Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1890 — NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. [ARTICLE]

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.

They Knew it All Two Cantnrios Ago, and Here's Proof of It. A carious little book has just been dag from the dust of two centuries and has been partially republished by the German newspapers for the purpose of proving that there is nothing new under the sun. The little book is entitled “Foolish Wisdom and Wise Foolishness,” and was written by an oldfashioned German political economist named Becher. At the time of its publication the book was regarded as something of a Munchausen narrative of the author’s travels through Europe. During his wanderlhgs Becher became acquainted with most of the learned men on the continent, and learned a vast deal concerning the scientific work of his day. The first fsnius he met was Franz Grundler, a urnberg optician. He says of him: “Grundler is a most remarkable man. He has an idea that he can cork up in a bottle, by means of a spiral, the ordinary spoken words of a man’s voioe, carry them around with him thus for an hoar or more, and then open the bottle and let them out. How far Grundler has got with the execution of -his-idea since r saw him, I do net know. The whole conception appears to be quite impossible of execution and silly.”

After thus hinting that even in the days of the thirty years’ war some men had learned a thing or two concerning the principle of the phonograph, Becher ba9 a word to say of “an instrument by means of which persons more than a German m*de apart could talk with each other in a low tone of voice.” Beoher calls the instrument a stentrophonicon, and describes how in using it he was obliged to press his lips very close to the bell of a curiously shaped trumpet. “I have seen,” he continues, “one of these instruments at Grundler’s in Nurnberg, and talked with him through it. Although we were a good distance apart at the time and talked very loudly, no one between us could hear a word we said.” During his tour of inquiry Becher also discovered that in several regions outside of Germany men had learned “to write down what others said with wonderful rapidity, by means of strange characters." “Englishmen have discovered a kind of tachygraphy,” he explains, “or an art which enables them to write as rapidly as the fastest speakers can talk. They have brought this wonderful art to such a degree of perfection that young persons often write out fall sermons without a mistake. Orations in Parliament can be written out by this means as rapidly as they are delivered, which I regard as a very useful invention.” So much for stenography two centuries ago. To save himself the trouble of learning various languages of the countries through which he passed, Becher compiled a universal language, not unlike our Volapuk. This language, he says, was derived directly from the nature of things, slipped easily over the tongue, and could be learned in four weeks. It had but twelve letters, and five hundred words, was clear of declinations and conjugations, and subject to but six rules of syntax. Among the many other wonderful things which Becher saw on the Continent and wrote about in his little book were an air gun “which shot lead without powder or noise,” another gun “which delivered three balls in rapid succession after one loading," a ship in which Cornelius Trebbel had ridden under the water of the Thames, and an air ship “held high above the earth by balls much lighter than the atmosphere.” ~

Cairo and the Pyramids. From the Cairo side of the river, rising above the groves and acacias and date palms, are seen the pyramids. These astonishing monuments of power and energy were old when they awakened the wonder of Abraham,' Joseph, and Moses. Their description I is in every language, living or dead, I and children at school know them from ! the wood cuts of their text-books, and; can tell their height and area, so that the traveler looks at them standing apparently just beyond the trees, though really five miles away, as familar friends. Twenty years ago there was a narrow path by a ferry, over which yon rode on a donkey to the most imposing monuments in the world; now you can take a carriage, cross the -bridge, and proceed by an excellent road completely shaded and thoroughly watered. On each side of the road are seen the evidences of the creative power of “Father Nile” in the splendid gardens and green fields. Camels and. oxen are plowing with such plows as are represented in ancient sculptures, and doing admirable work in the soft, moist soil; harrowing, dragging, and working with heavy hoes much like the cottonhoe of the south is {ping on; the sun is not hot, the breeze is cool and bracing, the people move rapidly and wore well from daybreak to sunset. This road is the favorite English drive; a four-horse “drag” runs every morning with passengers; dog-carts with natty grooms, fine imported horses, and strong, wirv Arabians ridden by gentlemen and ladies are always to be seen. Arriving at the desert, the pyramids are found to be an elevation of natural rock about which the sand of the Libyan desert drifts like fine snow. An excellent new hotel, simply and properly finished and famished, stands at the foot of the hill and carriages stop under'the trees. —Bprinyjield Republican.

xrotting Over a Bridge. The Brooklyn bridge is, perhaps, tbs only suspension bridge in the world over which horses are allowed to trot. Jbere is an old theory that the trot* ting of a horse, or the sound of music, br the measured tread of soldiers inarching will cause oscillation and weaken, if not destroy, the strongest bridge. Sharks. “ There are four men at Old Town* a luburb of Fernandina, Fla., who make their living out of the sharks. They eure the hide, by out tfee oil, and use the pulp tor fertiliser. :