nature and himself, and by linking them together in practically chronological order with introductions and biographies, we have made a history, the student of which, may, so to speak, begin to live five thousand years ago and think and feel what man has thought and felt down the ages.

The character of the work fits it to be what few sets of books are, a reading library that is valuable for reference, and a reference work which it is interesting to read. It need not be argued that containing, as it does, the most important of the world's ideas, it is nothing less than an encyclopedia of man's greatest thought, and it is also selfevident than any work of this nature, every page of which is fraught with suggestion, must be of fascinating interest to any one who is at all concerned with the march of human progress.

The work is especially important from an historical, and from an educational point of view.

In dealing with the work from an historical standpoint we have attempted to include all of the best sources of our knowledge bearing upon the growth of civilization which are at once historically important and preserved in such shape as to throw vivid light upon the life, customs and ideas of the time. We have already mentioned that in our conception the best history of all, would be one made up of original documents linked together and helped out with additional notes and facts. We have given, so far as we know, the only general collection of such historical sources extant, but the work is more than simply a collection of sources. We have introduced each important. subject with a brief sketch, which gives a setting to the documents which illustrate it. We have given a short introductory biography of every great thinker. Taken all in all we have tried to make a history of civilization which will illustrate itself.

We believe, too, that the most important part of historical study, and the truest of all histories, is that which treats of the changes not merely of kings, and queens, and dynasties, of happenings of war and bloodshed, of court intrigue, and the pomp and pageantry of brilliant

nothingness, but of the growth of man's ideas, his institutions, and knowledge of the facts of nature which make up the essential part of the existence of the present age. We believe that anyone who has lived through the life, feeling and thought of the past has received that truly historical education which fits him for the life of the future.

This leads us to say that we consider the work to contain as many possibilities from an educational standpoint, as any published in years. It is more than a history; it is an education. It is not intended to take the place of schools or text books, but it is intended to put in vivid form, in the shape of illustrative masterpieces which can never grow old, the slow increase one by one of the fund of ideas which should be every man's capital in his struggle to do what little he can to make himself and his community wiser or better.

Education is a training for the future, but the only education which we can give is to help the student catch up with the past. The child that stands upon a tall man's shoulder may be able too see farther than the man, and if we of to-day can take our stand upon the shoulders of the great original thinkers of the past, it may be that some of us will be able to see farther into the mysteries of the world than have they.

ASSYRIA--BABYLONIA

THE IDEAS OF THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS are particularly interesting because they so closely resemble those of the Jews. The selections here offered illustrate this resemblance while expressing the most important ideas and conceptions of these most ancient peoples.

BABYLONIAN ACCOUNT OF CREATION

LONG AGO when the heaven above had not been named and the earth beneath had no name, and only Apsu (the Ocean), the primeval, who begot them, and Tiamat, Confusion, who bore them both, existed their waters mingled-and when no fields were formed, and no reeds to be seen, when not one of the gods had been called into being and named, and no fates had been decreed, then were created all the gods. Luchmu and Lachamu were the first to be called into being. Ages passed, then Anshar and Kishar were created, and long days before Anu, Bel, and Ea were created.

(Apsu and Tiamat having determined to destroy the light and restore the primeval darkness, a struggle ensues.)

'Anshar opened his mouth and said to Gaga his minister, "Go, Gaga, minister, that rejoicest my spirit, to Luchmu and Lachamu I

send the Assemble all the gods, seat them at the table to partake of a feast. Let them eat bread and mix wine. Go, Gaga, and stand before them then, and all that I tell thee, repeat to them, saying: Anshar your son has sent me, his heart's command he entrusted to me saying: Tiamat, our mother, has turned against us in hatred. With all her might she rages in anger. All the gods have turned to her, even those you created go to her aid. They are banded together and at the side of Tiamat they advance. Cursing the light they follow Tiamat. Furious, without resting by day or by night they prepare for the fray, fuming and raging, they band themselves together and begin the revolt. Tiamat, the mother of the deep, who bore us all, has added invincible weapons, spawning monster serpents, sharp of tooth, unsparing of fang. For blood she filled their bodies with poison. Fierce monster-vipers she clothed with terror, endowed with awful splendor, and made.....

She clothed fierce monster-vipers with terror, endowed them with dread splendor, and made great of stature, that their appearance might frighten and fill with horror. Their bodies are immense, their attack irresistible. She made a viper, a dragon, and the lachamu, a stormgiant, a mad dog, a scorpion-man, fierce storms, a fish-man, and a ram; all provided with weapons, merciless, fearless of fight, defiant of heart, invincible. Besides creating thus these eleven, she exalted among the gods the sons she had born, and made Kingu greatest among them all, saying:

'Thou art sent to march at the head of the forces, to order the weapons to strike, the attack to begin.' She entrusted to him the first place in war and in victory. She seated him on a throne and said: 'I have recited thy spell, in the assembly of the gods. I have raised thee to power, I have given thee the sway over all the gods. Be thou great, my spouse, thy name be magnified in all the world.' She gave him the tablets of destiny and laid them on his breast, saying: 'May thy command not be annulled, established be the word of thy mouth.' Kingu, thus exalted, and having obtained power over the gods, commanded: 'Let your word overcome the fire god. Whoever is great in valor, let him display his might.' I sent Anu but he feared to face her. Nudimmud was afraid and turned back. I have called on Marduk, adviser of the gods. He has determined to go against Tiamat. He spoke to me and said: 'If I, your avenger, conquer Tiamat and give you life, assemble the gods and declare my control of the gods to be supreme. Enter joyfully into the palace and my