| 203 two. There are also bones of elephants, and other animals, from different places. Another room is full of speciments [specimens] of autography of all kinds, and of every data; the writings of princes, potentates, statesmen, sages, the ambitious and powerful philanthrophist [philanthropists], tyrants, historians, kings, queens, concubines, poets, divines, of wise men and fools. You go into a room again, where different speciments [specimens] of work are going on, such as paper staining, glass blowing &c. Many philosophical experiments were exhibited in the last named science. Common printing, lithograph and other printing presses were at work.
You then see every kind of Philosophical Apparatus; all sorts of models, complete, of steam engines, of every description, some of them at work; mills, and machines, of all kinds; railway carriages, going, and others still; cabinet ware, from Germany, Spain, China France, Italy, &c.; screws, levers, pulleys; ox-hydrogen and compound microscopes, kallaiedescopes [kaleidoscopes], magic lanterns, camera obscura, clock, watches, quadrants, circumferentors, zinc reflectors, thermometers, barometers, magnetic interrupters, electrical batteries, telescopes, windmill, pedomatic chondrometer, models of water wheels, lathes, electrifying machines, of all kinds, galvanic batteries, air pumps, and a thousand other things. I think if Solomon had been here he would have thought there was something new under the sun.
You are then introduced into a room where a man is cutting likenesses with scissors. He does them very quick and perfect. You are next shewn [shown] a Medal Press, with which they strike Medals of every kind. : It is a large machine from Birmingham, and the Medals are neatly executed. You see Fringe and Tassel making, and every kind of Carpets exhibited, different kinds of Tapestry, and Lace weaving, Pot making, and in short, you have the privilege of hearing a Lecture on some department of Science by gentlemen of talent, in the Lecture Room.-In fact, such a collection of every thing rare, ancient, useful instructive, beautiful and interesting, I never before saw. I cannot described the whole, but shall have to say, as the Queen of Sheba, the half has not been told. I would observe that those things are not all owned by the Institution, but that many of; them have been deposited there during the mid-summer hollidays [holidays], (for there are schools taught in many of the rooms at other times;) by noblemen and gentlemen, captains, antiquarians, connoisseurs, linguists, philosophers, anatomists, ladies, mechanics, tradesmen, &c. They admit visitors from ten o'clock in the forenoon to four in the afternoon, and from four in afternoon till ten at night. In the morning the charge is 1s, and the evening 6d. I am told they have taken upwards of [pounds] 700 a day during the exhibition.
When I saw some of those heroes, and specimens of antiquity, it reminded me of the rise and fall of nations. I was led to reflect on the glory of Babylon, the Medo-Persian, the Greek, the Roman and other mighty powers, who in their turn have risen to glory, and mouldered to decay-whose fame was once known to the ends of the earth-who laid desolate kingdoms, and caused nations to tremble-whose cities and walls, and towers, and fortifications, and armies defied the powers of earth; but who in turn have mouldered to decay, have died, and nothing is now left of them but a name and a few broken pillars, and scattered fragments of ancient greatness, to tell to this and other generations, the folly of human wisdom, and the imbecility and weakness of human power; and to point us to the fulfilment [fulfillment] of those prophesies where nations shall again crumble, and empires again be shaken; when thrones shall be cast down, and kingdoms again be destroyed; when that which has visited ancient nations; shall sweep like a torrent over all nations; when there shall be a crash of nations and a wreck of matter; when God's work shall be accomplished, the wicked be burned up, and nothing left to represent their former dignity or ancient glory.
We have mentioned these things for the purpose of shewing [showing] what it is our privilege to aspire to; and as we expect that ere long Nauvoo will be the great emporium of the west, and take the lead in the arts, sciences, and literature, as well as in religion, it would be well for us to keep our eye upon this in our various journeyings, and our intercourse with mankind; and possessing the facilities that we do, it only requires a little exertion on our part, to make a museum or repository of this kind, to exceed any thing on the western continent, and in the world: and while nations are tottering, and kingdoms crumbling to pieces, it is for the Saints to snatch from the ruins of ancient greatness every thing that is interesting, great, valuable and good-whether in religion, morality, arts and sciences, and bring them to the city of the Saints, that intelligence may dwell in our midst, that we may have a knowledge of the policy, the strength and weakness of empires and nations, of their wisdom and folly, their virtues and vices-that we may have a knowledge of the world, and all things in it, comely, great and good. That our old men may be honored and revered for their wisdom, and our young men sit at their feet and learn knowledge-that intelligence may flow from our lips, and "all nations call us blessed;"-that we may indeed be the "blessed of the Lord,"-"The Zion of the Holy one of Israel."
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