earth, and took up their temporary residences in such places as they either pitched on by choice, or were directed to by chance. 7. Thus did the Almighty not only defeat the designs of those ambitious people, but likewise accomplished his own, by having the world more generally inhabited than it otherwise could have been. The spot on which they had begun to erect their tower, was, from the judgment that attended so rash an undertaking, called Babel (afterwards Babylon,) which, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies confusion. 8. The confusion of tongues, and dispersion of the family of Noah, happened 101 years after the flood, as is evident from the birth of Peleg, the son of Heber (who was the greatgrandson of Shem,) and was born in the 101st year after that memorable period. He received his name from this singular circumstance, the word Peleg, in the Hebrew language, signifying partition, or dispersion. 9. The descendants of Noah being now dispersed, in process of time, from their great increase, they scattered themselves to distant parts of the earth, and, according to their respective families, settled in different parts of the world. Some took up their residence in Asia; some in Africa; and others in Europe. By what means they obtained possession of the several countries they inhabited, the sacred historian has not informed us. It is, however, natural to suppose, that their respective situations did not take place from chance, but from mature deliberation; and that a proper assignment was made of such and such places, according to the divisions and subdivisions of the different families. 10. When Babel was confounded, and the great What good effects did the Almighty accomplish from this confusion of language ?—What is the place called, where it took place?— At what time was this memorable event? Are we informed in what way the descendants of Noah took possession of the several countries they afterwards inhabited?-What is probable on this subject? To all the nations. He Ample was the boon gave them, in its distribution fair And equal; and he bade them dwell in peace. THE ASSYRIANS. 1. THE Assyrians, or Syrians, inhabited the country which was first settled by Ashur, a son of Shem, and afterwards taken by Nimrod, a grandson of Ham. Assyria is now a part of Persia. The Assyrian was one of the four universal monarchies, and was the first empire that ever existed. Her kings usually styled themselves, by way of eminence, king of kings; and it is probable, from the most correct accounts of that remote period, that, in power, they were surpassed by none, and equalled by few, if any, of the contemporary po tentates. 2. Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and Babylon, the capital of Babylonia, a province of Assyria, were two of the most memorable cities of which we have any account in history. Nineveh was built on the Tigris, and is supposed to have contained no less than a million of inhabitants. It was surrounded by a wall, one hundred feet high, and so thick that three carriages might be driven abreast on the top of it. Babylon was built over the Euphrates, and was surrounded by a wall 87 feet in thickness, 360 feet in height, and 60 miles in circumference. This city was nearly square, and contained one hundred brazen gates, twenty-five on each side. 3. The building of Nineveh has been ascribed both to Nimrod and Ninus his son; and, it is probable, that the former began, and the latter completed it. It was undoubtedly named in honor of Ninus. Babylon is said to have Who first settled ancient Assyria ?-Who next took possession of it? Of what country is it now a part?-What was the political importance of Assyria?-What title did her kings assume?What two memorable cities did Assyria contain?-Where was Nineveh situated? How many inhabitants did it contain ?-How was it surrounded?-Where was Babylon situated?-What was the height of the wall that surrounded it?-How large its circumference ?What was its form?-Under whose direction was Nineveh built? been built by Semiramis, the widow of Ninus. After the death of her husband, she became determined to eclipse his glory, by building a city that should surpass Nineveh. This she attempted in enlarging and rendering magnificent the city of Babylon; and she succeeded so well in the attempt, as to have been called by some its founder. She is represented to have employed, in this vast enterprise, two millions of men, which were collected out of all the provinces of her extensive empire. 4. Nimrod, as well as Semiramis, has been called the founder of Babylon; but, it is believed with confidence, there can be little if any doubt with the intelligent historian, that Babylon and Babel are the same. Its origin is therefore to be ascribed to the foolish vanity of those persons named in Scripture, who desired to build a tower and a city, that should render their memory immortal. It is probable, however, that this ridiculous design being defeated by such an astonishing prodigy as none could be the author of but God himself, every body abandoned the place, which had given him offence; and that Nimrod, in company with his friends and confederates, was the first who afterwards settled therein, and encompassed it with walls-beginning, in this place, the powerful empire, which has excited the interest of all succeeding ages, and of which he was the first chief. 5. The kings of Assyria were numerous, which necessarily resulted from the long continuance of the empire; yet nothing besides the names of a large part of them is transmitted to us. The reign of Sennacherib may be considered, on some accounts, the most interesting of any which history has preserved. This prince's ambition and power seemed to threaten the neighboring nations, with that oppression, which nothing but the will of God could resist. After ravaging Egypt, he returned and besieged Jerusalem. But, while encamped before that place, a destroying angel, to Who raised Babylon to its most renowned state?—Why did Semiramis thus enlarge and adorn this city?-How many persons is she said to have employed in the work?-What was the origin of Babylon?-Who is supposed to have taken possession of Babel or Babylon, after the confusion of language?—What may be said generally of the Assyrian kings?-Which one of them, whose life and reign are recorded, is deserving of particular notice?-What important circumstances particularly distinguished the reign of Senna cherib? use the language of Scripture, in one night, slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his army. He returned to his own country greatly chagrined; and to divert the attention of his subjects from this disgrace, he exercises on them every species of cruelty; so that his own family became disgusted at his conduct, and shortly assassinated him in the temple, while prostrated before his god Nisroch. 6. Few facts are known of the Assyrian empire; and some have even doubted, but without reason, the existence of it. But notwithstanding the obscurity in which the history of this nation is involved, it is generally believed, that the empire was founded about the year 1800 of the world, and continued about fourteen hundred years from its foundation— or about seventeen hundred, if we reckon to the destruction of Babylon. The Assyrian empire, however, did not exist in its zenith of power this length of time; for it was at first, like most nations, small, and rose from that condition by degrees. Besides, it did not long retain the power and political importance which it thus acquired. Intestine divisions and provincial apostasies frequently weakened its strength; and, finally, the Babylonians and Medes, inhabitants of two provinces, united against and destroyed Nineveh, the capital, and became themselves, in a measure, distinct and independent nations. 7. Babylon, like Nineveh, soon fell into the hands of its enemies. In the year of the world 3466, Cyrus the king of Persia, took the city of Babylon, by turning the river Euphrates, and marching his troops through its former channel, while the people were celebrating a grand festival. From this period, Babylon experienced a rapid decay, till it was taken by Alexander the Great, about two hundred years after. He, with a view of making it the seat of his empire, had determined to restore it to its ancient splendor; but dying suddenly, the work ceased. His successors abandoning this proud capital for ever, it continued to decline, till it be What was the effect of his defeat, when attempting the reduction of Jerusalem ?-At what time did the Assyrian empire commence ?— How long did it exist?-Who took and destroyed Nineveh ?-When was it? Who took Babylon?-How was its conquest effected?— After the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus, who attempted to make it the capital of his empire ?-What was its condition after the death of Alexander? came desolate. Not the smallest vestige of it now remains ; and the exact place where it stood is unknown. 8. The splendor and greatness of Nineveh and Babylon, as of all other great cities of early times, consisted chiefly in their public buildings. The dwellings of the great mass of the people were little better than wretched hovels-without, unornamented; and within, unfurnished. Indeed, Nineveh and Babylon contained little worthy of notice, except their walls, towers, temples, palaces, and superb structures of royalty. How incomparably more magnificent are the modern cities of London or Paris, when viewed as the abodes of men! Here are seen, monuments of every art and science; the astonishing effects of commerce; opulence and independence reigning among all classes; the diffusion of knowledge; the reign of science; freedom and plenty. 9. The Assyrian empire rose, flourished, and fell, while the world was in its infancy. Few maxims of its government have reached our times; few incidents have escaped oblivion; and those which have, are doubtless tinctured with the stream of tradition, passing through long and bewildering tracks of time. From what we can gather from such dubious lights, we are led to conclude that the fabric of ancient monarchical governments was very simple. It may be expressed in a few words, sovereign power, and absolute subjection. Where the monarch chanced to be an amiable character, the condition of the subject was very tolerable; but power so unrestrained in the hands of a bad man, produced the most dreadful tyranny. THE RUINS OF BABYLON. THE many colored domes* The cranes upon the Mosque Kept their night-clatter still; When through the gate the early traveller pass'd, And when, at evening o'er the swampy plain Does Babylon now exist? Is the exact place of its situation known to us?-How do Nineveh and Babylon compare with modern cities? * Of Bagdad. |