Smith pretended that he had found some golden or brass plates, like the leaves of a book, hid in a box in the earth, to which he was directed by an Angel, in 1827,--that the writing on them was in the "Reformed Egyptian language,"—that he was inspired to interpret the writing, or engraving, by putting a plate in his hat, putting two smooth flat stones, which he found in the box, in the hat, and putting his face therein--that he could not write, but as he translated, one Oliver Cowdery wrote it down.