ders in my way, somewhere about eighteen or twenty years ago, (whilst I was seeking materials to illustrate the origin and progress of ancient engraving,) which were then denominated, and generally believed to be, Persepolitan-this word seeming to restrict them to Persepolis as the place of their original production: but Capt. Lockett, Mrs. Rich, and other travellers, have since brought engraved gems of this description, from the site of the metropolis of Ninus and Sardanapalus, and from the very mounds of ruin where "the Queen of Nations" formerly sat enthroned; and astronomical science having beamed on them from above, something of a character superior to mere antiquarian curiosity, as those words are generally understood, was thus engendered and quickened into life. I became attached to the study of these hitherto neglected monuments. I was at first smitten with, and afterward wedded to, the investigation of their mysterious contents, and, unless I deceived myself,

"Pleasure lit her torch at Virtue's flame."

I was now to behold, in all the simplicity of their early beauty, the messengers of the most remote tidings: I was to meet, face to face, the witnesses of ages: I was to have the honour of an audience with Truth in her loneliness: and the purest homage was to be offered, at the most unpolluted of her upper fountains, to the genius of History.

Notwithstanding that the subjects of these cylindrical gems are here severally treated, and that each of my epistolary essays may be considered as an independent archæological dissertation, they are not altogether unconnected, and something like orderly sequence will be found to have been observed, in as far as I felt or fancied that such order contributed to facilitate my researches, and was likely to conduce to the ready arrangement in the mind of the

reader, of the information which it was my purpose to convey. Hence, the first essay will be found to contain evidence in proof that the engraved Cylinders of Western and of Southern Asia, are the signets mentioned and alluded to in our early scriptures, and by the more ancient of the profane historians. The second shews that such signets were not merely matrices of seals, but were ocular mystic signs. Having cleared these two points to the best of my information and ability, I have next proceeded to shew that some of these mystic signs had reference to the periodical religious festivals of the star-worshipping nations of remote antiquity, and others to their judicial astrology, producing-in the engraved contents of such cylinders as I exhibit-examples of each.

These exhibited examples were the ostensible-and in truth the real-subjects of a course of lectures delivered at the Royal Institution: the Essays being substantially the Lectures amplified and more copiously illustrated.

I intended to have pursued my researches further, and that the present Volume should have contained a greater number of both of the above mentioned species of antique signets, but unforeseen circumstances which I tried in vain to control, have prevented me; and, in fact, since I could not have exhausted the subject, even were an ante-diluvian extension of the period of life to be granted me, the present volume is nearly as much a whole (in the strict sense of unity) as if it had contained double the number of illustrative examples and of pages.

As the investigation of monuments of very ancient art, is the especial purpose of these researches, I hope it will on the whole, be found by the scholars and critics, to have been no unfit task for an antiquarian artist to have engaged in, however imperfectly qualified in some respects. Perhaps too, they will allow that an impartial and disinterested lay writer, is likely to ascend into the

Sabean heavens with a freer spirit than if he had been educated to the priesthood, and had been embarrassed in his flight by the creed of Brahma or of Mohammed. I chose the epistolary form for these Essays, because it seemed to promise me more unrestrained liberty of will, and—in short, because I found it easier, and more practicable to my unscholastic habits, than would have been any more formal and severe-any rigid and rugged, road of research. And I employed this latter term in the general designation of my volume, because it implies, not compleat and final accomplishment, but continuity of investigation, and the existence of an exploring purpose not terminated.

When an inquiring and observant traveller from afar, journeys through an interesting tract of country, impressions come home to his feelings with a freshness and vividness of form and colour, which is either unknown to its inhabitants, or appears to them trite and unworthy of notice. Common places to them, are to him uncommon: the languor of habit has not repressed the healthful enjoyment of novelty and truth: but, seeing such scenes with unworn feelings, he receives from them the genuine impressions which nature intended to man. In some places, I have indulged these sentiments: in others, I have felt admonished by that dæmon which haunts, or infected by that effluvium of criticism which pervades, the literature of modern Europe, and have suppressedmay not say what.

1

Notwithstanding what I have suppressed, I cannot on the whole, but be apprehensive that some portion of what I have not suppressed, may fatigue, or but faintly affect the learned; and those readers of oriental travels, who have been used to regale on highly spiced literary viands, and to wash them down with poetical arrack, I cannot but fear may not relish my milder repast;-my

milk and honey from the land of Canaan; my butter of Deborah, in a homely dish.

I may be told that this Scriptural butter, was more properly that of Jael. True: but Jael I have neither the wish, nor intention, nor ability, to emulate. Any wearied star-worshipper or chieftain,-whether or not the stars in their courses fight against him, may turn in hither, and freely repose in my tent, without the least dread of being nailed there.

One word more of confession to the candid reader, more especially if he be learned. After laying by a work of art or literature for a while, its author,—as every one knows-regards it with refreshed attention; and perhaps has contrived to divest himself, in some degree at least, of his partiality for his former thoughts, and mode of expressing them. He looks at his work again, as it were with the eye of another.-Upon a late revisal of what I have written and printed, I am led to fear that, with regard to some points, I have sermonized with too frequent and laboured recurrence to my texts. Concerning the winged Sun, for example, I might perhaps with advantage to the whole, have suppressed some parts, and have trusted more to the sculptured indications. Yet of this I cannot be certain, nor in fact, am I certain, that mere misgiving is not here flowing from my pen. It may be true that "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,

"As to be hated needs but to be seen :"

But we cannot with similar reliance upon the word of a poet, trust Astronomical monuments to the public gaze, nor suppose that to be recognized and loved, they need but to be inspected, or why should the engraved cylinders which have long been known in Europe, have remained for that period in the state of a sealed book? I am sceptical, on the whole; and I trust that this expres

sion of the doubts which have arisen in my mind upon these points, will form a sufficient apology to those readers of antique discernment, who might else feel, with the learned and poetical consciousness of Horace, something of his gentlemanly indignation against those who should presume to teach him to sing.

Of the egg-shaped vase which has been prefixed in the way of frontispiece to this volume, some account will be found in pp. 814: and as the reader will perhaps have noticed some problematical appearances of assault and battery, near that little Bull which stands in the arched recess, it may be as well to mention that these are not the work of Time, but are bullet-marks, the result of the Mohammedan hatred of heathenish idols, and of the Turkish soldiery having made use of the sculptured ornaments of this curious vase, as targets at which to exercise their small arms. Amongst these barbarians, (as with modern targeteers), it will readily be conceived that "the bull's eye" became a favourite point to hit.

As the festoon of engraved gems which is prefixed to the first Essay, exhibits (with the exception of a very old and large one forming the ostensible subject of the fourth Essay, and of which the dimensions are marked on the margin) all the cylinders of which any account is contained in the present volume, of their real sizes, it has not been thought necessary to specify this in any other manner; nor to state in what proportions their impressions have been enlarged in the Vignette Head-pieces, for the more convenient inspection of my readers.

J. L.

London, June, 1823.