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THE AUTHOR'S REPLY.

I WISH here to express my thanks to Mr. Cadman Jones for his kindness in undertaking to read the foregoing paper in my unavoidable absence—an absence which I very much regretted. I have also to thank the speakers who were so good as to give their valuable criticisms, for the most part favourable. The able and learned remarks of Mr. Trelawny Saunders throw much additional light upon an interesting subject; and upon the whole I am glad now, after reading the discussion, to be able to say that one of my chief objects in writing has been served: it was, as I have stated, "to try to direct the attention of others, better qualified than I can pretend to be, to matters which, in my opinion, are of no small importance, especially for Biblical students."

One or two of the points raised I wish very briefly to notice. Mr. Trelawny Saunders says: "The paper, upon the whole, leads us to look upon the Phœnicians as if they were almost the prime movers in the civilisation of the world." This was not my idea. My purpose was to show that they were the propagators of the principles of ancient art and architecture. I have said that they were to a large extent devoid of the creative or inventive faculty (see p. 34). They adopted and improved upon what they saw. They borrowed freely "from both Egypt and Assyria” (p. 40), and then, by their wide commercial relations, they communicated what they had thus obtained to Greece and Europe.

I entirely agree with Mr. Trelawny Saunders that the original centre from which all real knowledge sprang was Chaldea, or Mesopotamia, and that from that centre it was carried eastward as well as westward. But the eastern development was, in my opinion, very different from the western. The former was largely speculative,-I might perhaps call it metaphysical,—as shown in the sacred books of India and China. The latter, on the other hand, was more practical, and this was propagated by the Phoenicians. It tended to develope architecture and art, more especially in their relation to what was useful and profitable.

When I say that the religion of the Jews was purely spiritual (p. 28), as distinguished from the gross materialism of heathen nations in general, I refer not to the popular religion of the Jews in old times, which was generally corrupt, but exclusively to the rcligion of the Bible, the pure Revelation of God, and I quote in proof the Divine command.

Mr. St. Chad Boscawen thinks it strange I did not refer to the examples of Phœnician art in the tombs of Egypt. My only reply is, my paper was a mere outline, from which I was compelled to exclude many other most

important details. For the same reason I did not mention the works of the late Mr. James Fergusson. His writings have been long known to me. After a very careful examination of his account of the Temple of Jerusalem on the spot, I was unable to agree with his views. But no man had a higher esteem for his learning, and what I might call his architectural genius, than I had.

The accuracy of my extract from the famous inscription upon the tomb of Eshmûnazar is questioned by Mr. Boscawen. I admit at once that the original Phoenician text was not before me when I wrote, but I copied the words inserted from the translation given by Dr. Julius Oppert in Records of the Past, vol.ix. p.111; and he says: "Some forty different scholars have endeavoured to explain this important text. . . . Among the principal we must mention Bargès, Munck, Schlottman, Schröder, and Kämpf." Then he adds: "The author has himself been the last to write upon and to explain some difficult passages." I thought myself justified in adopting his version.

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In conclusion, I must say I feel deeply grateful for the additional hints and information I have received from a perusal of the discussion.

THE SEPULCHRAL CHAMBERS AND THE SARCOPHAGI

OF SIDON.

THE account of the recent exploration of the above has most opportunely just come to hand (July, 1887), and its insertion here, following as it does Dr. Porter's paper on Jewish, Phoenician, and Early Greek art, seems very appropriate :

"The Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund have received from Herr Gottlieb Schumacher, of Haifa, a brief and preliminary account of the examination held by his Excellency Hamdi Bey, Director of the Museum of Constantinople, of this magnificent find, most of which is now on its way to the Imperial Museum. Herr Schumacher (the Times says) was instructed to accompany and assist Hamdi Bey, but was, of course, unable to write any report upon the work so long as the outside world were not admitted to the works. The French missionaries of Sidon and others have, however, now been permitted to examine and describe the chambers and their contents, which have thus become, so to speak, public property. Herr Schumacher sends a printed description of the tombs by Père E. Nourrit, of Sidon, together with notes of his own, and he promises photographs and drawings at an early date. Until these arrive it is well to refrain from detailed descriptions at second-hand. Suffice it to say that the first letter on the subject from Dr. William Wright, of the Bible Society, published in the Times three months ago, glowing and full of promise though it seemed, is now shown to have fallen short of the actual reality. We have here a 'find' of Phoenician, Lycian, and Greek art which appears to be unequalled and unrivalled. The facts as put before the readers of the Times being confirmed by recent accounts, it is only necessary, pending the arrival of the photographs and drawings, to sum up the results of Hamdi Bey's examinations.

1. The chamber on the eastern side of the square excavation (which is truly orientated) contained two sarcophagi in white marble. One of these is perfectly plain, and the other is ornamented with sculptures of the richest and most beautiful kind. This is the chamber which is surrounded by an arcade fadorned with eighteen mourning figures in relief, dressed in Greek costume, each in a different pose. It is not stated whether the arcade itself or any portion of it has been removed.

2. The south chamber had two sarcophagi, one in black marble, plain, and the other in white with splendid sculptures.

3. The western chamber had one sarcophagus in white, mummy-shaped. But this chamber proved to be the vestibule to another containing four sarcophagi, one of which was the richest and finest of all those found. The walls of this chamber also are richly decorated.

4. The chamber on the north has two plain mummy-shaped sarcophagi. On removing the debris which covered the ground two other chambers were found, one on each side, on a lower level. One of these contained a small tomb; the other, four white marble sarcophagi.

Under the eastern chamber also was found another containing a sarcophagus of black stone, in which were the teeth, bones, and hair of a woman. All these tombs had been violated by breaking a corner of the coffin-lid. But in carrying out the works for the removal of the sarcophagi a chamber was found in which at first nothing was remarked but two fine bronze candelabra, each about five feet in height. The flooring of this chamber, however, on examination, proved to consist of a bed of great stones laid with the utmost care. Beneath these was a second bed of stones and then VOL. XXI.

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a third, and under all, thus carefully covered up and hidden away, a great monolith covering an opening in the rock. In this deep chamber was found a splendid sarcophagus in black stone, resembling that of the King Eshmunazar, in the Louvre. It was also, which is more important, provided with an inscription in Phoenician, eight lines in length.

The inscription has not yet reached us. In the Badeir (published once a week at Beyrout in French and Arabic) a translation is proposed, which is copied for what it is worth. Probably considerable modifications will be made in it when the inscription is in the hands of scholars :

'I, Talnite, Priest of Astarte and King of Sidon, son of Eshmunazar, Priest of Astarte and King of Sidon, lying in this tomb, say: "Come not to open my tomb; there is here neither gold nor silver nor treasure. He who will open this tomb shall have no prosperity under the sun, and shall not find repose in the grave.'

There seems to have been little else of importance found in these chambers; some gold buttons, a coin or two, collars, rings, and bracelets, two bronze candelabra, and some terra-cotta lamps exhaust the list so far as can at present be learned. Something however will, doubtless, have to be added, and it is meanwhile interesting to note that his Excellency Hamdi Bey proposes to recommence operations in the early spring of next year."

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ORDINARY MEETING, JANUARY 3, 1887.

A. MCARTHUR, Esq., M.P., V.P., IN THE CHAIR.

The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed, and the following Elections were announced :

MEMBERS:- His Excellency Sir F. A. Weld, G.C.M.G., Singapore; D. Biddle, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., England; J. B. Braithwaite, Esq., England; Rev. President A. W. Cowles, D.D., United States; Josias Howard, Esq., South Africa; Leslie A. Norman, Esq., New Zealand; Professor T. Otis Paine, LL.D., United States; Gerard Smith, Esq., M.R.C.S.E., London. LIFE ASSOCIATE:-Rev. E. J. Penford, Kent.

ASSOCIATES:-The Right Rev. Bishop Thompson, D.D., United States; the Right Rev. Bishop Hare, D.D., Dakota; the Very Rev. Dean Gott, D.D., Worcester; E. Bourdillon, Esq., C.E., South Africa; Rev. H. Brancker, M.A.Oxon., Wimbledon; E. E. Cornaby, Esq., London; C. M. Cresson, Esq., LL.D., United States; Rev. S. W. Duffield, B.A.Yale, United States; Ven. Archdeacon P. P. Fogg, M.A.George, South Africa; Rev. G. Grenfell, Congo; Rev. J. A. Harris, D.D.Pen., United States; Rev. W. Harrison, Canada; Purl Lord, Esq., United States; Rev. Professor, A. Mangum, A.M., D.D., United States; Rev. G. H. Muzy, New South Wales; Rev. Professor H. S. Osborn, LL.D., United States; Rev. C. J. Ridgeway, M.A.Camb., London; Rev. J. S. Shields, D.D., T.C.D., Blackheath; Rev. W. Tucker, D.D., United States; Professor J. N. Vail, United States; Rev. L. B. Wolff, India.

HONORARY CORRESPONDING MEMBER:--Rev. J. L. Challis, M.A., Stone, Aylesbury.

Also the presentation to the Library of the following works :—
Proceedings of the Royal Society.

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Dublin Society.

Colonial Institute.

Royal Institution.

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Geographical Society.

United Service Institution.

Geological Society.

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Royal Society of Canada.

Canadian Institute.

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The Life of the Earl Shaftesbury.

American Antiquarian. Rev. Stephen D. Peet.

The following paper was then read by the author:

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THE EMPIRE OF THE HITTITES.

WILLIAM WRIGHT, D.D.

By the REV.

ONLY a years afin beautiful order. Like a piece of

NLY a few years ago the Ancient Empires of the world were all

perfect mosaic, skilfully fitted and compactly welded together, they filled the whole historic area. The work was not the mere result of a fortuitous concurrence of historical atoms, but the deliberate finding of thousands of honest labourers who had explored alike the broad fields and byways of secular history. Historians differed as to detail, but they were generally agreed as to the existence and sequence, trend and bearing, of the world's ancient empires. Successive investigators added new facts, and re-set old facts in local colours. They followed, however, the established and recognised order of things, but their historical landscapes were brilliant restorations of the ancient masters. Ancient history, generally, was in a most satisfactory condition. The historians were a happy family, and the students of history, having learned their facts, knew exactly where they were. It would be an ungrateful work to unsettle this harmony and certainty, but this task has been unceremoniously accomplished by the Hittites. The Hittites were always disposed to hold their own, and by sudden forays over their borders saved themselves from the

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