find a party of Arabs bending on their knees, and intently gazing at something beneath them. Each holds his long spear, tufted with ostrich feathers, in one hand; and in the other the halter of his mare, which stands patiently behind him. The party consists of a Bedouin Sheikh from the desert, and his followers; who, having heard strange reports of the wonders of Nimroud, have made several days' journey to remove their doubts, and satisfy their curiosity. He rises as he hears us approach, and if we wish to escape the embrace of a very dirty stranger, we had better at once hurry into the trenches. "We descend about twenty feet, and suddenly find ourselves between a pair of colossal lions, winged and human-headed, forming a portal. I have already described my feelings when gazing for the first time on these majestic figures. Those of the reader would probably be the same, particularly if caused by the reflection, that before those wonderful forms Ezekiel, Jonah, and others of the prophets stood, and Sennacherib bowed; that even the patriarch Abraham himself may possibly have looked upon them. "In the subterraneous labyrinth which we have reached, all is bustle and confusion. Arabs are running about in different directions; some bearing baskets filled with earth, others carrying the water-jars to their companions. The Chaldæans or Tiyari, in their striped dresses and curious conical caps, are digging with picks into the tenacious earth, raising a dense cloud of fine dust at every stroke. The wild strains of Kurdish music may be heard occasionally issuing from some distant part of the ruins, and if they are caught by the parties at work, the Arabs join their voices in chorus, raise the war-cry, and labour with renewed energy. Leaving behind us a small chamber, in which the sculptures are distinguished by a want of finish in the execution, and considerable rudeness in the design of the ornaments, we issue from between the winged lions, and enter the remains of the principal hall. On both sides of us are sculptured gigantic winged figures; some with the heads of eagles, others entirely human, and carrying mysterious symbols in their hands. To the left is another portal, also formed by winged lions. One of them has, however, fallen across the entrance, and there is just room to creep beneath it. Beyond this portal is a winged figure, and two slabs with bas-reliefs; but they have been so much injured that we can scarcely trace the subject upon them. Farther on there are no traces of wall, although a deep trench has been opened. The opposite side of the hall has also disappeared, and we only see a high wall of earth. On examining it attentively, we can detect the marks of masonry; and we soon find that it is a solid structure built of bricks of unbaked clay, now of the same colour as the surrounding soil, and scarcely to be distinguished from it. "The slabs of alabaster, fallen from their original position, have, however, been raised; and we tread in the midst of a maze of small bas-reliefs, representing chariots, horsemen, battles, and sieges. Perhaps the workmen are about to raise a slab for the first time; and we watch with eager curiosity, what new event of Assyrian history, or what unknown custom or religious ceremony, may be illustrated by the sculpture beneath. "Having walked about one hundred feet amongst these scattered monuments of ancient history and art, we reach another doorway formed by gigantic winged bulls in yellow limestone. One is still entire; but its companion has fallen, and is broken into several pieces-the great human head is at our feet." * * * "As the ravine bounds the ruins on this side, we must return to the yellow bulls. Passing through the entrance formed by them, we enter a large chamber surrounded by eagle-headed figures: at one end of it is a doorway guarded by two priests or divinities, and in the centre another portal with winged bulls. Whichever way we turn, we find ourselves in the midst of a nest of rooms; and without an acquaintance with the intricacies of the place, we should soon lose ourselves in this labyrinth. The accumulated rubbish being generally left in the centre of the chambers, the whole excavation consists of a number of narrow passages, panelled on one side with slabs of alabaster, and shut in on the other by a high wall of earth, half buried, in which may here and there be seen a broken vase, or a brick painted with brilliant colours. We may wander through these galleries for an hour or two, examining the marvellous sculptures or the numerous inscriptions that surround us. Here we meet long rows of kings, attended by their eunuchs and priests,-there, lines of winged figures, carrying fir-cones and religious emblems, and seemingly in adoration before the mystic tree. Other entrances, formed by winged lions and bulls, lead us into new chambers. In every one of them are fresh objects of curiosity and surprise. At length, wearied, we issue from the buried edifice by a trench on the opposite side to that by which we entered, and find ourselves again upon the naked platform. We look around in vain for any traces of the wonderful remains we have just seen, and are half inclined to believe that we have dreamed a dream, or have been listening to some tale of Eastern romance. "Some, who may hereafter tread on the spot when the grass again grows over the ruins of the Assyrian palaces, may indeed suspect that I have been relating a vision.”—Vol. ii, pp. 89–93. Mr. Layard left Nimroud in the middle of May, and having expended the funds intrusted to him by the British Museum, and made the necessary preparations, took his final departure from Mosul for Constantinople on the 24th of June. With this ends his personal narrative,—one of the most interesting that has lately appeared from the press. Without pretending to elegance or any striking quality of style, it is perspicuous, and bears the assurance of good sense and truth, while the novelty of the scenes it describes is irresistibly alluring. It is fortunate that ruins so likely to illustrate hereafter many points and sayings in the Bible, should have been brought to the notice of the Christian public by a writer so well qualified to awaken a popular interest as Mr. Layard. In proof of the manner in which he executed his trust, and of the importance attached to his discoveries, the newspapers inform us that he has lately been appointed attaché to the British embassy to the Sublime Porte, and that the British Museum have appropriated $15,000 for the continuance of the excavations at Nimroud and Kouyunjik under his supervision. This fact, as well as the nature of the subject, and the absolute impossibility of showing, without occupying a great deal of space, how much he has thus far actually brought to light, must be our warrant for giving but a few words to Part II. of his book, wherein he treats of the results of his discoveries. The truth is, a great deal has certainly been discovered, but little that is definite; and the chief value of the whole is rather in the promise it gives of what we have yet to learn. Mr. Layard devotes much space to speculations concerning the cuneiform writing, or writing with arrow-headed letters, in which the Assyrian inscriptions are written; but the conclusion of the whole matter is, that he is unable to read it. When, therefore, he assures us that certain odd-looking marks are the Only this is positively ascertained, that nothing has been yet discovered which does not directly harmonize with the Scripture accounts of the Assyrian cities. Their magnificence, of which the vastness of their ruins was before the only proof, is now confirmed by the exhuming of so many buried sculptures and bas-reliefs. In many other particulars they illustrate sayings and allusions in the Old Testament. Thus there is a coincidence between the sacred symbolical figures found among them, and those of the four living creatures seen in vision by the prophet Ezekiel, which is too remarkable to escape notice. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.' Also, "they had the hands of a man under their wings," and "their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went." It is impossible not to think of the winged bulls and lions, and the lion and eagle-headed figures found at Nimroud, in connexion with this passage. Also the "wheel in the middle of a wheel" will remotely suggest one of the emblems representing the supreme Deity. And more especially in the prophecy against Nineveh, Nahum ii, 11: "Where is the dwelling of the lions," &c., seems to be rendered intelligible by the constant occurrence of winged lions and lion-headed figures at Nimroud, and appears to us quite as striking an illustration of the sacred writings as any of those adduced by Mr. Layard. The discovery of the use of colours on the sculptures and bas-reliefs explains Ezekiel xxiii, 14, 15. "If we take," says Mr. Layard, "the four great mounds of Nimroud, Kouyunjik, Khorsabad, and Karamles as the corners of a square, it will be found that its four sides correspond pretty accurately with the four hundred and eighty stadia or sixty miles of the geographer, which make the three days' journey of the prophet." (Jonah iii, 3.) This conjecture is, to our apprehension, the more plausible, on account of the difficulty of accounting for the existence of the ruins in the shape of great isolated mounds. Many other suggestions and indications will occur to Biblical students on reading these volumes, of customs and ceremonies elucidating passages in the prophets; and it would be more easy than profitable to fill a volume with them. There is a weakness in our minds which leads us to admit a connexion between similarities brought merely into juxta-position, but this kind of proof is only temporary; the understanding, lulled for awhile, awakens, restless, and finds nowhere to repose-nothing established. We have neither enlarged the boundaries of our knowledge nor gratified our faith; but, on the contrary, so far as our faith can be affected by such speculations, we have offended and weakened it. Hence, especially in the study of matters of history which come under the head of Biblical literature, we should be careful to deal only with facts and certainties. We should not only repress the natural eagerness to spy coincidences, but be particularly desirous not to seem too eager; lest we produce upon the cavilling the impression of swift witnesses" in a court of justice. There is no need of our straining points and catching at motes of evidence to justify our belief in the Holy Scriptures; our religion should dwell beyond that, in the inner temple of the soul, where to doubt is not to live; it should be like the virtue of the Roman wife, above suspicion. And there is a certain irreverence in so doing which tends to bring religion into disrespect; it is as if one should go about defending the reputation of his mother or sisters by the cumulation of circumstantial evidence. The Word of God need not be timidly and anxiously supported by the word of man. Not that we are not at liberty, however, to strengthen ourselves in the faith by all that research can show us of the past, or deny ourselves the pleasurable feeling we so involuntarily experience in having the scenes and events of the Bible brought, as it were, before our eyes; but simply that we should desire to accomplish these things nobly. When we have ascertained that the relic is genuine let us preserve it,-not before. 594 Chalmers. [October, To apply these observations to Mr. Layard's discoveries, we would simply say that they do not as yet seem to present a sufficient body of clear, definite, historical facts to warrant our putting them forward as strong links in the great chain of evidence which surrounds the sacred Writings. We are not able, although they are in this view of the highest interest, and full of expectation, to conclude enough from them to enable us to hail them and reiterate them through the press and the pulpit, as we do, and ought to do, with other clearly ascertained historical matter bearing directly upon the Bible. And we ought to be especially cautious, for the reasons above given, how we make use of knowledge that is so weak to strengthen a faith that is not built upon sand, but founded on the Rock of ages. In fine, we are yet, as regards Nineveh, just in the early twilight; her towers are yet desolate; the light over her is gray and dim, and all that we can discern by it is undefined and indistinct; but there are streaks which portend a coming brightness, and if the researches so happily begun are as prosperously continued, we may hope ere long to behold her in the clearer light of day. Posthumous Works of the Rev. Thomas Chalmers, D. D., LL. D. Edited by the Rev. WILLIAM HANNA, LL. D. Hora Biblica Quotidiance. Daily Scripture Readings. In three vols., 12mo., pp. 422; 478, 426. Hora Biblica Sabbaticæ. Sabbath Scripture Readings. In two vols., 12mo., pp. 436, 507. New-York: Harper & Brothers. 1848-9. We have read few works lately that have moved us more than those which stand at the head of this article. It is not that they are eloquent; for, although they give us the dying notes of an eloquence that entranced thousands, the most gifted as well as the most humble, their characteristics are rather plainness and simplicity. It is not that they are learned; for, although they evince the marks of a ripe scholarship, and an extensive scientific culture, they add but little to our exegetical knowledge, and leave most of the loca dubiaque vexata of Scripture where they find them. They have many points of excellence, a charming naïveté of expression, a rare spirituality, a profound reverence for the revealed will of God, and rapt fervour of devotion at times, that betrays a heart burning with the living fire. But we value these volumes mainly in their auto-biographical |