The ruins of “Birs Nimrod,” on an elevated mount, are supposed to be the Tower of Babel of the sacred Scriptures, and the temple of Belus, so minutely described by Herodotus. The base of this tower measures two thousand and eighty-two feet in circumference. Babylon was in its glory in the time of Nebuchadnezzar. It was besieged and taken by Cyrus B. C. 538, and afterwards by Alexander the Great. IV. Messengers, Carriers, etc. “The eye is a good messenger, Which can to the heart in such manner Tidings send as can ease it of its pain.” CHAUCER. There are so many beautiful passages both in sacred and profane history alluding to messengers, in connection with our subject, that there is no doubt but as civilization progressed the word and its meaning laid the foundation for the many improvements which are to be found in our present postal system,—a system which now connects all nations together by a _letter-line mode_ of communication. There is a beautiful passage in Holy Writ from which, figuratively, we date the origin of _first carrier or messenger_: it is that of the dove that went forth from the ark. “And the dove came in to him in the evening, and, lo, in her mouth _was_ an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.” _THE RETURN OF THE DOVE._ “There was hope in the ark at the dawning of day, When o’er the wide waters the dove flew away; But when ere the night she came wearily back With the leaf she had pluck’d on her desolate track, The children of Noah knelt down and adored, And utter’d in anthems their praise to the Lord. Oh, bird of glad tidings! oh, joy in our pain! Beautiful Dove, thou art welcome again.” MACKAY. The name of messenger is derived from the Latin word _missaticum_, and this from _missus_, one sent. The old French _mes_ was applied both to the _message_ and the _messager_. “_But eare_ he thus had say’d, With flying speede and seeming great pretence, Came running in, much like a man dismay’d, A _messenger_ with letters, which his _message_ say’d.” SPENSER. Gower, the poet of the fourteenth century, says:— “_The raynbow is hir messagere._” Angels are called “winged messengers.” “The angels are still dispatched by God upon all his great _messages_ to the world, and, therefore, their very name in Greek signifies a _messenger_.”—_South_, vol. viii. ser. 3. Milton also thus beautifully alludes to the angel messengers:— “For will deign To visit the dwellings of just men Delighted, and with frequent intercourse Thither will send her winged _messengers_ On errands of supernal grace.” Carriers, in connection with letters, are modern appendages to the post-office, and now form one of its most important branches. They are indeed welcome messengers.