primitive right alphabet. or BKU. and laftly to Shalmanezer II. and and then the group it is. The three names are very fimilar in found and in ortho- We name graphy. Reckoning a year for a day it would be equal to twenty-nine years feven months and five days. ceeding year Who is this Aalpharr ? I think he is to be identified as the Ballipares of profane hiftory Alliparr or Aalpharr. 125. with the modern prefix B and the Greek termination. him Alaparus^ and who reigned 3 Sari. in Polt's Nineveh of a king whofe name was Ballipar-es." alphabet. Aalpharr. that Alorus of reigned Babylon was the birth a Chaldean." by right of birth. and the prefumption is that the Obelifk is the one> Aalpharr.)." Then follows a group which means " fupreme king. are following group tefted by the fame means will give BCHU. by right of birth" " Of the fecond (year fupplied) of thy reign. which means ^ thine The fecond year's annals begin with. within a year and a few months of the read alfo reign of the Obelifk king. Temen Bar. fupreme king." Then follow the annals of the year. vol. Aalpharr. "es" -who was contemporaneous with Gideon. We 10 read in Walker's Ancient Mythology. Rawlinfon (during the laft 20 years it has been afcribed to Ninus. the CH commuted for K. And the annals of every fucare preceded by the words tranflated above. From what has been faid I infer that the annals on this interefting monument ARE NOT the annals of any of the fuppofititious kings afcribed to it by Sir H. firft who was by and after page king that He reigned iv.
But this is not all. Rawlinfon " Awleph. all as oppofite to a letter. be it not. re- U 3?\jf V (here undertook. each other as poffible a phonograph for the fame word and of the fame meaning. " doubled again. and laftly the numeral VII. vol. Rawlinfon and Dr. giving the vertical primitive Vau) the power of 5. The fame tially figure (3). Mr. an ideograph for a word. 3) viz. (Plate VI. page 405). Hinckes with refpecl to the The latter takes Rawlinfon's " Bar and Pal" numerals. 4).A." feems certain of their renderings. ( y 9 A. in the height . the fame. medley of nonfenfe. " let it not. that <c thefe readings are doubtful. fingly it is " water" and fuffixed " My" then doubled it is.J. queftion the pronunciation of 'pal. and when (the fig. " Ai" the female power of the fun tive particle. and the digging of its water not we muft at -" have fix characters VZVSV^) laboured Again: "Any of one its among them (4) to the palace therein.' " any one whatever. it : For example not Mr.S.' and bar] and in elements with five different powers. Here we have a fimple group of two xii. And after giving us a number of readings where this group is found. placed to the In left all of a decade ( <^ ) the power of 50 other refpects their numerals are effen(fig." . only differently grouped. / think be founded the name of Sardanapalus we muft give the fign in (R. Norris in his Affyrian Lexicon gives us a few more meanings to this Indianrubber (caoutchouc) character (fig. N." and it is the nega- alfo doubled. Norris tells us Even where he is nothing more than a " Any one among them and its X ftoration not its fite ^ 2 V 3 touched. but it is fays. to be a difference of opinion There appears between H.io6 Sir The Ancient Ones of the Earth. alfo the certainly reprefents c ideograph for an afon. wedge 3) for his numeral VII. a phonetic fyllable in a long name. muft in that capacity.
and he will foon find them to be a mafs of unintelligible contradictions. tranfpofed into would make us believe " the faffing over. intoxicated with the fumes arifing fromfelf-love. who. owing to the doubtful form of the fifth Phoenician letter and the many-found value (nonfenfe) of the cuneiform equivalent. 1 07 power. of arbitrary of inconfiftent poftuof what appears to be a rigmarole of lates." lovelincfs." which he (Sir H. The Garden of Eden. ftrainings. zi or M. y 1 p. flayed not (4). and not the fceptical distortion of Gana Duniyas. EDN. to pleafe their thoughtlefs admirers. " "pleafure. tion." See Rawlinfon's cc Notes on the Site of the Terreftrial Paradife. flave he is uncertain about (as ufual). 9) " an enclofure of one of the earlieft gods worfhipped in the country. GN. Let the thoughtful ftudent carefully and critically examine into his works. the wild conjecture of the Garden of Eden. was a garden fair and beautiful. zirat." . and laftly." and pp. are compelled to give forth from time to time wild rhapJodies of uncertain and equivocal meanings." read at the Britifh AfTociaj . fuch as the above. of the Aflyrian philologifts are only to be compared with the ravings of the Delphic Pythia. in fine. I tell him for his information. and.) " This name of the of a Jlave named Ar-ba-hil-khi-rat. into it ventured not" (4)." And it is by fuch uncertain means that he arrives at the name of the flave into Again. as its name imports 1 full c< of every " tree that is pleafant to the fight and good for food (Gen. Let him look at what they philological Barnumifms. there he will fee (on the firft Bilingual tablet) the word " " Tadani " Danat. But the pronunciation of the word might be khirat y or " " " according as we at"). ii. call the Bilingual infcriptions as a proof of what I affert. of bafelefs conjectures. " a garden. the word Tadaniy which he tranfpofes girl. or the Jale R. or thirat (or any other to the letter kh its normal power of khi or adopt one give of its fecondary values.Rawlinfon's Errors in his Numerals. 1870. adulation and praife. the feat of its buildings knew not In fatl> the tranflations (4).
" it is an unmiftakeable Vau i. 1 by C. fru. and word for word. a gift" certainly. T. " to give anfwering to the In what language does Sir Nathan." What Sir H." In the firft place. at Halicarnaflus is Mufeum. for thy protecting care. which the firft line prayer In the hiftories of the difcoveries made feems to favour. and it would read " But he tells us that fad. and 3jrd verfe: cc They give 1 But how can a (Nathan) GIFTS (Nadan) to all. calls the correfponding Phoenician letters cannot by any pqffibility have any reference to the firft line of cuneiatic writing any more than it can to the nineteenth : A The whole infcription may contain a or twentieth line. give. Hebrew means " all deny it moft emphatically. this AfTyrian root Hebrew H. a word of very different meaning . but a gift of a peculiar defcription.io8 . not at obfcene and impure cha- Nathan is " applicable to the prefent cafe. thus In humble fup: plication (cuneiform). R. gives us in the plate of the tablet. O Arial." " this over or giving up is always reprefented in paffing thefe legal documents by fome derivative from the AfTyrian A " root Nadan." &C. from word Nadan has reference to " uncleannefs In all its bearings the and impurity." both terms ufed in the original copy of the Ezekiel xvi. he is wrong in giving the fecond Phoenician letter the power of cc TV. root in Nathan. preferve (me) under the fhadow of thy The Phoenician on the margin reads " wings. of an racter." fad unhappy woman waiting for her enemy. and by the application of the fimple primitive alphabet it reads letter cc for letter. of the Britifh given a number of Greek infcriptions. anointed of God. R. to her god for protection. pafling over or the Jale of a flave. while " to to offer" to ftretch forth the hand." . unhappy (woman). confequently it would be DVT. " The e. it is feminine. The Ancient Ones of the Earth. Newton. be ijale? gift I have taken the firft line of cuneiatic writing that Sir will fee You Scriptures in H. root find Nadan ? I He fays- it anfwers to the Hebrew Nadan.
me alfo in like manner is elicited that weights." Nadin. to " . he gives as Nadin.Rawlinforfs Errors in his Numerals. made by one " Profochan. of the perfon who feduces her hufband away from her and her two children. Cuneiform Names/' where he fays that the following A groups the gift " >< I- ^ % 2 - ni fy is "giver of an AfTyrian then he Now mark. little clofer into Tablets. In vol. and enter heart and foul into this deeply interefting Subject. Old Series (fame " On the is a Orthography of the (Tynan paper work). Niddina (which he gives elfewhere as Mo).TO(. In New two Series. gives us groups as " Tadan? which he then is (he fays) derived from the Aflyrian root Nadan." art. line 13. And goes on to fay in a note that reprefents the root " page 400." in pronounced Again. to give? and the AfTyrian cuneiform equivalents he gives as above. religion." H. the firft group (No. " A fad. give a Adin. xv. or give. When will the literati of England awake from their culpable apathy. i) numeral 52. unhappy woman. fame vol. So uncertain is this fyftem that not one group or name can be depended upon. " Nadan." and may be or perhaps even as Iddin. " to tranfpofes into alfo <c DaNaT." devotes any one who has defrauded her with falfe Another is &c. of thefe Bilingual the Royal Afiatic Society's "Journal. which to give? equivalent Nathan. and for the caufe of little more literature. which he very well knows. R. the wife of Nakon. 109 which a certain female whofe name is not given. and of the perfon who receives Nakon. Sir "Bilingual Tablets. and Jcience. dedicates to the infernal deities the perfon who ftole her bracelet (<TT<X." This ftrikingly illuftrates the tranflation of the firft tablet given above. But let us look a vol. i. Now mark the difference.\YI) .
the fo-called Phoenician key had added but very little to our knowledge either of the Aflyrian alphabet or language. pin their faith to half-a-dozen men who are always disagreeing among themfelves whether fhall be B.C. AfTyrian and Phoenician. and the opinion of Sir H.1 10 "The Ancient Ones of the Earth. Now the find to be the in the name (Auz(i)ts) Gillirri. the Lord Bifhop very of St. Rawlinfon. Afiatic Wednefday. New Among Series." H.) Chaldean titles it feems to conftitute a diftinfiUve epithet . the deciphering of which by Sir H. I. Plate VI. thereas of any ejjential fore. tablets. tire ignorance There Sir is another fingular coincidence worth mention- certain groups of ing. and I cannot regard it. I will now give the reader the opinion of a learned dignitary of the Church. fays that (fig. or whether (hall be which. cc pafl year :' A clear proof] value" There is fome little my Lord Bifhop. K. B. 1866." found a very curious collection of bilingual tablets. of a chief who figured wars againft . would be one and the fame? So much for the Bilingual A BLACK WHITE. but in the other my Lord Bifhop difplays not only his ful- fome flattery. fpeaking of but he cannot depend on this diftinctive epithet I its phonetic power. of Jpice of truth in this. or B C. 2. c< in the ordinary characters. The Lord Bifhop of ST. little that you the know very matter. RAWLINSON. on the fame work. David's. and capable of judging of the matter if they will but give their attention to it. (at attention to the ? prefent) occult fcience of Afly- rian philology Why mould thoufands of gentlemen highly gifted by nature and education. Rawlinfon. Sir " H. "Bilingual Tablets. c thefe will be ' C. but his enof the matter. Prefident of the Royal Society of Literature. April 25th. Rawlinfon has been one of the moft important phi* lological achievements of the In reality. according to his fyftem of variants. Journal." Vol. DAVID'S. 1866.
. or Dabab. 1 1 1 This name (Auz(i)ts) occurs three times in the four gradines of the Black Marble Obelifk. it is brief." (Plate II." But why not give the firft he deciphered? On his firft Plate II. From what has been faid already the reader will perceive that the theory now fubmitted to the public in this work. marked glance he takes two letters (see with an afterifk) from two different groups. which he Let renders according to the Arabic Dab. i) occurs many times on the Black Marble Obelifk. reader look at Mr.Singular Coincidences. C. 2. hitherto is entirely antagoniftic to this all theories nearer! propounded upon its fubject. and this name (as feen in Plate VI. whofe theory is. Forfter's book was publifhed. is The that approach to principle (in Rev. i). but the evidence fupplied by one of the words (the firft deciphered) outweighs volumes of learned conjecture. face A. application of known alphabetic powers to known alphabetic forms. On the fecond ftep from the top." infcription I Over it : there a fhort infcription firft (Plate II. &c. caftle ift.2. or Dabab. fig. but it is well known " that the name of "Aram is given to many parts in the Eaft. Aram (figure i). He " fays On my glance fig. fubject is carried out. fig. in the preceding chapters. Rawlinfon I confined him fecurely. Sir H.4. Forfter finds a taken by atfault. Forfter." &c. and which I He goes on to ftate that " the read as Dab. fig. Mr. 2). Forfter's alphabet. one or two fpecimens of his tranflations to fee how far " like known forms with like known his principle of words only] " The by the powers" can be "A flab. to prevent the entering of 1. fays that the name of AfTyria does not occur in any of the infcriptions . fupreme king. containing only five words. occurs this expreffion " (according to the primitive alphabet:) Auz(i)ts fought fearfully." This was precifely the principle I adopted ten years Let us take before Mr. at the obferved a word the Jecond as read by me. any unprejudiced and fay whether there is the leaft likenefs between the and the characters he has picked out Himyaritic B or infcription over D .3.
according to monument or obelifk has four fides. and then to fum up all in this grandilocc It would be difficult to find a legend quent ftyle fo comprehenfively explanatory of its device as this 1 : I perfectly word. and like powers and like Now. B.'* I drank. Rawlinfon." agree in the principle laid but why and believe it to be the only fafe rule down. than to have cut out a part of two different words. "like known alphabetical forms with like known next looks into Golius for alphabetical powers. Rawlinfon and Layard to be." are 1 own views upon it. . and with a battering-ram. Norris "of its flowing naufeous waters." I drank. . an engine of war a kind of battering-ram. they marked As A. Mr. in his fpecimen meet of his " Affyrian Dictionary. Forfter confiftently follow it out ? Let us take another fpecimen of this gentleman's abilities as He then coma decipherer of the Aflyrian cuneiform. C. &c. I drank. he proceeds to give us his the fubjecl. mences with that highly interesting monument of antiand after freely quity. Sir H. grounded on the principle device." the root." a fpecimen of the agreement take the following example." but he does not give us the words. c. Forfter to have taken the infcription word by word^ and to have given fomething like a connected and reafonable interpretation. filled with armed foldiers. does not Mr. C. D. the fame group in each cafe. Rawlinfon has done commenting upon fingle . in the way of deciphering and of " legend forms. and given them an arbitrary meaning to fuit the device. Rawlinfon's claffification. Sir H. the Black Marble Obelifk what Sir H. Forfter is clearly as much at fea as he aflerts the Meflrs." has the following. this and. Dr. Would it not have been more fatisfactory for Mr. He goes on to fay.1 12 as The Ancient Ones of the Earth. and finds pictured before him the whole definition the murculus or rolling tower. Norris. "The remaining words are equally clear." Then he : He turns to the flab (which he had forgotten to examine). The Rev."the muddy overflow of its waters. and he finds the following definition "Dababat. and there are five feries of figures between the AfTyrian philologifts -Mr. Hinckes "its clear waters were abundant.
fide A. in the right-hand corner. of the earth. In the fourth epigraph to the left of face c he finds a word that feems to anfwer his purpofe (fee Plate III. which is called an epigraph. and calls that " Dar In the fifth epigraph alfo honeycomb tripe/' the word occurs three times. is a fimilar object. bearing a fimilar tray to thofe on fide c. 1 1 3 running round the four fides. confequently there are five epigraphs. the legend is fo far from the device. that no reafonable being could fuppofe there ever was any connection between them. Under of figures there is an infcription in the cuneiform character. another tray with articles refembling our modern carrying 1 There is alfo another one-pound bundles of cigars. which occurs on the laft fide D. vafes. contain- water-melons. Mr. this figure. fig. This he tranflates a Then With arbitrary fyftem of deciphering them. that the five feries of 1 It may be have not feen as well to this interefting relic illuftrate the tribute or conciliatory gifts from the king figures appear to or chief of fome diftant country. for the information of thofe who of antiquity. reads the cuneiform from right to left. and immediately fecond feries. in the under figure in the fifth feries. Mr. he applies it to the firft paunch. ing what appear to be fruits of the earth or fomething very much like them . precious woods. which are borne by fixty attendants and to be the produds their officers to the king. or third epigraphs. fecond. but in no inftance is the group or legend under the device. fide A. conto the opinions of all the Aflyrian trary philologifts. firft feries. ct Forfter fays that the fecond figure is carrying honeythis obferve here. Mr. which he applies to the firft figure to the " Dar from the Arabic. it feems. minerals. Indeed.Mr. A. for they confift of animals (tame and and what appear wild). textile fabrics. but there that will fuit the device in the firft. In the firft feries of on fide c. excepting at the conclufion of each epigraph. Forfter cafts about him to find a word is no word that will fuit the figures of his choice. Forfter. is figures feen a figure bearing on his head a kind of tray. Forfters men and each animals feries Theory." figure to the right in the fecond feries. who is feen in the I firft and fecond feries. the right in i). .
'* finds under a figure bearing a bag on his moulder. bearing paunches uncut. tripe. 7 is the four concluding words of each epigraph." Then he which." He has alfo found dar . and alfo under a figure for the carrying a fkin of wine or fome kind of liquor of that feries holds in his hands a glafs or leading figure tumbler. In the example before us it will be feen at a glance that there is not the flighteft refemblance between No. Forfter's the principle of " like forms with like powers will act. or between the D'S of In fact. under a baboon. dentes defflui three other groups. I mall clofe this notice of Mr. the word would have had many more names equally oppofite to each other. " med teeth. under a figure bearing a bundle of (ticks. Thus. and III. fig. Forfter's works with an extract from his own book : "It was /." he gives it the name of grain. the thing feems to be a mafs Plate II. in profecuting inquiries on the principle in queftion. the laft but three. . at the Again. it occurs under a camel. as oppofite in idea as black to white. is the tranflation by means of the primitive alphabet. like alphabetical forms with like powers. has been faid of the <f Legend and Device" prinenough Let ciple to fatisfy all candid readers of its ufeleflhefs. it . med teeth. us now look at Mr. and milii genus. and the one behind him has an open veflel. alphabetical that I found its alphabet limited to ten (10) letters. 5. with the rendering by means of the Hebrew language. end of each epigraph and from its frequent repetition he gives it the fignification of <c quod frequenter penditur tributum frequently paid tribute. unclean different meanings. means (fig. He finds it under a figure carrying fomething on his moulder like an elephant's tufk. In Plate III. e. of inconfiftencies. cc dharoo the fame word is found." If he had ftrictly followed out his own principle. he fays 2). But I think apparently to dip out of occasionally. .1 14 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. 6. and fig. and he calls it " Dar. but very different from the fig. i D " Alphabet to fee how far or B and the Hamyaritic Plate II." comb and the ! firft cc He alfo gives this word five confequently.
Former's while it Theory. as demonftrating the invariable application in all thefe primitive pictorial monuments of the prinall the refults hereafter to was by means of ciple of Legend and Device. 115 this alphabet that I obtained be mentioned.' fatisfactory.Mr. and to which I have here alluded only by anticipation. Yet fo far it proved monies . najcitur ridiculus mus. and the refult ' It was literally. Parturiunt was mofl difappointing." .
|T muft be clear to every perfon who has made the prefent fubject in any degree a ftudy. as will be feen in the Indeed. be in a ftate of doubt from firft to laft.CHAPTER SIR H. Hinckes. Sir VII. RAWLINSON'S ALPHABET. Sir H. of Trinity College. applied to the exprefling the fimple elements of articulate founds. that the fyftems hitherto fent forth to the world in this particular branch of philology are far from conclusive or fatiThere feems to be a void. for he fays cc It would be difingenuous to flur over the broad fact. and this opinion is largely fhared in by fome of the moft learned men of the prefent day.. Rawlinfon confefTes himfelf to fequel. could not have been. it is quite inconceivable that they could. . Alphabet H. confifting of fo many and fuch variplicated ous ingredients. Dublin. Wall Rawlinfon's Method more fully exHis Doubts plained Difcrepancy in the Hiftory of his Alphabets Rawlinfon's Tranflation ofTemen Bar's Brick Coincidences: " " White is black. in the firft inftance. Rawlinfon's Ideographs A (Tynan Opinion of it by Dr. a factory. : the fcience of AfTyrian decipherment is yet in its a commencement has been made> and that is all!' infancy that : Dr. want of fomething more tangible than conjecture. Wall. and Black is White Pote's Nineveh Bonor- Darknefs vifible mi's Nineveh " Bunfen's opinion of the Syftem of Dr. in his efTay on the Rawlinfonian Alphabet. fays: "Surely fuch comcharacters.
Beth. cc neareft approach to the firft cafe is DO. We characters. at any rate. reprefents an where a fign : " pofed." or a ftall for cattle." Rawlinfon. pae. able to account for the anomalous condition of many of the AfTyrian figns which fometimes reprefent phonetically a complete fyllable." and in the fecond inftance we have n. nor will the other . inftead of Cf This appears to be the meaning accordfather.Sir H. or " The entire phonetic plete and uniform articulation." or letter reprefents a fyllable. Rawlinforis AJfyrian Alphabet." therefore IN." &c.) that the phonetic portion of the alphabet is altogether that every phonetic fign reprefents a comfyllabic. cc Whilft in cafes where a ing to the above fyftem !) fingle alphabetical power appertains to the fign. 117 no alternative therefore Teems left to us. are we the name of the object. it to A ftill more formidable difficulty. B. and fometimes one only of the founds of which the fyllable is comox. " and fome myftify the fubject fyllabic . and n. A B. but to conclude that it is mere wafte of time and labour to attempt to analyze them by methods in accordance with notions hitherto in Sir vogue upon the fubject. : H. fince augmented to 300. ftructure is thus mown to be in fo rude and elementary a ftate as to defy the attempt to reduce fyftem. / think. I conjecture that the fyllable in queftion may have been the fpecific name of the object which the fign or letter was fuppofed to depict. is therefore the only better calculated left to alone). . a " houfe. A. fays are not quite fure what Rawlinfon can mean by this term think the term. any definite one of which is indeed I can only remotely conjecture the explanation. and D. (The It certainly cannot be maintained hae. as applied to written ideographic. and 500 varicc The alphabet is partly ideographic " (we ants. Awleph." (Thus if N. alone. that certain characters reprefent two entirely difllmilar founds founds fo diffimilar that neither can they be brought into relation with each other." mim. again. it would Jeem as if that power had been the dominant found in In this way. water. will be an " ox houfe. in fpeaking of his alphabet of 150 letters.
in By mere comparifon. power be found articulation. name I . " as. By careful comparifon of thefe duplicate forms of writing the fame name. nor.capable of two combinations. have been then fupplied the means of determining with more or lefs certainty the value of about 100 Babylonian characters. limited my prefent knowledge of the Babylonian and AfTyrian Limited How many would Sir Henry alphabets. and to this acquaintance with l the phonetic value of 1 5o figns is. each confonant being^ . and a very excellent bafis has been obtained for a complete arrangement of are almoft are in the alphabets. I believe. the can always be recognized. whereas in Aflyrian the machinery by which the power is evolved is altogether obfcure: did know it.1 1 8 "The Ancient Ones of the Earth. every inftance trilingual and They engraved not only in three different but the alphabets varying from each other languages. not only in their elemental figns. and other appreciation of the phonetic diftinctions peculiar to the two languages. . a multitude ! : 1 Since augmented to 300. however. Pafaegadae triliteral. but in their whole the object of courfe being to render phonetic ftructure them generally intelligible. and the Coptic object depicted name of the object will ufually give in its initial form the phonetic power of the hieroglyph . of triple publication are we indebted for our knowledge of the Aflyrian infcriptions. In the latter. alphabet) be made out than the Egyptian. then. if we Jhould we be able to ajcertain its AJjyrian The infcriptions at Perfepolis and . repeated of instances fo as to reduce almoft infinitely the chance of error. Sir H." Rawlinfon have ? But this is not all the confonant founds recognized in the AfTyrian language are only fixteen. . I have added nearly fifty characters to the 100 which were previoufly known through the Perfian key . Rawlinfon's (/'. and each combination having a different character. To this fafhion. we neither know the object. to enter at all into the full and original " In fome refpects the AfTyrian alphabet cc is more difficult to e.
in the Hiftory
of his Alphabets.
ap, ip, up, pa, pi, pu." Confequently, this would give It then proceeds into different characters. ninety-fix
frefh combinations, and if carried out to its fulleft extent would give a lift of between eight and nine hundred
But certain phonetic laws (not to be arrived at) intervene to check this exuberant growth, and even then the known Aflyrian alphabet is thus raifed
different characters!
to between
two hundred and
forty and
two hundred and There are other
" determinatives," to be characters, which are called of words in order to determine prefixed to certain claffes
wedge placed name of a the vertical wedge preceded by two horizontal man, and wedges tells us to expect the name of a god. (It is a
before a
their character.
Thus, the
fingle vertical
us that that
fingular coincidence that the three characters juft defcribed, according to the primitive alphabet, mean " chief" and alfo " Then, again, there are ideo-
graphs and monograms to fwell the number nearly to three hundred, befides many more whofe phonetic power conis wholly unknown yet they make this important that the Aflyrian language is unmiftakeably feffion, Semitic and bears the clofefl relation/hip to Hebrew. " Five Ancient MoProfeflbr Rawlinfon, in his narchies," afTigns the original invention of letters to a race had broken up and period before the Hamite He fays: " They adopted a fyftem of picdivided. at the communication of ideas ture-writing which aimed the rude reprefentation of natural objects, and through not only to the tribes who belonged, as it would feem, defcended the Nile from Ethiopia, but to thofe alfo who, perhaps diverging from the fame focus, parTed eaftThe original ward to the valley of the Euphrates. characters for in procefs of time to pictures were reduced the convenience of fculpture, and thefe characters being which correfponded with the phonetic values,
There is fufficient the objects reprefented. of alphabetical formaevidence to fhow that the procefs tion was nearly fimilar to that which prevailed in Egypt.
names of
The Ancient Ones of the Earth. In particular it is true there is a marked difference
the refpective employment of hieroglyphic and cuneiform characters : in the former alphabet each character has but one fingle value, while in the latter the variety of
founds which the fame
ufed to exprefs is of alphabetic emquite perplexing. does not argue a diverfity of origin for the ployment fyftem of writing, it merely indicates a difference of ethnological clarification in the nations among whom the fcience of writing was developed, as the inhabitants of the valley of the Nile were effentially but one nation and ufed but one vocabulary. The objects which the
may be
this difcrepancy
hieroglyphics reprefented were each known to the people of the country by one fingle name, and each hieroglyphic
had thus one
fingle value
but in
the valley of the
Euphrates the Hamite nation feems to have been broken up into a multitude of diftinct tribes, who fpoke languages identical or nearly identical in organization and grammatical ftructure, but varying to a very great extent in vocabulary and the confequence of this, that as there was but one picture alphabet common to the whole aggregate of tribes, each character had necefTarily' as many phonetic values as there were diftinct names for the object which it reprefented among the different fections of the nations." But is not this latter paragraph " the wifh which is father to the thought" of the Rawlinfonian theory;
purely conjectural?
Scriptural facts.
it is
contrary to
The Books of Mofes
are the only
we can
refer to for events in thofe pre-hiftoric times, them we learn that Abram went out from
works and Ur of
the Chaldees into Mefopotamia, dwelling amongft the Semitic and Hamitic tribes that fubfequently he went
Egypt, and from thence into Canaan, and dwelt amongft the Oaks of Mamre in the midft of the Hamite race, who, as we are told, were broken up into a multitude of diftinct tribes, but who all fpoke languages nearly identical in grammatical ftructure, having but one alphabet
to the whole, but each individual
letter or cha-
Tranjlation of *Temen Bar's Brick.
many phonetic values as there were difa multitude of values is it poffible that Abram, Ifaac, or Jacob, in their travels to and
as tinct tribes,
/. e.
fro in the Eaft, could underftand fuch a It jargon ? does not appear that there was any bar to that free intercourfe of fpeech which we naturally expect to find
who fpoke the fame language. In the of this work I have fpoken on the univerfality early part of the primitive language, and of the non- difperfion of tongues, therefore I need not fay any more upon that
a people
point here.
Rawlinfon's hiftory to fee cleared up. In the Behuftan or Perfian alphabet he has forty letters (vide Plate VIIL), and fpeaking of the Behuftan infcripis
a difcrepancy in Sir
his alphabet
tions he fays
They are engraved in three different and each language has its peculiar alphabet-^ the languages, alphabets indeed varying from each other not merely in the characters being formed by a different aflbrtment of the elemental figns which we are accuftomed to term the arrow-head or wedge, but in their whole phonetic Further on he fays ftru6lure and organization." C There is, therefore, no doubt but that the alphabets of Aflyria, of Armenia, of Babylonia, of Sufiana, and of Elymais are, as far as ejfentials are concerned, one and cc eflentials" Sir H. Rawlinfon the fame." Now, by cannot here mean the letters of his alphabet; he muft mean the wedges or elements of which his letters are compofed and yet in fome inftances, where one or more of thefe wedges obtrude themfelves uninvitedly, they
: :
are called
non- ejfentials /"
According to
own account
the Aflyrian alphabet, he had (in 1850) 150 but his brother the proferTor, in the with 500 variants <c Five Ancient Monarchies," doubles the number, and
with this multitudinous alphabet they could not tranflate a very fimple infcription on a brick (fee Plate IV. fig. 2), and only within thefe laft few years have they come to the miferable fhift of adopting the infcription on the
above-named brick
Calneth, in the nominative and
genitive the Aflyrian cuneiform reached that point of perfection to juftify the affertion, beyond difpute, that the name of
The Ancient Ones of the Earth. I would afk, Has the cafes." development of
any particular king or city has been ftamped on a brick ? I anfwer moft emphatically No all has been doubt hear from him, the greateft of and conjecture. " I conAflyrian philologifts, fuch expreflions as thefe "I "I read the two names doubtfully," think," jecture," cc I cannot depend on its phonetic power/' and laftly, <c I will frankly confefs, indeed, that having mattered character and every Babylonian word every Babylonian
which any clue exifted in the trilingual tablets, either by direct evidence or by induction, I have been tempted on more occafions than one, in ftriving to apply the key thus obtained, to abandon the ftudy altogether, in utter What defpair of arriving at any fatisfactory refult." would be thought of a king in our day who would give
utterance to fuch a tautological rigmarole as Sir H. Rawlinfon afcribes to Temen Bar, the great grandfire of cc Temen Bar the great king, fupreme and powerful Pul
king, king of AfTyria, fon of AfTaradanapal the great king, fupreme and powerful king, king of ArTyria, fon of Abedbar, powerful king, king of the land of Aflyria,
of the
of Halah."
to be
fuppofed for
that the king of a nation which had flourished which had advanced in for more than a thoufand years all the arts and fciences, and even in literature (as the
fuch a
voluminous nature of its records teftify) would adopt method of perpetuating the genealogy of his In this family, and that only for three generations ?
tranflation the
word king occurs eight times, but the which I fuppofe to be taken to mean "king" group occurs ten times. Why I fuppofe (Plate VI. fig. 7)
to be fo taken
this particular
becaufe in the
" The monogram (Plate VI. fig. 7) which has the full of c MenJ may alfo poflibly ftand for c MelekJ power
Afiatic Journal,"
vol. xii.
H. Rawlinfon
according to the primitive alphabet,
fee this
group reprefenting the Hebrew word
" I have Mr. Now." <c M. by allowing W . extent. roof. in their phonetic powers. again. article jj. This fhows a fingular coincidence .Coincidences. The groups ce upon one brick which he interprets as Son of Abedbar. in which every group is a letter or monogram and allowing four letters to be the average of a word. of ways . from the comparatively large extent of their dominions. we find it ftated that G G. above all. to be the common name of the Kings of the appears Amalekites." Numerals variants of words ! they are But a word or two here on this fyftem of variants. Why does not Sir H. the groups which he at one time king. There are in this infcription forty-fix of cuneiatic characters." and where the ftem letter is repeated. " above. which may be referred JJN. for in Parkhurft's Lexicon. G G." Probably he would fay " variants. each containing from one groups to fix elements or wedges. H . and evibet. according to his own cc to this root A theory." /. cover. every character in it may be in a variety word is fo altered. Rawlinfon give us the language by which he tranflates. that a perfon changed till at laft the with the procefs it has undergone. and to the number of diftinct chara&ers which appear to make up its alphaLetters differing widely in their forms. or even allowing only one-half to be monograms or words there would be far too few characters to warrant the above tranflation. are dently the moft oppofite : The fhorteft name may be written interchangeable. Layardfays already alluded to the laxity conftruction and orthography of the prevailing in the language of the AfTyrian infcriptions." on another he interprets as "fupreme and powerful Then. 123 which means. there is fcarcely a name upon any of the bricks that is twice given alike. ff top. or expanfe. e. fupreme." and the numacknowledges to be the numeral <c ber 8. would unacquainted never fufpect the two were in faff thejame" Upon the fame principle we can prove that BLACK is very to be a "variant" of B WHITE. that we might the better teft it ? In fact." he interprets at another time as being part of <c King of the land of AfTyria.
the words without founds (ideographs) we muft either denounce as a monftrous dottrine. that whilft all the Semitic alphabetical fyftems with which we are acquainted are diftinguifhed for their rigour and compadtnefs. . the primitive lapidary writing of the fame races. Sir H. or the want of a definite language. " From our limited knowledge of prefent Layard fays the character ufed in the infcriptions. for he fays ! : anomaly which cannot fail at firft to attract the attention and excite the aftonifhment of Orientalifts is.") Again: "The recoveries are too few.124 of one <c ^ . are only varieties or variants of the fame letter. ie Ancient Ones of the Earth. although a conto no pofitive conmore frogrejs is required in But to proceed. Rawlinfon fyftems ancient or modern cc The himfelf feems to be aware of this . mould be conftructed on It a fcale of fuch extraordinary amplitude and laxity. they are : and the fame thing a careful By Mr. the developments confequently too incomplete in themfelves. we can come fubject deciphering the character" And accordingly this felfevident uncertainty muft extend itfelf to the profefTed interpretations of the language by means of their alphabet ! upon the monarch. Mr." (POTE'S veh. ergo. L I of A T of C I . and E of K . expofing diftinctly that the reading or decipherment is yet in its infancy." very convenient method And it is by fuch improthis of folving difficulties A ! bable means thefe high authorities arrive at conclufions. it will be found that many characters^ greatly or altogether differing in form. or to : afcribe their erection to any jecture clufion may be allowed. occupying the fame feats. . the only ground on which this Jtarfling " Ninetheory can be accepted for a moment.'* would indeed be an extraordinary thing if it were fo. " Our readers will fee on what foundation reft the hiftorical difcoveries . Layard goes on to fay of infcriptions more than once comparifon repeated. It is evident from the writings of thefe gentlemen that they are dubious as to the truth of their own theory. it would be hazardous to aflign any pofitive date to the Palaces. and to all alphabetical quite oppofite to fenfe and reafon : Indeed.
" great feats of interpretation which fuch a Ibid. a mythic form or monftrous combination. : will then poiTefs a calculus for every problem of antiquity . diffi- folves all the of the confequences. bright. and in their prefent ftate convey tive in its rejults. even now. reconciles and explains alfo the contradictions we fancy or find in the original if. we muft perforce give it creThis effort of reafon will be duly recompenfed dence.Bonormfs Nineveh. " The man as Sir H. indeed. The fyftem of Aflyrian writing is extremely obfcure. it arranges and Amplifies all that we pofTefs or can obtain of myth. conceals the features that curiofity afks learning to trace in their truth. are extremely limited and fragmenlittle that is pofttary. and warm them into expreffion with the magic arts of divination. univerfal fyftem. 125 unfortunately. to fatisfy the importunities of knowledge . Rawlinfon has accomplifhed mould not be fuffered to blind us to the faft that our materials for Aflyrian hiftory. at leaft fo far as chronological narrative is concerned. after a partial elucidation of fuch infcriptions as have been found. and calls vainly for fcience to array the fcattered fragments into fhape. concordant with and even eftablifhing fome earlier portions of Holy Writ. and demonftrative to the leaft reflective mind. and all that has hitherto lain unknown or for me obfcure in the general hiftory of the world will combine into a fingle channel. and can combine thefe into a general and. tradition. The world gazes on the disjected members and bones of AfTyrian antiquity.". or hiftory. clear. writers.BONORMI'S her Palaces/' . while culties all ALL BE TRUE/' it Ibid. in fact. obvious. foflil The made has been evoked from its tomb . and the language which it records is of only partially intelligible through the imperfect key " Nineveh and the Behuftan infcriptions. the figured veil of an unknown rite or myftic ceremonial. but where is the charm that mall compel its voice to reveal the buried fecrets of the paft ? If the original fyftem is incomplete and contradictory IT CANNOT <f But if a new principle. while courting the fterneft fcrutiny of the wideft refearch.
And what has been already faid will apply equally to the fyftem of Dr. This I fhall be able to prove in the courfe of this work (if I have hot done fo already). who work on the fame principle. neither one name^ can he authenticate in the whole of his renderings. is wanted. what has been done hitherto in the way of elucidating thofe dark and myfterious writings is extremely doubtful and unfatisfactory. from the foregoing extracts. Rawlinfon in his cuneiform tranflations." that tence. at once fimple. clear. polyphones. and what becomes of his fyftem vanimed like the cc bafelefs fabric of a vifion. Hinckes will not expect fubjeftive gueffing. not one Jenconclusive. " In one of the fyftem of Hinckes. Fox Talbot. In fact." Showing guefTes . may He make fome lucky then by means of his ideographs. now and that fome and new principle felf-evident. fuch a fyftem Thus we fee. fays: fpeaking may be admitted as one means of but Dr. and I believe few of them which were not already arrived at by Rawlinfon will be found to be word. Mr. I mean to fay moft emthat from the fyftem hitherto adopted by Sir phatically H. Hinckes. that it fhould be recognized as a fcientific method. The refults of his own ingenious guefles have indeed confiderably varied. and homophones but ftrip him of thefe auxiliaries.126 'The Ancient Ones of the Earth. in others. and Bunfen. .
but from a fincere love of truth love of antagonifm. who have confidently put forth ftatements on this calculated to fap the very foundations of Biblical fubjecl: ftatements founded only on bajelefs conjecture? Thefe pages have not been written for the mere fake of not from difTenfion. 1 870.CHAPTER No VIII. but to correct error. and are therefore open to fair criticifm. at a recent meeting of the Britifli Aflbciation. . fceptical diftortion . befides. VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS. where Sir H. not think it neceflary to make any apology for the contents of this chapter. The world has been. 1 Look at the paper read by Sir H. Rawlinfon on the fite of the Terreftrial Paradife. truth. R. and have become public property. for the various works that have been written DO upon this occult fubjecl: are now before the world. impofed upon by the rank and talent of literary men. The fubjecl:. repudiates the authority of Scripture and gives us his of the Garden of Eden. is of too much importance to require an apology from me for fpeaking plainly my thoughts on the fubjecl:. Apology for the Contents of this Chapter Author's Motive for " Brandis " on the Writing Aflyrian Infcriptions and Mode of Decipherment Rawlinfon's "I am Darius" Author's Tranfla" tion Forfter's Tranflation of the fame Rawlinfon's " Phraortes Author's Tranflation fiftencies and Errors in InconQueries refpefting his Alphabet Rawlinfon's Tranflation of the Black Marble Obeliik. in my opinion.
but with a fincere and fervent hope that it may meet the eye and awaken the zeal of Oriental fcholars." fays: the remains of the Babylonian text of the Behuftan inwork on cc fcriptions." account for the multitude of letters in the Rawlinfonian It is evident that after his firft afTumption alphabet. which have unfortunately fuffered from time and weather. not with any pecuniary motive. that certain groups formed the name of Darywujh (Darius). and Hinckes. this pity muft give place to fpeechlefs aflonifhment at the declaration of fuch men as Rawlinfon taking thofe feven groups for the foundation of his gigantic ftructure of the AfTyrian alphabet. Rawlinfon gives a lift of 246 arrow-headed forms. we have about 160 different characters. in any cafe. which rendered it neceffary for them to be So when he met with two groups fimilar in claffified. It is certain that this number might be increafed (ad infinitum) by a comparifon of all the Ninevite infcripThis variety becomes ftill greater in confequence of the multitude of variations in which thefe characters tions. it has been carried on to completion with much patient ftudy. I mall now proceed to give the opinions of feveral learned men on the fchemes of interpretation adopted in And firft. If after ages might appear in the different infcriptions. he went on but as he proceeded new and ever varying groups met his eye. . " That thefcholars of Mefopotamia may have ujed perhaps a fourth part of thofejigures for feveral founds Let us endeavour to entirely different from each other. and induce them to give this new theory a fair and candid trial. in his " In" AfTyrian Decipherment. This work has been written at leifure moments. If it mail happen to be accepted. form. the works of Rawlinfon and others. cc Palmam qui meruit ferat " but. commiflerate the Babylonians and Affyrians for being obliged to ufe this multitude (as it would feem) of arbitrary forms. and with the fincere prayer that it may tend to the further elucidation and confirmation of the Holy Scriptures.ia8 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. but differing only in a fmall element which he . which he has found partly in AfTyrian and partly in Babylonian records. Brandis.
he claffed them as 129 of the fame i. to his alphabet and variants. fuch as c Formerly there exifted a favourite tradition among the inhabitants of Red Lion Square and its of Oliver Cromwell was buried vicinity. or one a variant of the 2. 3. for example. ideodeterminatives. n Rawlinfon's fyftem. on confideration.which he called c The Accadian? And if he mould continue his erroneous fyftem there is every probability that the variety of groups will double the number . improbable inclined to enough. primitive fyftem. firft The likelihood of as fuch a fact ftrikes us. every element 1 is a letter. beneath an obelifk which ftood there till within a few years. at thought. but very In ftrict analogy with different in meaning through a little character at the end of each fecond word.' and AA f>^2* LRTS. fmafh or crafh. as. 2. which they call in Aflyrian non-ejfentials y but with the primitive fyftem moft he proceeded with his investigations he effential. Fat and Fate. mu. two words of very our Englifh words meaning.. we are think that beneath this fpot not improbably moulder' .3. other. different i. if we take a number of groups of letters in our native tongue (a word is a group of letters) on any fimple fub. fuch as variants. to break. and yet. K* mu. . polyphones. Mat and Mate.' &c. homophones and he found the variety of ftill as he graphs proceeded groups fo numerous that he was obliged to invent a language and alphabet that never exifted. Hat and Hate. as : 2 3 < ARTS. 2. but according to the I.'The Accadian Alphabet. and claffifying kept adding them under various fufpidous names. words very much alike in found and orthography. As ject. called a non-effentialy meaning. c the Earth. that the body in the centre of their fquare. or ground.
and great variety of variations in the names in feveral other proper names. finally. it will take him ftrated. and under all the in. vain. the number would be legion. That the 6th But the 7th foot muft foot even admits of an anapaeft. but more at their ability to read their own writing. now we will take 70 words on another in it that are fubjedl. . and if we went on through all the ologies of man/ and tions. feafons. in the courfe of his excame acrofs a royal library of terra-cotta treatifes H. be an iambus. on which were written . if fo. except in the cafe of a proper name. of 69 words from Phyfiological Botany c To which belongs all that concerns the hiftory of vegetable life. it differs in two ift. Again. foot muft be an iambus or tribrach . accident. fo long as the phonetic value of the figns was adhered to. fluences exercifed art by climate. The iambic tetrameter catalectic is almoft peculiar to the comic writers . tablets. the of the AfTyrian kings. of all the arts and fciences ages to arrange them into different languages (like the Accadian) and form If fuch variations can be demonalphabets for each.' There are 62 words in this laft paragraph which are not in the firft. and we efforts to decipher fhall be them muft certainly be in and. Rawlinfon. and fee how many words there are 130 c not in the firft. 2nd. that the fourth refpects from the comic fenarius. C. a feries of words refifted all attempts to bring them into connection with any known language . or the In this jrd paragraph there are 42 words that are not in the firft or fecond zz 174 different groups of elements or letters. if we take another paragraph . making a total of 132 words or groups. and the plant firft breaks its mell to the period of death explaining the functions which the : various organs are deftined to perform the changes they undergo. our obliged not merely to wonder at the boldnefs of the AfTyrians in daring to tolerate them. We read that Sir plorations. in health or ficknefs. from the moment when the vital principle is imparted to the feed. zz 70 words. Next.The Ancient Ones of the Earth. when the anapasft is allowed which licenfe is alfo conceded to the fourth foot.
AfTar. who Ruler of Affyria* and fon ftyles himfelf of Sennacherib. ftriking inftance is furnifhed us in the treatment of the name of ' a king. 131 Once in pofleflion appeared to confirm his hypothecs. and the abbreviated form was in ufe only among the people. From this difficulty is Hinckes Credat that no eafily efcapes. without fcruple. the figure of an object was incredible as to render any other to this.Erandis's Mode of Decipherment . verified. in Mefopotamia. Be this as it may. e. we believe ber Of ARROW GROUPS A DEFINITE CONVENTIONAL LAW If this difcovery be OF FORMATION MAY BE TRACED. Accordingly. it is plain. and in the Ninevite infcriptions both this and the god AfTar. at Behuftan to fign exprefs the land of AfTyria . We employed its diftinct it for all its probability. no difficulty was Jo great as not to be. ' ! of the name perhaps Don Judteus Afella. i. perfons. that in a large numnounced. rivers and but that. becaufe in no other way can the ufe of generic figns before the names of the like be accounted for . eafily folved. it was not proappears to have loft this property. who confequently can be no other than A The firft fign agrees with this. /'/ was natural that the work of deciphering Jhould go rapidly forwards. countries. .. may admit. phonetic value and where. Nor is the manner in which Rawlinfon feeks to explain the origin of the alleged poly thong at all fatisfaclory. to that theory. writing was originally derived the phonetic part of the letter mutt have been although at the time confiderably developed. being the AfTarhaddon. fuch violence was neceflary. it runs diretlly counter. of fuch a principle. Lord of AfTyria. as a generic fign. Even in various names is oppofed to all Egypt each figure retained always . the thing is Jo utterly Happily we are able to mow mode oj Johing difficulties Neither hieroglyphics nor alphabetic preferable writing furnifhes the leaft analogy to fuch lawlejfnejs. for the full name of the AfTyrian was AfTar-don-ArTar. in the end The initial character to read A/far. that the cuneiform from the hieroglyphic. in this manner. But the laft of the three characters which compofe the name is but the fame as the c firft.
can any one who has entered thoughtfully into the works of Sir H. firft themfelves and then the world. characters (as I have faid before) is compofed of from. have formed an alphabet of thirty-nine letters. . with himfelf. and with what he calls a making a total of forty characters. Fox Talbot. . our diftruft of this lawleflhefs is ftill more increafed by the fad: that fo many important parts of the Ninevite infcriptions can be deciphered without affigning to the individual cuneiform characters more than one found which each has been proved to reprefent. This fcepticifm does not apply to the details merely. and has feen the numberlefs errors. and that Sir H.132 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. refufe to join in Rawlinfon attempts his the fentiments juft expreffed ? Behuftan tranflations by means of an alphabet compofed of the joint difcoveries of Grotefend and other German and French fcholars. he fays exifts at the fame time in the minds of many a very confiderable degree of doubt and hefitation with refpect in the : to the reality of the alleged difcoveries. and arbitrary {trainings he has had recourfe to in his tranflations. who. "disjunctive fign" Each of thefe befides a great number of variants." would afk. Secondly. with regard to a long feries of ftatements of the higheft hiftorical and literary importance which they And I have confidently and repeatedly put forward. Hinckes have completely deceived. Finally. fome writers have not hefitated to come forward in print and boldly aver their belief that the whole thing is a delujien. but extends to the Indeed. Rawlinfon and Dr. two to five elements but not one of the various groups of elements is anything fimilar in figure to any ancient or modern letter confequently a Rawlinfonian letter . in a letter from Mr. inferted " Journal of Sacred Literature/' and in which he " There defends the Rawlinfonian fyftem. Rawlinfon. very root and foundation of the whole fyftem. inconfiftencies. Brandis had been gifted with the power of foreknowledge." Can anything be more prophetic of the theory mown in this work ? One would almoft imagine that M.
vagabond. equal to Awlal "the race" (and this form The ninth ufed only when the race or family is noble. I refolved to teft my The beginning of alphabet by means of thefe writings. mercy. race.") Collectively Rawlinfon's "I AM D. dark night. is compofed of three horizontal wedges (two long and one fhort) and one long vertical wedge.The Cuneatic Alphabets. "They mall not (find) The fixth letter. in Rawlinfon's alphabet (Plate VIII. offprimitive Aoul (Perfian Awl. "he. forgivenefs. LILI. but or LM Lam (meaning in emphatic negative. " Al" descendants. vain. 9. The fecond group with two LN it D.") The third letter. is Adam Daryam Darius.) linfon's W. (" foolifh words." primitive. (The brick and glafs vafe. fame . A. A. wu/h"I vertical " the infcription. "they.) primitive A. 8.) forming Rawlinfon's the primitive A. and reft. pofterity. V?." plural.) tive or Lan (in Perfian an (vide Tablet of Alphabets) Perfian " mercy. as before. mail not be that. fig.") The feventh letter (fig.") vertical wedges Rawlinfon's (fig..) is compofed of four elements one horizontal over three wedges (Plate VI. Awiou. 133 forms a primitive word." The as eighth does. "a long. fingular. as I have mown by examples in a former part of this work. or foolifh fellow that knows not what he " foolifh. " . 14) is Raw- linfon's Y.) compofed (fig. the firft letter in this fhort fentence. " night. Now. and that the Perfians were the laft to ufe it.) Believing that at one period of time there was only one cuneatic alphabet in ufe all over the Eaft." "certainly never. 15. me. forming the primitive LALU (Perfian. according to Rawlinfon. the article. progeny. forms Rawletter." &c." Rawlinfon's R. or time of affliction and forrow :" Hebrew. ou i ou (Perfian Awi. it. The fourth letter is com- tranquillity.) and fpring. but the primitive Yaja. 10.") ufed in this inftance of five elements. is fupplied.) forming Rawlinfon's M (fig. and the primi- "No! pofed of one fhort horizontal wedge and three vertical ones (two long and one fhort.
whereas in the original (according to his own lym frwrtifh alphabet) there are only feventy-one." This appears to be the middle a fpeech. letter is cc Rawlinfon's compofed of three elements. pain. is in the race/') right place. but.) Therefore the tranflation by means of the primitive alphabet will c< read thus They mall not (find) mercy nor reft : (during) a long time of adverfity. foul. or an addrefs to certain individuals. making a total infcription of 105." &c. Forfter. In the whole he fupplies thirty-four letters. (fig. but the primitive Lgg. wind. felf. viz. the latter is cerjudge tainly beneath criticifm. Encouraged by my apparent fuccefs with the above ten groups. C. Rawlinfon fays that thefe infcriptions are in almoft every : A inftance trilateral . which is only applied to noblemen. I felected the infcription cut upon the drefs of the third ftanding figure to the right of the king.) Rawlinfon's U. which the fame in Perfian. forrow. (fig. and the very attitude of the king (as reprefented on the Behuftan of rock. by engraving many captives faflened by I mall let the reader cutting andftriking with a mallet" between the three tranflations . by the Rev. or.) forming SH. or Lkk (Perfian. in the inftance before us. of the c< cut fhort man fame ten groups treated of above a fingle rope. primitive Gan. mind. out of place here to notice the (to fay the leaft of it) very curious tranflation. letter. trouble. imprifonment. 17. and continued on the rock befide it. I determined to teft another fmall infcription from the Behuftan rock. He thus declared. if the prifoners are the nobles that confpired It will not be againft the throne and life of Darius. there are only three words that are triliteral. awtha athh adm khfhthrit amiy uwkhmtrhy adhurujhiy " This Phraortes tumaya adm khfhaythiy amiy madiy." &c. (" the is indicative of the fact. vital The tenth and laft the mouth.134 is The Ancient Ones of the Earth. of to fupply one to each to : . I am Xathrites. with his hand uplifted to the prifoners before him) And the word Awlal. 16. the foolifti race. and he is obliged make fenfe of it. Jan (" life. (but) imprifonment for life.) fpirit." was an impoftor.
I am forgivenefs Yaja. why fupply : Dh and for Mu for M . Rawlinfon Yaja. two h's. I have to 135 In giving fay in its nothing favour. . bet ? andly. In his tranflation. and kh Sir ? 3rdly. it was thrown off as I found it. " the language of Rawlinfon is in full agreement with that of Herodotus. odour and Yaja. viz. /#/). : and misfortune." i. Lo! mercy I our land in trouble.. forgivenefs in vain. and two r's in his alphafor D. and I in fetters." I think this fhould agreement be reverfed. trouble. without any labour or ftudy but I muft fay. Why in the forty-firft letter. vainly I ad- tranquillity and never expect (and) I I in malice grew triumphant (literally. the efTence of misfortune. inflaming the mind miniftered juftice and mercy. nearly verbatim. by means of the primitive alphabet. . and of feventy-one groups cut on the drefs of Rawlinfon's ConPhraortes. governing well the Yaja a long troublous time I faw not province through affliction a babbling. 1 the race of Cyaxares . with refpect to the Behuftan alphabet. forrow." is am Yaja ! fon's my experimental teft of Rawlingroups of Perfian cuneiform. I am a fool. the die is caft. cluding this part of the fubject. will never be.The Behuftan Rock Inferipf ion. am The tranquillity like a ftagnant pool." ." the following tranflation. I am king of Media. why ufe fupply five letters in the ninth K " that the language of Herodotus is in full fays with that of the Behuftan infcriptions. in is . it feems a remarkable coincidence that it mould give forth juft fuch language as we might naturally expect from a dif" Behold I appointed and unfuccefsful confpirator . fpirit of the king and his race is To increafe profperity vanity (I) forgivenefs is not to be expected no mercy will ever be mown to us . mifchievous flew from profpirit in captivity .e. . three k's. What occafion is there for two g's. I may afk for an anfwer to be given firft Such the refult of ten to the following queries ift. defire life it is Lo ! I folly to expect mercy ." "I am 1 H. 2 vince to province. our water in affliction. defiring reft. ." 2 The Perfian word "Yaja" is fynonymous with "fool. our land in trouble.
another in Latin. muft have obferved that there is a marked difference in the combination of the various groups of elements or wedges. CANIS . cannot hold good with fimilar groups of Nineveh or Babylonia. if I take a group of elemental binations. with the addition of what I imagine Rawlinfon would call a Now. if I apply the . which belonged to a much earlier To illuftrate this we know that age and nation. and apply the adopt Englifh group. which we have juft fpoken of. viz. commenced in the preceding chapter. 'The Ancient Ones of the Earth. Nakfhi-Ruftam. but to produce a word of the fame meaning they enter into different comFor inftance. and that the fyftem of Rawlinfon. that text from 1 839 and Q. would it be right to fay that it had non-eflential. DOG another group characters. As I have faid before. or word of the fame meaning in French. that a DOGE is a DOG. in making an individual group of fuch elements in the Perfian language a letter. If he means Laffen's. the neareft approach to it would be DOGE. or one word in Englifli. and Babylon. DOG.136 word . Nineveh. and SH and R. (Vide Rawlinfon's Alphabet. the Rawlinfonian imperfeft Jyftem. is dated 1 844. he attempts the tranflation by means of his felf-acknowledged imperfeft Behuftan key of forty letters. becaufe the groups are fimilar in form ? Again. French. and ? laftly. why is he not content with his ? own in- alphabet Why ufe one of Laffen's letters in two Rawlinfon fays he His own ^ a ^> whofe text ? follows the text of 1839. . to 1844 differs very materially. to a correfponding group in French. CHIEN and ftances in this fhort infcription A ! : . yet precifely one meaning. Behuftan. and Latin languages are compofed of the fame elemental figns or letters.) J How very necefTary it is he mould recollect every ftep taken in this important inquiry But let us return and look a little further into Rawlinfon's tranflation of the Black Marble Obelifk. thefe would be all different But if I combinations. Any one at all acquainted with the various cuneiform infcriptions from Perfepolis. the Englifh. the fame meaning. as widely as and Z.
unalphabet.The Black Marble Obeli/k. or Hebrew meanas has been noticed ing attached to each feparate group. DOG. the neareft combination to it would be DOGMA. proving. Latin. French. which Sir H. T. H . to the Latin language. with five hundred variants. Q. I think. (Look at and 6. another eighty.. One Sir Henry's ArTyrian alphabet has forty. and teft them by we mall find that each individual Rawlinthe certainty. But as for figure 6.." the fame thing ? Yet the Aflyrian philologifts are ftill farther afield in their variants of the fame letter. Plate VI. with two non-effenOnce more. one alphabet for Englim.) have formed alphabets differing greatly The in philolo- number of figns. that figure 5 is the primitive S. what procefs or what authority he has for ftating that 6 has the fame meaning as 5. and which has to their fcarcely any or but few correfponding groups Is it any wonder they are full of doubt. fonian letter has either a Perfian. inconfiftencies. Rawlinfon tells figures 5 us have the fame meaning. Sut. in modern alphabet days. think and error ? If we compare the Perfian groups forms Rawlinfon's alphabet with the groups on which even groups. 1 37 fame group. KH. that one was common all over the Eaft. They apply this imagithat had exifted between nary alphabet to a language two and three thoufand years earlier. Spanim. B. let us look a little at the remarkable anachronifms. and of which they can give no certain account as to the pho- netic power of each it letter. "a to the Latin I mould have CHIA fig of delicious Would it be proper to fay the two words meant quality. and contradictions refpefting this monu- before . beyond doubt. Then is compofed of three hun- dred letters or figns. &c. if I apply the French group CHIEN tials.we (hall find on\yf or letters. viz. primitive. it will be obferved /'. the Black Marble Obelifk. confequently in that light it ftands for SUT. that will at all correfpond. is gifts beyond my powers of imagination. Neither does Sir Henry of any confequence. But before we proceed with the Black Marble Obelifk. and the Rawlinfonian alphabet is formed. as . Arabic. e. &c. and if we take the various groups of which F. as. another ninety. K..
Rawlinfon calls elfewhere Temen Bar. c. fharply infcribed in a minute There cannot be a doubt but that both character. fays of Shalmanezer //. fon of Sardanapalus ? If fo. five on each of its four. who fucceeded : his father Sardanapalus the Great. leaving alone the faff that Jehu was never fubject to tribute by any Affyrian 2nd. and the infcriptions record the names of the donors. reprefent Jews bringing tribute to Shalmanezer. is an object of black marble. ment perpetrated by and others. conNeither fequently there is a difcrepancy of 255 years. which has attracted moft attention in this country. In contradiction to which. page 430. the ft.C. will the reign of Jehu.. 902. The monument Monarchies. c. ii. The " that the figures Profeflbr alfo ftates. amongft whom are Jehu. xii. Rawlinfon and Dr. accordBlack Marble Obelifk ing to Sir H. a period of cc : thirty-five years." mentioned above are the fame. the Who is Selima Rim ? contemporary King of Syria. and the fpace above. i Mufeum authorities. fides. it contains the annals of the reign of Selima Ri/h. difcovered in a proftrate pofition. c. Profeflbr Rawlinfon. 859 to B. the King of Ifrael. and Hazael." vol. Hinckes. . between and below them. 824. The bas- reliefs illuftrate the offerings and prefentations to the King by his numerous tributaries. under the debris which covered It contained bas-reliefs in up Shalmanezer *s palace. but the ProfefTbr objects attributes the monument to Shalmanezer II. Is he the fame individual as Sir H.. at all agree with the reign of Selima Rim. Rawlinfon " Thefe epigraphs contain a fort of regifter of the fays : 1 " Royal Afiatic Journal. Raw- Printed by order of the Truftees of the Britifh Mufeum." vol. who flourifhed from B. being covered with cuneiform writing. Sir H. B. in his " Five Ancient king. and that it reprefents the chief ambaflador of the Israelites proftrating himfelf before the king (Shal1 manezer). in page 365. of the Houfe of Omri. 647.138 linfon The Ancient Ones of the Earth. Sir H. twenty compartments. this king (Temen Bar) did not reign until B. page 367. the Ifraelitim King.
and Shalmanezer IV." How Jehu fent tribute to Shal- The Nimroud Monument. what Sir H. Rawlinfon fays proceed that " the infcription on it opens with an invocation to the gods. of the fame object. the Great Lord. of time of more than eleven centuries muft be bridged of his reign A over before we can bring thefe two contradictory ftatements into contact at all.The Black Marble tribute fent in Obelijk. 2000. now in the linfon calls Britifh " Mufeum. 139 by five different nations to the A/Tynan The firft epigraph records the king (Temen Bar). .C. as different and gap oppofite to each other as two accounts can be. 859. the ProfefTor ftates that " can this be ? Shalmanezer II. But again. to placed on fuch conflicting ftatements? with the Black Marble Obelifk. B." and here he makes the remarkable u I cannot follow the fenfe of the whole invoconfeffion. and fubdued The names of the fubject kings diftant nations. Amongft th6fe kings was one whofe name reads Jehu. and Jehu 880." contains the annals of the Son of Ninus. reigned eighty-nine years after Jehu. which takes up fourteen lines of writing 1 I think I perceive the following names. for the Son of Ninus flourifhed Can any dependence be B. Again. c. receipt of the tribute from Shehua of Ladfam" Again. King of IJraeL Can here are two accounts by anything be more prepofterous ? the fame writer. viz. but cation. commenced his reign about the fame year that Jehu died. and according to his account it contains about fifteen royal names. 138 years fubfequent to the death of Jehu. many are duly recorded on the obelifk^ in fome inftances with fculptured reprefentations of the various objects fent. King of all the great gods . Raw- manezer. Ani. the fon of Kunvri (Omri) and who has been identified by Sir H. confequently Jehu could not have brought tribute to any of the Shalmanezers. . Rawlinfon with Jehu. Shalmanezer III. He built the centre Palace of Nimroud and raifed the obelifk." Then follows AfTyrian . infcribing upon it the principal events he was a great conqueror. the conqueror of Samaria. 1 " The god Aflarac.
year by year. R. The fact is.. Nit. juft as in modern days we do not find the names of Marl borough. I would notice that Rawlinfon's tranflation of the Jecond year.) and many others. (of . as Gillirri the fupreme zaallini. A (crofling the Euphrates) . the mother of the gods. but on the original it is ^> L. which I find to be names of individuals. 2nd. of what ufe. I afk. is the prote&or. (Aufzits. are the i ft. and laftly Shalmanefer. of thofe names is the conjectural diftinctive epithet " Bitalready noticed. Cf on the Jecond year of is my" ^ .. well-defined cha- which I can make intelligible fenfe. Achligrou. "are 'very But why cannot he follow the fenfe ? doubtful indeed'' He has given us twenty-fix lines of cuneatic groups forming this invocation. having diftinguifhed themfelves during the reign of the Obelifk king. and we hear of them no more. and 4th groups in an horizontal direction to the right (Plate 9). there are fome and complicated groups in the firft twentyvery peculiar fix lines which he cannot find in any other infcription. moft of which. a lift of names taken from the Aflyrian mythology. is his alphabet of 300 letters and 500 variants? He then goes on to detail the annals of his ideographical Temen Bar. . and " if Rawlinfon cannot make fenfe of thofe king. groups." . he candidly tells us fubfequently. and Artenk. Ligirr. Selima Rim. &c. Belt. but Sir H. pafTed away. WaiOne pole.) mow(and the opening invocation ! ing the probability of their being diftinctive appellatives of certain individuals who.140 The Ancient Ones of the 'Earth. &c. Ninus. and prifoners taken thoufands upon thoufands {lain cities and pillaged burnt. the character for "an" according to the primitive. will be the king. But before we proceed any farther. jrd. and yet he cannot follow the fenfe of racters. the fupreme god of the provinces. the fe^ L. firft With my fyftem the character. makes them fynonymous. or Pitt in the annals of William the Fourth.) and fubhe gives us page after page of letter-prefs fequently of defcriptive of battles and fieges. the powerful. all in clear.
A. and if we Sargon allow four groups to be the average of. for Sir H. which would give but a very brief too fhort. containing 120 words! what combination of to letters be Can there be any truth. year there are fixteen lines of cuneatic character. containing. account of the year's tranfactions. and call it an graph" but with my fimple fyftem it refolves itfelf into the name of an individual king. G." afked Mr. A. of but is more in accordance with his own fyftem courfe. Sir by giving us feventeen and a-half containing at leaft 175 letter-prefs. it was what they called an ideograph. Now. annals of the twenty-fifth. in fuch tranflations ? Again. I pafs over many minor errors until I come to the tenth year. the names of Darius and' fifty-four letters. " in the 141 in he made that particular he anfwered that there were no "year. the fecond I group from the numeral W. the transactions of which are reprefented by two lines of groups. are compofed of feven groups each. they give it a mean" ideoing to fuit their own purpofe. in words in the contraft with the two laft-mentioned cafes Henry makes up lines for it of ! . indeed. .the right thing cafe right place of" thefecondy my fuppofed. R. for he has given us twelve lines of letter -prejs for the year's annals. the eleventh year has two and a-half lines of cuneatic writing. (2) will be "year. I afk again. a word. and to defcribe them. we mail not have quite fourteen words to record the events of the tenth year. F. if two and a-half lines of characters cannot be defcribed with lefs than one hundred and feventy-five . but with Rawlinfon.) by (year) The Black Marble Obelijk. but about twenty words . viz. This. fo that it appears plainly that wherever they find an awkward group that they cannot analyze by means of their 300 letters and 500 variants. Where does it all come from ? And then. according to his fyftem. L. we have only feven and a-half of letter-prefs. containing eighty-two letters or not very prolific in events. R." group letters in it. Rawlinfon. of whom I have fpoken before. Aalfarr. Smith (who transcribes for Sir H.
" the twentieth for them. indeed. with a final T. he fays that Euphrates is written XMtA/ > or $4 / or optionally." have miffed a year. is either of the each of thefe forms muft. inftead of the one hundred and Jeventy -five words which he has given us.142 words. That might be. What cies . I regifter (of events) ingly undertake to give an explanation. be founded Berat or out of nine. " Of this I will now accordfays : accounts for his omitting obfcurity I have omitted it: (this " and the the invocation. who kept an account of the number of times they crofTed the river Thames. in their journeys we fhould think them to and from Windfor to London ? more fit for Bedlam or Hanwell. think. anfwer can be given to thefe glaring inconfiftenleaving alone the extreme abjurdity of fuppofing a to keep a regifter of the number of times he crofted king a river in the immediate vicinity of his home? What would be faid of our beloved Queen. follows that we muft have upwards of eleven hundred for the fixteen lines. cc I will give the reply in his own words . it The Ancient Ones of the Earth. : I do not affect to confider my reading of the obelifk infcription in the light ever. than to govern a civilized people. or any other of our Englifh monarchs. Once " the name of the more. he might time I crofled the Euphrates. as he has all through for Euphrates. And in the twenty-four years he fays "I crofled the river Zab" and he has given us precifely the fame groups for Zab. merely premifing that although confiderable difficulty ftill attaches tural" The following words will mow the confidence with which he views his own tranflation of the events contained He in the infcription on the Black Marble Obelifk." But in no one inflame above five groups to be found in the place he has affigned In the twenty-firft year he has. Perat.) interpretation even which I have of many of the ftandard expreflions is almofl conjecgiven critical tranflation whenhave met with a pafTage of any particular " of a .
but this I know. filver. fig. which I regret I cannot follow. courfe the variants will be brought in to fupply their But what can be faid of fuch a fyftem. rendering the folio volume of infcriptions which has been fent to all no more value than wajle 'paper." Very pofTible but ftill they are very doubtful. parts of the world of And this I am ready to confirm before any number of Gallery. he fays Gold. i. fpeaking of the various articles which compofe " the five tributary offerings.) but not one <c Adan" in the epigraph. with the original monuin the comparing the inpublifhed by the Mufeum. of ! . but I cannot conjeclure (woncamels I derful!} the nature of many of the offerings c the dejert with find under the designation of beafts of : . befides an interpolation of fome three or four groups. or much . and gems. ebony and ivory. leaving no room for the affigned for " cc Forfter's Honey-comb tripe.The Black Marble Obelijk. that fcriptions pieafe in ? But before I authorized copy in the Truftees of the Britifh Mufeum. Then follow his conjectures refpecting the epigraphs. the interpreters can pick and choofe from a Jot of eight hundred and make juft what they go any further I muft ftate. the double back. Again. not having a knowledge of his alphabet or of the variants . 143 to the pronunciation of the proper names. fpace as is defignation would occupy whole epigraph. according to his as own fyftem. that in the fourth epigraph he ftates that the tribute is that of <c Sut pal adan" There is not any group (that he has previoufly ftated) that ftands for "Sut" in the there are many " Pals'' (fee Plate whole epigraph IV.' this " Why. Britifh firft ment Nimroud lines there are no lefs gentlemen as a committee. may be made out pearls with more or lefs accuracy. or paunches uncut . in the than one hundred and forty forty-four errors in the tranfcription. and although the meaning of particular paffages is ftill unknown to me. where place. I hold the accurate afcertainment of the general purport of the legend to be no more fubjecl to controverfy than my decipherment of the Perfian Behuftan infcriptions.
" or Aflyrian goat. yoV. there are feveral figures bearing bundles of wood (it muft be precious wood to be brought as tribute to a king) . AALMZ. which is near to the "capra aegagra. monkeys. and for mufical inftruments. the t. feen in the left-hand corner of the fourth . which appears to be a favourite oblation to their gods.144 Tfie Ancient Ones of the Earth." Then. c< a young camel. Z. and other animals. who were obliged to record the annals of their kings and their literature upon (tones. mentation in palaces. and no more tm (BKN) the i. and here we have the name of the moft coftly wood that was N . behind the rhinoceros. BKR. would adopt fuch a round-about way of naming an animal when one word would fuffice ? And that one word (according to the primitive alphabet) we have in each epigraph under where the camels are found. commuted for n. which are Is it for the elephant. R. commuted for G. And laftly. The word is group of Face D. to fuit modern orthography the almug. the Eaft. and this almug wood was ufed for ornafigures. known in j. which is quite legitimate im. to be feen with the camels. we have the word AKKG. and as fuch an acceptable offering or tribute the exact figure is feen on Face B. again. at all probable or rea- fonable to fuppofe that the ancients.
fible that inquiring independently fhould agree refpedling the fyllabic value of one or two intelligent two men . fenfe. Rawlinfon. as it were. Fox Talbot " For feveral fays years. difcoveries are due to their fagacity : . An individual fcholar might. two engaged in the work of interpretation. and meaning of the infcriptions.. the pronunciation of the words. Rawlinfon's confidence in his own works &c. be led by his fancy in fuch an inquiry but it is quite impof. Mr. Rawlinfon's anachronifm requiring explanation Author's tranflation of the three Gradines of the Black Marble Obelifk Author's tranflation from the winged figure Conclufion. been a fubftantial agreement as to the nature. has always mown a difpofition to criticize and examine them narrowly. of a long and totally forgotten language. perhaps.CHAPTER THE WINGED IX. far from acquiefcing indolently in the other's opinion. &c. Fox Talbot's defence of Sir H. and fome of the chief and each of them. In fupport of the theory of Sir H. FIGURE. ET us now look a little into the celebrated tranflation from the fuppofed cylinder of Tiglath Pilezer. however. Rawlinfon Cylinder of Tiglath Pilezer Author's anfwer to it Great inconfiftencies in the tranflation. and almoft from the firft difcovery of the Aflyrian inrival fcholars have been feparately fcriptions. and the almoft complete revivification. The refult of their long and careful examination has.
which is far from being the cafe)." not. Talbot and Oppert agree countries. Oppert renders. Rawlinfon fays hand their valued and warlike Jervants" Of the fame cc I have groups of characters Talbot makes." In anfwer to thefe Statements. grafped in And the fame battle their mighty weapons in my hand. when they all by means of the fame alphabet ? There might be fome trifling variations. Burnouf. < do : they Jpoke to me their langroups Dr. It is true in that Meflrs. however. " at the Jame time. general tranflated Tiglath Pilezer. of fifty-four paragraphs there are more than thirty that and there are many extraordinary variations flrange varieties"}. flab is found with an ancient us fuppofe a cafe: Greek infcription on it. a few of (euphemistically called which I fhall enumerate. I contend that there is nothing extraordinary in the apparent agreement of the AfTyrian philologifts (even fuppofing they were all agreed. Thus. that this agreement is no doubt to be attributed to their names of thirty-nine with one or two doubtful excepthe having adopted the values propofed previously by RawlinOut fon and Hinckes" And here the agreement ends. but they would certainly But not fo with this cylinder of agree in the main. hundred crabbed and complicated fymbols. or univeHities for tranflation. is]. if there happened to be a A A agreement in the tranflations. extenfive domination of the fore part of my guage (that <c . but differ in fome of their letters as they lean to fome of the Let earlier fyftems of Grotefend. or nearly fo. if there were no real bafis of truth on which they had each feparately reared their edifice. it is to be remarked tions . and LafTen. copy of the infcription is fent to a profefTor of languages in each of the Englifh Should we be furprifed. and alfo as to the true intent and meaning of long hiftoric ftatements in thofe phrafes of a nearly unknown language.146 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. in the fourth paracf Having committed to my graph. think it anything remarkable. when we know that they work with the fame alphabet. Rawlinfon. and a vaft number of words formed out of fuch fyllables.
when fuch palpable this all . and then in fuch fmall'numbers as to imply that even there they chariots in enclofed parks I deftroyed. .Great Jhips." and Talbot has The gods Niniv and Sidu. in their various tranflations found Nor is 1 Here we fee that Rawlinfon and Fox Talbot " tion to each other. and their . . laid and 800 low. ? 147 is Is not this laft quite unintelligible the agreement ? Again. " The " gods Hercules and Nergal." Now in Profeflbr Rawlinfon's "Five Ancient Monuments " (p. while Rawlinfon has flain lions in his chariots in his exploratory journeys are in direct oppofi- 120 I lions. in the thirtyfixth paragraph Rawlinfon has. in my chariots. Rawlinfon has. Thus. to a countlefs amount. in enclofed parks I deftroyed. on the borders of Syria. and their . Fox Talbot makes. the firft of the facred Triad. cc Under the aufpices of my guardian deity Hercules. abundantly I carried off." The fame fentence rendered by Talbot is : " their paragraph." ." Fox Talbot has by means of his god Ninev 120 wild bulls or buffaloes." and Dr. their WOMAN. . and only to be met with in the outlying diftricls of the empire. and 800 of them in my " the wild bull or buf133)." They agree in the name of the great Anu. for Rawlinfon has . in one inftance. . two fofs of lions fell before me. Hinckes place Rawlinfon has " wild elephants." Nimroud the mighty hunter muft man fink into utter infignificance after fuch a royal fportfCan it be poffible that three gentlemen of fuch ! acknowledged learning can fyftem. really believe in their own contradictions are to be of the fame paffage ? cannot even agree in the names of they the gods. wealth. but they all difagree " Vul in the fecond. and in the country about Haran. I flew. "in the conflict of the chafe on my lands I flew." " wild buffaloes. in the fifth Where ing to Rawlinfon. he ftates faloe to be a rare animal." Inconfiftencies in the Tranjlation." Once more. and their valuables I plundered. were not very abundant. and 800 lions. 120 buffaloes in the conflict of the chafe on rny lands. and 800 of them in my 1 In another chariots. accord" their movables. " In the Ninev my guardian deity. and fay 120 ?) Of the fame paflage Mr. we have. in my exploratory journeys I laid low." (Why does he fay "two fofs?" Why cannot he keep to the text." Talbot.
King of AfTyria." And to names.. The two are at direct variance in principal philologifts. of any Aflyrian king invading the country of Judea at the The Bible is very time fpecified in their tranflation. "Yem. and Abel Beth Maachah. c. I Not having Mr. fee. when 1 Extract from a letter by Mrs." And this is ftrongly corro: borated Now. by Jofephus (Book IX. depend on Major Rawlinfon's readings of the cuneiform infcriptions ? My faith is not very firm in his interpretations. xi. whofe name was Tiglath Pilezer.fourth laftly. i. but perhaps your treaty with the Egyptian king may give a : little more infpiration. London : 1 864.) this Pekah held the government twenty years. 1 1 that the principal events recorded the above-men- tioned cylinder took place and yet there is or in Jofephus. and carried clear upon this point (2 . certainty to his conjectures. "Ao. : them " captive to AfTyria. " and twenty-ninth verfe (and reigned) twenty years " In the of Pekah. 27-29): of Azariah. F. and Janoah. King of Ifrael. but that when names are expreffed. the chronological and hiftoriftate for both Sir H. mowing indifputably that their : : : agreement the cal : in any cafe is purely conjectural.The Ancient Ones of the Earth. ." Hinckes." 1 " The fifth defcendant of Ninip-pal-ukin" Oppert Thefe are only a few out of a multitude of examples that could be cited. it is poffible that they may be imagined rather than deciphered" Correfpondence of C. moreover. King of Judah. came Tiglath days Pilezer. and Hazor. Rawlinfon and Dr. Hinckes upon B. Cornwallis.. 20 no mention in Biblical hiftory. and proved a wicked man and a tranfgrefTor. chap. Caroline Frances Cornwallis to " Can we Samuel Birch. and Gilead and Galilee. Efq. we have in the forty. and Kedefh. Pekah the fifty-fecond year fon of Remaliah began to reign over Ifrael in Samaria. "Iv. with refpect 148 paragraph the following varying interpretations Rawlinfon " The beloved child of Bazanpalakura. mod eflential points. <c ln the Kings xv. all the land of Napthali. am troubled with a certain feeling that I 's plenary know nothing about the matter. But the King of Aflyria." Talbot: cc The/0rM defcendant of Ninivbalu/hat. and took Ijon." and Oppert.
" partly Supported by Sir H. and Kadefh. Fox Talbot reads crepancy of nearly 400 years. 149 he had made an expedition againft the Ifraelites. in flat contradiction to this. nor fays : But what. "The final "Literary Inqueft. fays. and the region beyond Jordan. and I exprerTed my conviction moft decidedly in tranflation. "/ am Jatisfied. and that the lay fuppofed expedition into Syria and the Mediterranean was notes to my Egypt one into Armenia and the Black Sea. and had overrun all the land of Gilead.Great Inconjiftencies in the Tranflation. and the adjoining country. . their armies I This interpretation deftroyed. the three moft celebrated of Aflyrian be in direct antagonifm to philologifts are thus found to each other ? It is much to be wimed that thefe three eminent fcholars ordeal/' when fhould give us a plain explanation of the means by which they have arrived at the phonetic power of each particular letter or fyllable. from beyond the Euphrates to the " Upper is Jea of the Jetting Jun" (the Mediterranean). who fays that Tiglath Pilezer invaded Paleftine and conquered all before him.e.called Galilee. But Dr. that he thinks that Rawlinfon's and Talbot's tranflations are moftly imaginary or Now. from the infcription that the invafion of the aforefaid Thefe events took Egypt. in point of upon this point ? He is it of any confequence. after viewing all thofe glaring di crepancies and contradictions. Rawlinfon. and confequently there is a difMr. who will be bold enough to fay there is any dependence to be placed on the or as fome call it. Hinckes. which is . he made the inhabitants prifoners. according to Biblical chronology. and Hazor. lower Egypt) I ravaged. 740 B. fo that their readers might be put in a pofition to judge for themfelves.. "All the provinces king was into Syria and Egypt: of Mufri (i.C. that the countries Juppofed to be to the north-eaft of Korfabad." It is evident from what the doctor fays here. does Sir H. Rawlinfon fay " / am neither able. and tranfplanted them into his Not a word is here faid about kingdom." conjectural." own place. fact. and I burnt their cities.
as having put forth to the world a literal and.150 which I The Ancient Ones of the Earth. or who are competent to give evidence in regard to it. let us take what he publifhed in the year 1847. be of fully . Hinckes) has not only prefented us with the firft of a feries of Affyrian Grammar. he there fays then. of fo after the lapfe many years. the greater part of which ftate as to afford is in fo perfect a ample and certain grounds for a minute and the purorthographical and etymological analyfis port of which to the hiftorian muft. . which is fuch that one of them (Dr. to fay the leaft of it. and of witneffes (at prefent not much above the Mofaic minimum) by which the foundnefs of more that refult is attefted. Rawlinfon imagine that we are to take all that he choofes to put into print without examination or " There are two confiderations which feem to queftion ? us in expecting fome more minute information juftify on this head. or to determine the refpective dates of the difcoveries." Now. a correct grammatical tranflation of nearly two hundred lines of cuneiform writing (fince augmented to four hundred). the more ample we naturally defire their teftimony to be. to defcribe the means by particular letter. Sir H. I think. Hyftafpes." But as a ftrong proof of the confidence Sir Henry Rawlinfon had in his own works. The fecond is that without venturing for a moment to queftion the profound learning and acute fagacity of the difcoverers the more tentative the procefs the the fmaller the number conjectural the refult. is a very off-hand and^ afcertained the power of each Does unfatisfactory method of getting over difficulties. 13). this. x. I do put forth a claim to originality. in the "Royal Afiatic Journal" (vol. which have been known and ftudied ever fince they have ceafed to be fpoken. as I believe. but has even ventured to employ his affumed knowledge of that language to the criticifm of other cognate dialects. p. a memorial of Darius : In the prefent cafe. that we may be put as much as in a pofition to form an poffible opinion for ourfelves. The firft is the confidence which the difcoverers evidently repofe in their conclufions . Speaking of the Behuftan c< infcription.
" Again." : Now be underftood that the foregoing extract was written at leaft two years previous to the difcovery of the Black Marble Obelifk by Layard. Does Sir H. which in epigraphy. Rawlinfon mean to fay that Darius Hyftafpes copied from the Aflyrian infcriptions ? If fo. a member and a real difcoverer himfelf fcience.9 Rawlinfon s Confidence in his own Works. in the fixteenth page of the fame (C In February of the prefent year volume. came againft me offering battle. This is an Inftitute. the Behuftan But how is this to be reconciled with the infcription). Monfieur de Saulcy. and of thus placing beyond the power of difpute the claim of the fociety at date (February 1846 or 1847) to tne refults which are publimed in the following memoir. fuch as the rebels having ajjembled their forces. 151 equal intereft with the peculiarities of its language to the philologift. 1 a man of . This antiquary convifts the readings of Rawlinfon. Rawlinfon goes on to fay " : It was indeed the difcovery of known pafTages of this fort IN THE OBELISK." This requires a paufe. what authority has he for the aflertion certain that Nineveh's palaces had been deftroyed many years before the birth of Darius. Yet we find in the year 1 850 <c or 1851 Sir Henry fpeaking in this ftyle Many of the ftandard expreflions at Behuftan. and it was only in the palaces of Nineveh that any records were fince it is found ? Sir H. in the of the French 1847 London. when the Obelifk was not part known pletion the Perfian infcription in the early part of the year 1846 or but he did not fee the Obelifk until his arrival 5 in to exift for feveral years fubfequent to the comof the Behuftan legend ? Sir Henry had jini/hed middle of the year 1849 1 inconfiftency which requires explanation. he fays (1846 or 1847) I took the precaution of forwarding to the Royal Afiatic Society a literal tranflation of every portion of the Perfian writing at Behuftan. former of his ftatement. an extenfive traveller in the Baft.e. I fought with them. and defeated them PROVE TO HAVE let it : ' ' BEEN ADOPTED VERBATIM FROM THE ASSYRIAN ANNALS. INSCRIPTION that firft gave me an infight into the general purport of the legend" (i.
Rawlinfon. taking the principal divinities. my fole defign is to exhibit the refults of a fyftem which I firmly believe will ultimately prove to be wholly erroneous. in conclufion. adds the editor of the "Journal of Sacred Literature. reveal to us the loft names of certain kings of the Aflyrian dynafties. enabled to copy from the originals in the Britifh Mufeum. however. or at being left deftitute of proof.152 The Ancient Ones of the "Earth. while I firmly previous fyftems. with farcaflic deference. indeed. I mall proceed to fhow that while in the colony of Victoria it was next to an impoffibility for me to give anything like a correct tranflation of any of the infcripBut fince my return to England I have been tions. who. and was imperative in the prefent fubje6t. I my fyftem it is think that founded upon truth and reafubject to many modifications. and then I hope that the great problem of the primitive language will be folved. to fay the truth." . parenthetically. Athenteum Franqais. Rawlinfon's Pantheon. incumbent even is indifpenfable in all fcience. in proving the truth of my own theory. In pointing out thefe obvious difcrepancies. Having faid this much. of being improbable in tbemf He fubftantiates this triple charge againft variance with each other. perfonage by perfonage. and this. the printed copies of which are fo full of errors that it would have been labour in vain to have attempted any more from fuch a fource errors which Sir H. to the number of over a fcore. alfo to mow the errors and inconfiftencies of At the fame time." It is alfo the advice I would convey to your Britifh readers. he fays. where the difcoverer pretends alone to have the key to the exploration of the cuneiform writings. of elves. and is that it can only be brought to perfection by gentlemen of profound abilities as Oriental fcholars. believe that fon. but merely waits until Rawlinfon gives fome proofs of his revelations . The fubject I confider to be one of great and vital importance. appear themfelves to have tacitly taken a fimilar courfe. noife they And make about fo ftartling a publication. and as I claim to be the difcoverer of a new fyftem. that he " denies nothing. the publication feems to merit the fever eft treat- ment. and . I am compelled. Hinckes and Layard would only call non-effentials3 fuch as the omiflion of elements or wedges from fome groups. if one may judge from the little in religion. the fubftitution of one group for another.
the Awleph (or A) I find in fome cafes is drawn out. fubjecl. only think this I will not fay anything in its favour. or vice verfa. L Tfadde (or TS) gets placed upright. but fearful and myftic city cries found favour with or pleafed the feeble monarch. it would greatly. interfere with the truth of the tranflation. and may be tolerated on the imperfecJ Eehuflan Jyftem . although it was at firft my intention to make a tranflation of the whole of the infcription on the Black Marble Obelifk. Now. wherein the writer ftates that. will aflume the perpendicular and become the Beth or B. . and I do not much. where every element is a letter. can perceive any of the names of the AfTyrian I 1 mythology. there is a paper by Mr." page 476. who will 1 In the third volume of the " Journal of Sacred Literature. the Zain. H. appointing one Tfaallni to be governor over the conquered people of Lailirou. W. with a flight that people in ancient take up their dwelling-place near a fpring or well of water (as is proved in Genefis xxv. or chief bowman. "And Ifaac dwelt by the well LAHAIROI. or Z. if not fatally. but with the primitive fyftem. to the above ance of CH . 2 Can this be the name mentioned in Genefis It is well alteration in the orthography ? as well as in modern days congregate and known xvi. had fettled in Shinar and founded a Scythic kingdom/' May not this be the fame individual as the one mentioned above? We know that the liquids L and interchange one with the other. that I can follow the Jenje." and poffibly became the founder of a townfhip or city afterwards called LAILIROU).. and has the appearand again. (fee Table of Alphabets).and ftating cc that their king will be cared for Gillirri entered the and took captive the king . vice verfd. and. For inftance. therefore Gillirri might have M become Gimmirri. "Gimirad. attempt of the firft three gradines. : Gillirri appoints the friend of Tfaallni chief. or Gimir. Therefore. the Lamed gets fhortened and becomes A.Author s Tr'(inflation of the three Grammes. 14. I mall be I have made an obliged to defer it for the prefent. Ormfby. 1 1. or it becomes the or elongated. 153 the alteration of the figure of an element. or Sometimes Awleph. all thefe changes are looked upon as non-eflentials. difadvantages. or chief of the Gimir. confequently Lamed. It begins with a proclamation from the fupreme king Gillirri.
about A. Nothing mall diftrefs the land the fojourn of the king. 1 who the intercefTion of Tfaallni that through to fave fome in the tribute. a a flab with a reprefentation of a winged figure. Aufzits. Ligirr. known unto all that the chief governor of the people Lailirou will will of ! rebuild the walls or fortifications. an EgypXt'yw. The chief Tfaallni will the governor by the fourteenth day of the month compel Zou to abide (his word). whatever I attempt. and lo behold them (obliteration. I can elicit fenfe. to in page 73.154 not fail The Ancient Ones of the Earth. like as a) friend they feen in the time of trouble. 2650. and. Aufzits fought fearfully to prevent the entering of Aram.*' as its name imports. and compel Afluredly the towns it Be (obliteration. or about the time of Jofhua? 1 Has this name any connexion with the Leleges we read of in ancient hiftory. There is another fubject alluded . which I muft fay fomething about. Thus it will be feen that. and in this laft cafe a continuous narrative. the fupreme king. bearing on his left arm a kid of the capra as <egagra (a goat inhabiting the European Alps as well the Afiatic ranges). whom if the people had affifted him (no) trouble would have entered Proclaim Lailirou. &c. rebellious to my them to accept the new governor. What remains it for me to fay at preferit is but I mall be impoffible moft anxious to refume my ftudies when I know I can do fo with certainty. and Ahhligron their chief. will fubmit as well as) the city. tian who came with a colony to Megara. viz. a colle&ion of people of different nations." &c. derived from . fo named from Lelex. an animal of the fame fpecies as is feen on the Black Marble " to gather. where he reigned 200 years before the Trojan war. will authority." Second gradine known I will not fail and felected Lien. Proclamation to the brought ! : town) and the imprifon all city ! And I. I will confine him fecurely with Blaal. Gillirri the triumphant!" during " Third gradine (Obliteration. by firmnefs of mind " And make : to collect the it tribute.M.. or AfTyrian pried. and the chief. and approved thou Tfaallni preferve from trouble Lalagees. it will be obferved.
O ! eternal mall be covered with that which covereth the top (i. and there I will meet with thee. will deftroy them that thou wouldft cry aloud and fcatter (or break to pieces) the multitude of ftone gods (II. which made fome portions of the infcription very difficult to copy. The infcription begins with the <f ufual formula Proclamation Palace. And he fent out arrows (i.. beautifully embroidered and fringed.e. many of thy unhappy ones will thine altar " and unchangeable Supreme.e. together with Aafhoik. and truth). with their wings. Obelifk. Pfalms vii. and the moil High uttered his voice. above all). xxii. 17. 2 Does not this appear to be an allufion to the altar and mercy-feat of the Ifraelites. bleffings of Him who is above and mercy. Deut. and but I will dwell among my kindred. and cxliv. in the palace of which this flab formed Samaria. 23 and 1 7th). and that fpreadeth around the the heavens (goodnefs." Second line : And O 1 2 Samuel. from between the two cherubim. 14-15: "And the Lord thundered from heaven." rather reference to a remarkable imitation of the Divine prefence mentioned by Philoftratus ? . the wrath of God abideth in and around. and fcattered them. Light : ! .Tranjlat ion from the Winged Figure. and the manifeftations of His glory. from above p art : And upon mercy-feat Or has it above the mercy-feat. 23. 6. xxxii." Ixxvii. and with bracelets on the wrifts with rofette clafps. 155 The figure bears fomething in his right hand not clearly defined. mine (forth) and fpread around the defires. with large taflels hanging from the waift. but having fome refemblance to a large ear of corn . with the glory of Him who is that thou wouldft attend to my prayer. and a fimilar underdrefs reaching to the knees. and a preferved. through the interfaces and finuofities of the fringe. taken by the Aflyrians. The infcription of fixteen lines is cut or engraven acrofs the lower part of the drefs. if thou art He that dwelleth above. and mow me the extreme beauty of the true 1 Haften my God. the cherubim mail ftretch forth their wings on high." " And thou (halt put the covering the mercy-feat the ark. Chron. 2 if thy wrath covereth with confufion. in all probability at the facking of perhaps. he wearing a robe reaching down to the heels. his word]. 13.
. and I may add. but I think I have faid enough to convince the candid reader that the fyftems hitherto propounded can- which not be true . and carries on it the face of truth. polyphones. of human languages ? greatest prophet. by fome Mefopotamian watercourfe. too : cc confiding to reafon. of cuneiform character imprifons a captive and dumb " and may alfo be able to anfwer an imSemitic Jpeech . be fwiftly taken away (by him) who covereth the top. it lies concealed from human eyes by marge of fome brook. and her intellect fcarcely appreciable. who is too earned to fmile. the wrath of Him." is of two lines only. who utters no word but burns with life. cometh Repent 156 ! quickly. and the to the device. All that we know leads us to believe in one primitive Semitic Jpeech" This fact has. ideographs. and will afluredly curfe and deftroy the rock. in our opinion. 500 variants. or with the feeling that no good can come out of Let them rather condefcend to teft this new Nazareth. fo foft and artlefs in her expreflions. on application of the nineteen letters of the primitive alphabet.The Ancient Ones of the Earth. par excelLike the grave of her lence. Where portant queftion put by an eminent writer may lie the tomb of the mother of the Semitic family. without the cumbrous machinery of This the fubftance homophones. my god. on fome Armenian hill. viz. and inconfiftencies and contradictions I have pointed out might be multiplied ad infinitum. without egotifm. been brought full into the light of day by the indefatigable refearches of the . the woman. theory with the fame zeal that they have fhown with their felf-acknowledged imperfect key. too impaflioned to argue. that the theory fubmitted in the prefent work is at once fimple. the eternal. and poffibly they may find that the conjectures of many fcholars will turn out cc That the earlieft of the three orders to be true. Let not practicable. the great philologifts throw it afide as unworthy of notice. fo unfophifticated in her ways. Thofe determinatives. whofe paflions feem exhauftlefs. and fo it is in every legend applicable inftance.
I had completed the fixtieth when the numerals put a flop for a word of the letter A time to my lexicon-making . viz. . find employed a very important cuneito have efcaped hitherto form ^jT TSIB." by D.. the reader will fee nine fimple words from the lexicon. and in a note Mr. in the adjoining column. I have noticed in a former part of this work that I difcovered the numerals while forming a lexicon for facilitating the tranflating the whole of the infcription on the Black Marble Obelifk. 157 awaits the magic wand of the true The modern interbring it into life. he fays : " We . but I believe it is not in any of the publifhed alphabets. has caufed me to give it up until a more favourable opportunity. In Plate III. out of fixty of the letter A. Firft. mows the truth-fpeaking Jimplicity of the fyftem. be cut for and it. Norris has informed me that this figure has been long known to him .Tranjlation from the Layard. and the method of reading the more complicated groups This diagram. and the fubfequent dif- covery that through the inaccuracy of the authorized copy." in printing this paper a new type had to will If Mr. Plate III. Science. Fox Talbot's tranflation of the Bellino cylinder. a few of which I mall notice. I could not depend upon any one word. and Religion. TSIB. in Mr. which feems the notice of AfTyrian fcholars. Smith. preters have been trying their various fyftems now for more than fixty years. A he will find that his . was difcovered in 1848. Fox Talbot take the trouble of looking into the catalogue of the Library of the " True Key to the Britifh Mufeum for a book.. and they are as far off from any certain and definite refult as when they began. There are many ftrong corroborative facts and coincidences which fpeak loudly in favour of the truth of the primitive alphabet. It is furely high time they eflayed a trial of fome other fyftem. AfTyrian Hiftory. but philologift to ftill Winged Figure. or Awleph.
break. fact. he engraved the third. the tell for Sir H. to fmafh to pieces . When we omit a letter we infert s it. and for fear of chipping away any of the fecond or fourth elements." hence. name of " tjadde" (Ts) there is . but he could not me he had But now I never feen the group in that ftate before. below the line ? I Mr." &c. ftone comes a moft as to the truth of the new theory. "the earth. or dafli. but always in conjunction with fome other letter or element. ground. or the R." is * Why afked that the third element tranfcriber . fc "to cram. Rawlinfon. we /hall i a 4 5 find two groups &||^7 ^'L P"*^" I **TS R is it CH ^ meaning. or " > to run." a battle. "a bar of fiher . at the end of the 38th line. >^A\ ARTS.' . G. 1873. 1249) had omitted the third element . " Another fingular coincidence is found in a tranflation of Mr.D. not much difference in the found.158 under the The Ancient Ones of the Earth. LRTS. &c." or <c The Foundation of Freemafonry"). "to oppofe." alfo.AA flint. I have never feen the above character ftand alone. rufh upon violently. overwhelming evidence TSR Now > rock. can tell him that the fculptor (B. " In 'A command of Tyre. . and fmafh . Smith." ^_A^. as that each individual element " had Jam A fhowing plainly its own peculiar power. but the coincidence is fingular. to bind remarkable up clofe. immediately undery juft as we now do in A. FoxTalbot's from Michaudi's "Caillon" (which I call " The Altar of the Word. In the firft line he fays " that . and . either above or below.C." &c. with a caret. y > " to ACT RTSou. Face c. If we look at the Black Marble Obelifk. asi ^> RTS.
lived many ries. King of the Amalekites). w. all the knowledge of the arts." can there be a doubt that Nineveh was the recipient of the primitive alphabet and the art of writing from the patriarch Shem. H. point to the Eaft. all nations. SH. eaft. what" = <c 'The king primitive alphabet. Norris. Nothing could have induced the author to have written this work. and is " it is alfo ufed to Sar. may not fubject. account of the extent ^S which. In conclufion. which Parkhurft of his alfo renders " king. of 4. it often ufed fo but The king who" certainly does. ? fpired narrative in the Old Teftament that the fubjecVmatter of the prefent treatife I hope be apology fufficient for any errors that may be found in it. nifies 24 (which . Lamech. and weft. then. and which radiated to north. what bring out of thefe ancient infcriptions new and important hiftorical to ? Who can tell truths may be light refpecting the early hiftory of the brought in corroboration and full elucidation of the inworld. Fox Talbot and Mr. who received from God? In this age of marvellous difcoveif what may we expect men of fuch profound learning as Sir Rawlinfon. concentrating their abilities upon this interefting and with the aid of this new alphabet. fha" exprefs Now. and . When and modern.Conclufion. received it from his father Noah. it direftly years contemporaneoufly with Adam. all perforce come to ? ages. fouth. fee Plate IX. in his turn. ancient alfo the Hinckes'sy^. and all numeral coincidences. this is precifely what I render GAG. that we muft alphabet. who.). "who. Mr. fciences and literature which has made man <c a little lower than the angels. of which Nineveh formed the centre. and crowned him with glory and honour." on dominions (alluding to Agag. and whofe grandfather. is SH. but a deep conviction of the will . and the W who" according to the the primitive. Thefe are fingular to the truth of the pointing primitive What is the conclufion.
truth of the fyftem he propounds. and hope in its final have cheered him on to completion. carried on through difficulties almoft unparalleled its .160 The Ancient Ones of the Earth. . of his theory. and from an almofl It has been overwhelming Jenje of its great importance. but faith in the truth refults.
3.4.M. A Fy. From A.Fiy. 2. .5. . AK fiy.
" Ethiopia lou." or Bou." . "to in or out. " Shew > Greek E Greek Hamyaritic declare. The Greek or U Primitive Syftem. go Country.' Dab. Over a caftle taken by ftorm." Hamyaritic Ethiopia H or LN." Vor N CHU." P or AI. C. pained. or dabab. "to bind. Hamyaritic B or D AG. Fig.PLATE II. FORSTER'S ALPHABET. 2. or proclaim.' Greek K Greek OUg or " Jg." or " to reign. Cf O! that thou wouldft. Hamyaritic " Thofe dwelling laden in filth I and B or D with crimes fcattered with the ftone. " to dwell or abide. REV.
II.A t3 1 fd I s N 4-1 3 3 " h _Q 5 o u <u 3 4-1 TJ (U T3 c o -C 4^ co .S u c OrCL) "8 1 C (U 1 K Q w~ r GROUPS AA CO .
>J o <& o <fc o< o o I* "8 c CU *" 4-1 OQ U ffl MH CO .w <.
o AA n s AA A >- - AA n A CO c \/ v A V *" r^O h r< AA < .
5 *n Q CTJ [XI : s I .y eo .
A A Gimel. Zain. Shin. J^ He Awleph. Beth. tooth. hook pin. Mem. Dawleth. eye. crofs. Pelafgic. . Nun. F Y V X armour. fim. or ox goad. houfe or tent. camel. Etrufcan. prop.PLATE Primitive. w A/V nr v\ V VA A /V V\ Y Ain. T . . Cadmean. tent door. head. water. Yod. Vau. an ox or leader. Epfi n. Bardic. He. . V Refti. Lamed. Kaph and koph. Samech. Cheth. Tauv. .
FL ii i Modern Hebrew _ Roman A7TT VII r>!| A .Samaritan. Phoenician. Palmyrene.
St. 1 I . Grotefend. Bernouf.1836-39-44. Martin. Laflen.
St. Rawlinfon. Martin.IHJ6-39-44Grotefend. Bernouf. ^^ . LafTen.
as f Occurs. 10 1 1 v VI I C V 16 . ac ra 35 D ale ac A 7. Numerals.PL ASSYRIAN NUMERALS.
i on the black marble Obelifk. are as Teen in Sir H. Numerals. Y The numerals marked above. . Rawlinfon's copy.
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