_Job_ (Vol. v., pp. 26. 140.).--The criticisms of your correspondent
RECHABITE are of so singular a character, that I must beg him to excuse
my passing over, _unnoticed_, the first paragraph.
The second appears calculated to traduce the character of a man
celebrated for his integrity, judgment, accurateness, preciseness, and
skill in his sketches, &c. The _Inscriptio Persepolitana_, p. 333., is
his own sketch: "Verum, unius descriptio tam longam mihi facessebat
operam (ob loci altitudinem et solares radios permolestam) ut parum
abesset, quin à ceteris abstinere coactus fuerim." (P. 332.) There were
three others: "Inscriptionis quadruplex quasi tabula spectatur." Perhaps
it may be one of the latter ones that RECHABITE has seen in Niebuhr and
Porter. I have not seen those works.
Next, why does RECHABITE not say what are the _two letters_ which I have
translated as two words containing _eight letters_?
And now for my _theory_, and Major Rawlinson's improved translation of
the inscription, all together. Let the reader of "N. & Q." turn to
Kæmpfer, p. 341., and he will see the procession that is described in p.
333. Does he think that Ormazd, Xerxes, Darius, or Achæmenes is there? I
assure him that they are not mentioned. In fact, the engravings were
made long before the date 694 B.C., when Achæmenes began his reign. But
it appears that an Egyptian reed is thought sufficient to prop up a
structure raised in the sand.
Finally, my great desire is, that some spirited person would take up the
matter, and let the old and new system be tried by proper tests; and let
the conquered have a decent burial.