BABYLON AND PERSIA

l6MEDIA, BABYLON, AND PERSIA.i6. All the work that has since been done on thisfield was carried out along the lines laid down in thisfirst attempt of Burnouf'sa monumental treasuryof erudition and ingenuity. But the matter in handis singularly arduous and obscure, and although pa¬tient scholarship has indeed succeeded in restoringthe lost religion attributed to Zoroaster in its mainfeatures and general spirit, in tracing the various ele¬ments which entered into its progressive develop¬ment, yet many and many are the points still underdi,spute, the passagessometimes most importantonesof which we have several conflicting verisions,among which even the trained specialist finds it im¬possible to make a decisive choice. In many waysthere is less uncertainty even about cuneiform de¬cipherment. Still much is done every year, and evenas matters stand now, we know enough to warrantus in pronouncing the religion so almost miracu¬lously preserved by a handful of followers one ofthe finest, wisest, loftiest the world has seen. Asit was the religion of the race which, in the order ofhistory, takes the lead at the point to which ourstudies have brought us, we shall pause to gainsome knowledge of it, and thus be prepared to fol¬low that race's doings more understandingly andappreciatively.