LATE ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 225, 18 October 1873, Page 2

LATE ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES.

(From the Daily Tblegbaph, May 21). It will bo gathered from t.h» supremely interesting telegram wliicli we have received from* the scene of Mr George Smith '• labours at Nineveh that a success, eclipsing all bis other good fortune, haa crowned- the energy and ability* of our indefatigable Commissioner. He hat discovered the milting portions of the world-famous '"'eleventh tablt t<" and' this - primeval legend of the Deluge will now be completed for the world's perusal. No one will differ from us in calling this ft most remarkable reward of the fnith in -which the- young scholar was sent upon his expoditiom Thut ho should bo • able to make his way in a strange land to the right spot, and. that he could tell his Arabs where to dig with the certainty of coming upon the " King's Library," mark* sufficiently, the sound and perfect knowledge of his- tack which long study had given him. Those who, like Mr Layard and Sir - Henry Rawlinson, have imperishably connected their names, with Assyrian research, will be foremost among all to recognise the merit displayed in these particulars. But Mr Smith had made himself too familiar at home with the ancient iites to expect applause on this ground : he knew well enough where <o look : the great question was, whether the best-informed searcher could hope to find the minute '$tK precious tablets which probably lay hid in the dust of thai deep-buried Library. The odds were heavily against any such good fortune, almost as heavily as though certain duodecimo volumes Were lying perdu under the South Downs, and a few months had been allowed to a party of excavators fjr the purpose of hitting upon them. But not only has our Assyrian decipherer gone straight to the right spot, conquered all difficulties of a strange land and a wayward, jealous people, and laid open the treasure-house of ancient literature ; he has actually 'put his hand upon the one relic of all others which was most longed for, and found the earthen pages which complete the story of the primeval Diluvium. It is. evident that, besides this wonderful and most welcome " find," there must result great gain to historical science from many other fruits of his research. In tho telegram which we publish to-day, he speaks of a table giving a list of ponalties for the neglect or infraction of laws, and this can hardly fail to throw light upon the jurisprudence of the Assyrian people. He tells us also of ireih tab* lets — syllabaries and bilingual inscriptions — whi?h, added to the extraordinary quantity of similar relics he has, already collected, must make up for him a noble trouvaille to bring, home to his Museum. But the chief interest — at least fur the present — centres, and must centre, upon that singularand happy fact — the discovery of fragments which complete the broken text of the Deluge tablet, thereby crowning the wishes of those who bid him speed with an almost unexampled and absolute success. As to.ourstlves, we are more than rewarded for our part in the enterprise by so singular an achievement ; and we feel sure that all England will beproud of the young savant who has thus done credit at once to British pluck and British scholarship by journeying, at the call of Science, so far from home, and, amid all obstaclesand difficulties, putting his hand on the very thing which oil desired, though it lay buried, under the debris of twenty-six centuries.