Brunéhaut (Vol. iv., p. 86.).
—Pasquier is the great author originally in her favour. Hallam refers also to Vellay, Hist. de France, tom. i. on one side, and a dissertation by Gaillard in the Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions, tom. xxx. on the other. Hallam himself was against her. In his Supplement, p. 19., he is rather undecided.
Michelet and Sismondi do not seem to defend her; nor, I believe, Guizot, who considers there was a constant struggle between the Frank and Roman inhabitants, and that Fredegonde and Brunéhaut were the heads and types respectively of the two races, and their respective principles of government.
C. B.
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.