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13. About half a mile from the wall are the tombs of the kings. In the midst of a hollow, rocky and adorned with a few trees, is the entrance: you then find a large apartment, above fifty feet long, at the side of which a low door leads into a series of small chambers, in the walls of which are several deep recesses, hewn out of the rock, of the size of the human body. There are six or seven of these low and dark apartments, one or two of which are adorned with vine-leaves and clusters of grapes.

14. Many parts of the stone coffins, beautifully ornamented in the Saracenic manner, are strewed on the floor: it would seem that some hand of ravage had broken them to pieces, with the view of finding something valuable within. The sepulchers of the judges, so called, are situated in a wild spot, about two miles from the city. They bear much resemblance to those of the kings, but are not so handsome or spacious.

15. Returning to the foot of the Mount of Olives, you proceed up the vale of Jehoshaphat on a line with the plain: it widens as you advance, and is more thickly sprinkled with olives. When arrived at the hill in which it terminates, the appearance of the city and its environs is rich and magnificent; and you cannot help thinking that were an English party suddenly transported here, they would not believe it was the sad and dreary Jerusalem they were gazing on.

16. This is the finest point to view it from; for its numerous minarets and superb mosque, are seen to great advantage over the trees of the plain and valley, and the foreground is verdant and cultivated. One or two houses of the Turks stood in this spot, and we had trespassed on the rude garden of one of them, where the shade of a spreading tree invited us to linger over the prospect.

17. The climate of the city and country is in general very healthy. The elevated position of the former, and the numerous hills which cover the greater part of Palestine, must conduce greatly to the purity of the air. One seldom sees a country overrun with hills in the manner this is: in general they are not in ranges, but more or less isolated," and of a picturesque form. Few of them approach to the character of mountains, save Carmel, the Quarantina, the shores of the lakes. and those which bound the valley of the Jordan.

18. To account for the existence of so large a population in the promised lands, the numerous hills must have been entirely cultivated: at present, their appearance on the sides and summits, is for the most part bare and rocky. In old

a En-vi'-rons, places near or adjacent. Min'-a-rets, small spires or steeples.

e Mosque, a Mahometan house of w ship. d'Is'-o-la-ted, detached, insulated.

time, they were probably formed into terraces, as is now seen on the few cultivated ones, where the vine, olive, and fig-tree flourish.

19. High up the rocky side of a hill, on the left of the wil derness, and amidst a profusion of trees, is the cave or grotto of St. John. A fountain gushes out close by. When we talk of wildernesses, mountains, and plains, in Palestine, it is to be understood, that they seldom answer to the size of the same objects in more extensive countries; that they sometimes present but a beautiful miniature of them. It certainly deserved the term, given by the Psalmist to the city, of being a “compact" country.

20. From the east end of this wilderness, you enter the famous valley of Elah, where Goliah was slain by the champion of Israel. It is a pretty and interesting spot: the bottom covered with olive-trees. Its present appearance answers exactly to the description given in Scripture; the two hills, on which the armies stood entirely confining it on the right and left.

21. The valley is not above half a mile broad. Tradition was not required to identify this spot; nature has stamped it with everlasting features of truth. The brook still flows through it in a winding course, from which David took the smooth stones; the hills are not precipitous, but slope gradually down; and the vale is varied with banks and undulations, and not a single habitation is visible in it.

b

22. At the south-east of Zion, in the vale of Jehoshaphat, they say the gardens of Solomon stood, and also on the sides of the hill adjoining that of Olivet. It was not a bad, though rather a confined site for them. The valley here is covered with a rich verdure, divided by hedges into a number of small gardens. A mean looking village stands on the rocky side of the hill above. Not a single palm-tree is to be seen in the whole territory around, where once every eminence was covered with them.

23. The roads leading to the city are bad, except to the north, being the route to Damascus ; but the supplies of wood, and other articles for building the temple, must have come by another way than the near and direct one from Jaffa, which is impassable for burthens of a large size, from the defiles and rocks amidst which it is carried; the circuitous routes by land from Tyre or Acre were probably used.

24. The Turk, who is chief of the guard that keeps watch at the entrance of the sacred church, waited on us two or

Ter'-ra-ces, raised banks, flat roofs.

Pre-cip'-i-tous, very steep.
Un-du-la'-tions, waving motions.

d De-files', narrow passages.

e Cir'-cuit-ous, going round in a circuit.

three times; he is a very fine and dignified looking man, and ensured us entrance at all hours, which permission we availed ourselves of to pass another night amidst its hallowed scenes, with interest and pleasure but little diminished.

25. We chose a delightful morning for a walk to Bethany. The path leads up the side of Olivet, by the very way which our Savior is said to have descended, in his last entry into Jerusalem. At a short distance are the ruins of the village of Bethphage; and half a mile farther is Bethany. The distance is about two miles from the city. The village is beautifully situated; and the ruins of the house of Lazarus are still shown, and do credit to the good father's taste.

26. The condition of the Jews in Palestine is more insecure, and exposed to insult and exaction, than in Egypt and in Syria, from the frequent lawless and oppressive conduct of the governors and chiefs. These distant pachalics are less under the control of the Porte; and in Egypt the subjects of Mahmoud enjoy a more equitable and quiet government, than in any other part of the empire. There is little national feeling or enthusiasm among them; though there are some exceptions, where these exist in an intense degree. In the city, they appear fearful and humbled; for the contempt in which they are held by the Turks is excessive, and they often go poorly clad to avoid exciting suspicion.

27. Yet it is an interesting sight to meet with a Jew, wandering with his staff in his hand, and a venerable beard sweeping his bosom, in the rich and silent plain of Jericho, on the sides of his native mountains, or on the banks of the ancient river Kishon, where the arm of the mighty was withered in the battle of the Lord. Did a spark of the love of his country warm his heart, his feeling must be exquisite :—but his spirit is suited to his condition. Letters from the East.

a Pa'-cha-li's, provinces, or governments. c Ex'-quis-ite, very fine, excellent. Porte, the ttoman court."

164

PIECES IN VERSE.

CHAPTER I.

SELECT PARAGRAPHS.

Charity.

Soft peace she brings wherever she arrives,
She builds our quiet as she forms our lives;
Lays the rough path of peevish nature even,
And opens in each breast a little heaven.

Love of Praise.

The love of praise, howe'er conceal'd by art,
Reigns more or less, and glows in ev'ry heart:
The proud to gain it, toils on toils endure,
The modest shun it-but to make it sure.

Beauty of Expression.

Thy words had such a melting flow,
And spoke of truth so sweetly well,
They dropp'd like heaven's serenest snow,
And all was brightness where they fell.
Man and Woman.

Man is the rugged, lofty pine,

That frowns o'er many a wave beat shore;
Woman's the slender graceful vine,

Whose curling tendrils round it twine,
And deck its rough bark sweetly o'er.
Joy and Sorrow.

In the dreams of delight which with ardor we seek,
Oft the phantom of sorrow appears;

And the roses of pleasure, which bloom on your cheek,
Must be steep'd in the dew of your tears.

Pity.

Teach me to soothe the helpless orphan's grief.
With timely aid the widow's woes assuage;

To mis'ry's moving cries to yield relief,
And be the sure resource of drooping age.

Reward.

Think not the good,

The gentle deeds of mercy thou hast done,
Shall die forgotten all; the poor, the prisoner,
The fatherless, the friendless, and the widow,
Who daily own the bounty of thy hand,
Shall cry to heaven and pull a blessing on thee.
Hope.

Why do those cliffs of shadowy tint appear,
More sweet than all the landscapes shining near?
'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,
And robes the mountain in its azure hue!
Thus with delight we linger to survey
The promis'd joys of life's unmeasur'd way;
Thus from afar, each dim discover'd scene,

More pleasing seems than all the past hath been:
And every form that fancy can repair,
From dark oblivion, glows divinely there.

Night.

Night, sable goddess! from her ebon throne, In rayless majesty now stretches forth Her leaden scepter o'er a slumb'ring world: Silence, how dead! and darkness, how profound Nor eye nor list'ning ear an object finds; Creation sleeps. 'Tis as the general pulse Of life stood still, and nature made a pause, An awful pause, prophetic of her end.

Sleep.

Tir'd Nature's sweet restorer, balmy Sleep!
He, like the world, his ready visits pays

Where Fortune smiles; the wretched he forsakes:
Swift on his downy pinions, flies from grief.

Battle.

w;

Now, shield with shield, with helmet helmet clos'd
To armor armor, lance to lance oppos'd;
Host against host the shadowy squadrons drew
The sounding darts in iron tempest flew.
Victors and vanquish'd join promiscuous cries,
And shrilling shouts and dying groans arise:
With streaming blood the slipp'ry fields are dy'd,
And slaughter'd heroes swell the dreadful tide.

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