text:  So entirely have the mere facts of Pagan history been disinterred ransacked sifted that except by means of some chance medal that may be unearthed in the illiterate East (as of late towards Bokhara ) or by means of some mysterious inscription such as those which still mock the learned traveller in Persia northwards near Hamadan (Ecbatana ) and southwards at Persepolis or those which distract him amongst the shadowy ruins of Yucatan (Uxmal suppose and Palenque )--once for all barring these pure godsends it is hardly "in the dice" that any downright novelty of fact should remain in reversion for this 19th century