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'Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad. Edited by his widow.' [‎144] (232/474)

The record is made up of 1 volume (324 pages). It was created in 1839. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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144
SECOND MEMOIR ON THE
value in this case than Major Rennell seems to be
aware of.
Those who have investigated the antiquities of
Babylon have laid much stress on the authority of
Diodorus, probably adverting more to the quantity
than the quality of the information he supplies.
He never was on the spot: he lived in an age when,
as he himself tells us, its area was ploughed over:
he has therefore recourse to Ctesias; and it must be
owned that the want of discrimination in the an
cients, and the credulity of Diodorus himself, were
never more strongly exemplified than in his choice
of a writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. who confounds the Euphrates with the
Tigris, and tells us that Semiramis erected a monu
ment to her husband, which from the dimensions he
specifies must have been of superior elevation to
Mount Vesuvius, and nearly equal to Mount Hecla.
(A) If these are not " fairy tales," I certainly
know not to what the term can be applied. When
an author can in so many instances be clearly con
victed of ignorance and exaggeration, we are cer
tainly not justified in altering what is already before
our eyes to suit it to his description. We have only
the very questionable authority of Ctesias for the
second palace and the wonderful tunnel under the
river; but even he does not say whether the Tower
of Belus stood on the east or west side. Herodotus,
who will ever appear to greater advantage the more
he is examined and understood, is the only historian
who visited Babylon in person; and he is in every

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Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad , by Claudius James Rich.

Publication details: Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Duke-street, Stamford Street, London. Published by Duncan and Malcolm, Paternoster Row, MDCCCXXXIX [1839].

Physical description: Includes plates, illustrations, plan; octavo.

Extent and format
1 volume (324 pages)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents with chapter headings with page references (pp xi-xv). Each chapter heading is followed by a detailed breakdown of the contents of that chapter. There is a list of illustrations (p xvi) with facing page references.

Physical characteristics

Dimensions: 220mm x 135mm.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad. Edited by his widow.' [‎144] (232/474), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOL.1947.a.2083., in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024137248.0x000021> [accessed 22 March 2025]

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