thousand talents of silver, to conciliate his favour and protection. That this was a powerful invasion, we need no other proof, than the price with which the Assyrian king was bought off. This invasion, however, was 24 years before the era of Nabonassar.

Nabonassar, after a reign of twelve years, was succeeded by his son Merodach-Baladan, of whom little is known. This prince was in friendship with the Jews, and sent an embassy to congratulate king Hezekiah on the recovery of his health. From this period, the history of Babylon disappears, till the time of its union with Nineveh, under the government of Esarhaddon. But, in the mean time, the Assyrian kings of Nineveh were generally hostile and formidable to the nation of Israel.

Tiglath-Pileser, the first king of Nineveh after the partition of the empire, was called in by Ahaz, king of Judah, to assist him against the kings of Syria and Israel. He came with a powerful army, and put a period to the kingdom of Syria, by taking Damascus, its chief city. He severely scourged the kingdom of Israel, whose dissolution drew nigh; and proved a costly and dangerous ally to Judah, Ahaz being obliged to rob the temple of its sacred treasures, to appease his avarice. An account of this is given 2 Kings, xvi. 7. This was in the year 740, B. C.

About 20 years afterward, Shalmaneser invaded and subdued Israel. He besieged Samaria, the capital of the kingdom, three years; at length took it, and carried the Ten Tribes into captivity, and planted them in Media. This event happened about 250 years after the separation of Israel from Judah. From this captivity the Ten Tribes never returned. The probability is, that they soon mingled with other nations, lost distinction of origin, and will emerge to light no more. The inventive imaginations of theorists have discovered traces of them among the Turks, Tartars, American savages, and elsewhere. But when we consider the character of the Ten Tribes, their proneness to idolatry, and to incorporate with other nations, which, in their most pure and virtuous times, could not be prevented by their wisest legislators, even when they were a distinct and independent nation; when we consider the revolutions, tyrannies, barbarity, and ignorance of Asiatic tribes in all ages; when we consider the great length of time, and other auxiliary circumstances, we are strongly led to this conclusion; still allowing full weight and authority to ancient

scripture prophecy, from which nothing certain on this subject can be discovered.

After a reign of fourteen years, Shalmaneser died, and was succeeded by his son Sennacherib. An account of his formidable invasion of Judah, in the reign of Hezekiah, is particularly related 2 Kings, xviii. 13. He invaded Judah with a powerful army; in the mean time defeated the king of Egypt, who was coming to relieve the Jews, and would probably have taken Jerusalem; but his army was suddenly destroyed by pestilence. (He returned to Nineveh, where he played the tyrant with so high a hand, that his own sons assassinated him in the temple of Nisroch; and he was suceeeded by Esarhaddon.

During the reign of this prince, the royal family of the kings of Babylon became extinct, and there was an interregnum of eight years. The weak and disordered state occasioned by this enabled Esarhaddon, who was a wise and politic prince, to annex Babylon to his dominions. Thus, after a separation of sixty-seven years, these two powerful kingdoms again became one. But this union, together with its happy fruits, was of short duration. The final destiny of Nineveh was now fast approaching; a rival power was rising to maturity, and ready to burst, with utter destruction, upon that proud empire.

Esarhaddon, thirteen years after the union of Babylon with Nineveh, was succeeded by his son Nabuchodonosor. This prince defeated and slew Phraortes, king of the Medes, in a great battle, and took (Ecbatana, the capital of Media. This defeat, however, did not check the martial spirit or rapid growth of that warlike nation. It was left for the sons of the victors and vanquished to act the last scene, and conclude the drama of the first of the eastern empires.

Cyaxares I., the son and successor of Phraortes, was soon at the head of a numerous and well-appointed army. Determining to revenge the death of his father, he marched directly into Assyria, encountered and defeated an army thrown in his way, and immediately invested Nineveh. He would probably have taken it, but was obliged to raise the siege, and march in haste to defend his own territories.

* "Nabuchodonosor was a name among the Babylonians commonly given to their kings, as that of Pharaoh was among the Egyp tians."-Prideaux,

The Scythians, a race of warlike savages, inhabiting the wilds of Europe and Asia, had driven before them the Cimmerians, a people equally savage, and nearly as terrible, dwelling near Lake Meotis. These, in numberless hordes, were depopulating the fertile fields of Asia, and had invaded the dominions of Cyaxares. The Medes were defeated by them in several battles, and the Scythians remained masters of most countries between the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean Seas, a great part of Upper Asia,* for several years. We shall speak more particularly of them in our review of the Persian empire.

While the king of Media was waging doubtful war with the Scythians, Nabopollassar, governor of Babylon, revolted from the king of Nineveh, and set up an independent government. In this he was encouraged by Cyaxares, who had not changed his purpose of subduing Nineveh. Saracus, king of Nineveh, although menaced by such potent enemies, adopted no efficient system of defence; but, dissolved in luxury, and lost to all sense of glory, he supinely waited the gathering storm.

Cyaxares at length rid himself of the Scythian invaders, by a stroke of policy, which nothing but the emergency of the times, and manners of the age, could warrant. He invited the chief officers of the Scythian army to a general feast, prepared in various parts, where, in the midst of mirth and intoxication, his guards, and others appointed for that purpose, fell furiously upon them, and killed them all, with

out resistance.

Cyaxares once more invaded the Assyrian empire, assisted by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. These two powerful princes accomplished the final subversion and abolition of the first Assyrian empire. Nineveh was taken and destroyed.

A sublime description is given of the fall of this ancient city by the prophet Nahum. From that, also, we may form some idea of its greatness and splendor. This event happened B. C. 600, and in the 147th year of Nabonassar's

era.

The Assyrian empire rose, flourished, and fell, while the world was yet in its infancy. Few maxims of its government have reached our times; few incidents have escaped

*

Ed.

Upper Asia included Armenia, Pontus, Colchis, and Iberia.

oblivion; and those which have are doubtless tinctured with the stream of tradition, passing through long and bewildering tracts of time. From what we can gather from such dubious lights, we are led to conclude, that the fabric of the ancient monarchical governments, was very simple. It may be expressed in 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.

He

In every form of government, sovereign power must be iodged somewhere. Power, considered merely as corporeal strength, is naturally, in the hands of every man, nearly alike; and the machine of government is a device, by which the power of many is combined and called forth by consent, in one great exertion. To call forth and exert this combination, the monarch has the sole power. therefore can do whatever all his people, collectively, can do. His will directs their whole strength. In mixed governments, especially in republics, this national exertion is obtained, not by the will of one, but of many, who are chosen by the people for that purpose. But, in this latter case, individuals commonly find means to obtain the real, while, in the former, the monarch often holds only the nominal sovereignty.

The splendor and greatness of Nineveh, as of all other great cities in 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, this is still the case in most of the great cities of Asia. Nineveh and Babylon contained little worthy of notice, except their walls, towers, temples, palaces, and superb structures of royalty. How incomparably more magnificent is the modern city of London or Paris, when viewed as the abode 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. The private houses of modern cities appear to be the residence of a free people, enjoying no small portion of wealth, independence, and happiness.

CHAPTER III.

THE ASSYRIAN OR BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH, TO THE TAKING OF BABYLON BY CYRUS.

BABYLON now remained unrivalled and alone. The city consisted of a mighty assemblage of the most amazing structures, temples, towers, palaces, and walls-works of incredible labour and expense, where millions had toiled, and groaned in painful servitude. (These buildings were rather admirable for their stupendous greatness, than for elegance and due proportion in architecture. As for the rules and proportions in building, they were in a great measure unknown; and the different orders of architecture were yet to be discovered. They had nothing comparable with the temple of Minerva, or of Balbec. For the noble science of architecture, (the world is indebted to the strong and mathematical genius and elegant taste of the ancient Greeks.)

Nebuchadnezzar was now on the throne of Babylon; and the extent of his dominions was answerable to the splendor of his capital. But there were two cities, whose fame and opulence rendered them objects worthy of his ambition ; one was Jerusalem, the other was Tyre ;) the latter of which was one of the strongest cities then known.

B. C.

588.

The siege of Jerusalem employed him(two years;) which, however, he at length terminated by the utter destruction of that noble city. In the 19th year of his reign, he burnt Solomon's temple, and carried the Jews to Babylon, where they remained 70 years. Four years after, he besieged the city of Tyre; the reduction of which was the most arduous enterprise of his life. Tyre had stood, from its foundation, 660 years; having never been taken by any foreign power. After the Chaldean army had suffered incredible hardships, and consumed 13 years in infinite labors, the city was taken; not, however, till the inhabitants had removed their principal effects to an island about half a mile from the shore. Here a new city rose, which soon eclipsed the glory of the former; a striking proof of the power of commerce. This new Tyre still flourished, and even far transcended its former state. When attacked by Alexander the Great, nearly three centuries afterward, it was able to resist the impetuous valor and unrivalled skill