the high-priest. After encompassing the hill where Pompey formerly pitched his camp, it returned to the NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY, and was carried on to a certain point called the house of the Erebinthi: thence it proceeded to surround Herod's monument, and terminated in the east at the quarter where it began."1 We read in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, that "Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried "him in the CHIEFEST of the sepulchres of the sons of "David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jeru"salem did him honour at his death, and Manasses "his son reigned in his stead." (2 Chron. xxxii. 33.) But this account is far too general to be by any means conclusive with respect to the vaults at the north of the city. The Vicomte de Châteaubriand is of opinion that the architecture of these monuments refutes the idea of their having been completed in the earlier periods of the Jewish history: Were it necessary, adds this distinguished traveller, to fix the epoch in which these mausoleums were constructed, I should assign their date to the age in which an alliance was formed between the Jews and Macedonians, under the first of the Maccabees. The Doric was then the 1 Bell, Jud. lib. v. cap. xii. prevailing order in Greece, the Corinthian not having been universally introduced till nearly half a century later, when the Romans began to extend their influence both in the Peloponesus and in Asia. But in naturalizing at Jerusalem the architecture of Corinth and Athens, the inhabitants blended the peculiarities of their own style with the graceful proportions of that which they adopted. The monuments in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and more particularly the royal sepulchres at the north of the city, present a striking instance of the union of the Egyptian and Grecian orders: there resulted from this connexion that indecisive anomalous character, WHICH FORMS THE LINK BETWEEN THE PYRAMIDS AND THE PARTHENON.1 1 "Il résulta de cette allianoe une sorte de monumens indécis qui forment, pour ainsi dire, le passage entre les Pyramides et le Parthénon." VOL. 1. ITINERAIRE, vol. ii. p. 310. DEAR E LETTER XII. To SIR G. ET, BART. Jerusalem. WE this morning made a fruitless effort to gain admission to the citadel: our ill success is to be ascribed to a neglect of certain formalities, which are frequently more an object of jealousy even than the observance of ceremonial distinctions-in fact, we omitted to propitiate the governor; an omission which in this country carries with it universally its own punishment. The Aga complained of our carelessness, in terms of such strong resentment to the drogoman, that we felt very little disposed to repair our negligence: it is however always advisable for a traveller to conform to established usages, whenever the observance does not compromise a sense of honour, or affect his personal character. The custom of sending presents to persons in authority is as old as the time of Saul,' and any departure from so venerable a practice is viewed as an affront to the official dignity of the individual in power.2 1 1 Samuel ix. 7. 2 It is of course totally impossible to prescribe either the quality or pecuniary value of the offering, which it may be proper to present: these must necessarily be left to the taste and circumstances of the traveller, who will naturally take into consideration the rank and office of the individual to whom he addresses himself. The observations of Alcumena and Mercury on the cup presented to the former by Jupiter in the disguise of Amphitryon,* are a short but very expressive commentary, which it may be proper on these occasions always to bear in mind. A want of attention to this point was productive of much embarrassment to all parties, when a short time since a very distinguished visitor from England had an interview with the Pasha of Jaffa. Generally speaking, the most acceptable presents consist în such articles as are not supplied by native ingenuity: it would be very idle, for instance, to carry owls to Athens! For a similar reason, all silks, or embroidered scarfs, the produce of European manufactories, are here held in little estimation;—but any superior specimens of cutlery would be very favourably received. The universal excellence of the Damascus blades has rendered other sabres comparatively of little value; a finely-tempered cavalry sword would however be ALCUMENA. Ecastor condignum donum! quali 'st qui donum dedit; While we were discussing the point at the entrance of the fortress, our attention was suddenly called to a very singular spectacle: a young man of an elegant figure, and possessing a considerable degree of muscular agility, placed himself on the drawbridge in a state perfectly naked, and threw himself into a variety of fantastic attitudes; bounding with a sort of justly appreciated. A double-barrelled pistol is an instrument almost unknown in Judæa; the locks are always ill-finished, the chief attention of the artist being employed in ornamenting the stock: here therefore is another article, which would not fail to conciliate the party to whom it was presented. A telescope is an instrument much prized in this country, and a stranger would do well to be provided with eye-glasses, spectacles, &c. adapted to different ages. Thermometers and weather-glasses, with the gradations marked in Arabic characters, would also be very favourably received. A modern traveller, whose sentiments have deservedly great authority with the public, has given it as his opinion that the distribution of presents rather defeats than advances the intentions of a stranger, as a reputation for munificence serves only to invite the rapacity of its objects. But this gentleman prosecuted his travels under very peculiar advantages, both from an intimate acquaintance with many of the oriental languages, and from having submitted to the INITIATORY RITE of Mohammedism. A christian has many personal prejudices to encounter; and the only weapons he can successfully employ in his defence, must be procured from that resistless armoury, which on a well known occasion, the Oracle recommended to Philip. |