Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 Excerpt:...Istar, the goddess, formed him in the womb"). Such a name speaks for itself as only possible while Istar was yet honoured--that is, while Babylon still flourished. Lenormant's La Divination, p. 183. the highest education the age afforded. Thus in the inscriptions of Sennacherib, we accidentally learn that he had such a school in his palace at Nineveh, for the children of nobles of his foreign provinces. "Belibus," he tells us, "of the race of Babylon, who had been brought up from early childhood in my palace, was set by me over the kingdom of the Sumirs and Accadians."1 This custom of the kings of Assyria and Babylon, thus illustrated by the inscriptions of Nineveh, till these records came to light, was known to us only from the Book of Daniel, the exact local colouring of which in this instance, as in so many others, is so singularly vindicated by the testimony of contemporary documents. A similar practice in Turkey, while still a conquering power, has been noticed by various travellers. The pages of the seraglio, the officers of court, and most of the public functionaries and local governors, were drawn from a body of Christian youths taken captive in war, or bought as slaves. The finest and cleverest were sent to the palace, and put in charge of the chief of the white eunuchs, though they themselves were not mutilated. Schools were provided, at which they received the best education the country could give, including a perfect knowledge of Turkish in its greatest purity. Their food was carefully prescribed, and they wore a special dress as cadets in the royal service. Guardians watched them night and day, and reported on their conduct and attainments, by which their future advancement was determined.2 A curious proof of similar ar...