makes herself equal to her mistress, the mistress cannot sell her, but she may put a mark on her and make her a maid-servant. A husband must sustain his sick wife as long as she lives; he cannot divorce her. The rights of children are also elaborately protected.

Among the most extraordinary provisions are those which control surgery. There are no laws for physicians, whose business was largely in the hands of priests, who used both simples and spells. Surgeons had good pay, according to the rank of the patient; but if the person were of high rank and died, the surgeon's hands were to be cut off. There were veterinary surgeons, and their fees were established, and also their fines for failure to cure.

LXVI-57

dencing a high state of civilization at the time of the patriarch Abraham; for Hammurabi is the Amraphel of Genesis xiv, who made a raid, with other kings, into Palestine and captured Sodom. He tells us that the title he gave himself was "King of Righteousness," which is the very meaning of the name Melchizedek, who is said to have been the King of Jerusalem at the time that Hammurabi made the raid and passed within a few miles of Melchizedek's

town.

Beyond all doubt, this stone monument found by De Morgan in Susa is the most important document for the history of civilization that has been discovered in many years. It carries back the history of law for a thousand years or more. It

Most creditable has been the speed with which this great inscription has been given to the world. There was no waiting. Within less than a year after it was

Assyrian scholars living, who has thus set a generous example to the scholars of other countries, and one that is much needed.

W

HEN they were in London in 1888 and 1889, MM. de Reszke and Lassalle stayed at the Continental Hotel in Regent street, where they occupied adjoining apartments and took their meals. together. I frequently used to join them at luncheon or dinner, and a cordial welcome always awaited me. Then would we chat over the events of the preceding night's performance, discuss its merits and deficiencies, and point out improvements that might be introduced in the future. It was not less amazing than interesting to see how these three gifted artists would criticize each other's gestures and attitudes. Sometimes they would move away the table to make room to go through some scene with full stage action, going over it again and again until they had it to their common satisfaction. On these occasions I had to play the part of spectator and deliver my verdict upon the general effect.

Or else we would talk "art"-talk it steadily by the hour. And what a delight that was, with men whose only aim was to reach the highest goal by the noblest path! How we discussed voice-production and breathing! Not a detail of that wonderful subject was left untouched. Now Jean would show us how a tenor should manage his tones so as to form the perfectly equal scale. Now Lassalle would illustrate the marvelous simplicity of the "one and only" method which he designated "la grande ligne." Finally, Édouard would strip to the waist to give us an example of his extraordinary control of the abdominal muscles, whereby, in expanding the ribs and completely filling the lungs, he seemed to raise the lower half of his figure until, like

one barrel sliding inside another, it had concealed itself in the vast cavity of his chest.

Once I remember our party of four was joined by Tamagno, when the celebrated Italian tenor was playing Otello at the Lyceum. We all had supper together after the performance, and were in the jolliest of moods. Tamagno had a slight cold on the chest, but protested that it made no difference whatever in the singing quality of his head tones. Catarrh in the nose, he said, was fatal, but a chest cold made not the least difference to him. Upon this Lassalle offered to wager that he could sing higher with his falsetto than Tamagno with his voce di petto. The challenge was accepted, and forthwith the two began a vocal duel the like of which I am certain I shall never hear again. Out came Tamagno's A's and B flats, as quickly responded to with the falsetto equivalents from Lassalle's sturdy throat. Then the Italian went "one better"; and the Frenchman, in order, as he said, to help himself up the scale, mounted his chair and emitted the B natural; whereupon Tamagno also stood upon his chair and brought out not only a high C, but a ringing D flat. Lassalle was now for mounting the table, but this being "ruled out" as an unfair advantage over a less athletic opponent, he proceeded to get the necessary notes from the eminence of his chair, amid terrific applause from the rest of the company. Tamagno now made a bold dash for a D natural, but did not quite succeed; and, as Lassalle fared no better, we pronounced the result a "dead heat,' which, at that somewhat advanced hour of the night, was perhaps rather a blessing for the neighboring occupants of the hotel.