As they entered the way leading to the gate of Damascus, the sun was shedding its last rays of light over the scene, and all the loftiest and proudest monuments of Jerusalem gleamed on their sight, and stood conspicuous before them. Its triple wall; its ninety fortresses; its massy gates; its towers of Phaselas, Psephina, and Mariamne; the Castle of Antonia; the palace of their kings; and the Temple of their God: all these shone with indescribable magnificence, and seemed pointed out to observation as by a ray from heaven. The whole company felt the majesty of the scene and made an involuntary pause. The sun gradually descended behind Mount Gihon, and the evening lights of saffron, crimson, and violet were shed over the hills; soft and beautiful beyond any thing that can be imagined. The finest mellow glow rested on the darkly shaded village of Gethsemane, and tinged the wreathing smoke that slowly rose from the polluted vale of Hinnom.

Caphtor and Sephora were so long entranced by this scene, that, when they prepared to descend into the city, they found themselves almost alone.

Keroob had furnished them with a commendatory epistle to Laadon, a relation, who lived near the lower pool, not far from the valley gate. Here they went, and found a welcome hospitality during all the time of their stay in Jerusalem. They had much of the town to traverse on their way to their friend's house. They passed the Castle of Antiocus, the Roman theatre, the house of Antipas, the synagogue of Jaffa, and the school of Gamaliel. The door of this latter edifice was standing open, and they were tempted to enter it. They found the master haranguing on the beauties of the prophets. He was sitting at the upper end of an oval amphitheatre, and the students were ranged at his feet, according to their respective merits. The youth who was placed at his right did not appear to be more than fourteen years of age; but though so much younger than many of the others, yet from the impetuous fire that beamed from his countenance, and the gentle nobleness that characterized its expression, it might well be imagined that this seat of honour was no

unmerited distinction. His whole attitude indicated the deepest attention: he was half risen from his clinium, resting on his left hand, his luminous eye fixed on Gamaliel, imbibing and reflecting all the finest touches of his eloquence. Sometimes he

interrupted his master with questions, and his very doubts discovered à clearness of intellect and depth of thought, that were truly admirable. He seemed to possess one of those rare minds on which obscurity and ignorance could find no repose, and which nothing but knowledge and truth could ap-. pease and satisfy. It was easy to observe that Gamaliel was sensible of all his merit. In the finest parts of his discourse he instinctively looked towards his pupil, and his genius seemed to kindle with the glance.

Sephora and Caphtor had merely intended to look for a moment at the school; but they were so fascinated by witnessing this speaking and listening eloquence, that they could scarcely tear themselves from it and pursue their way to Laadon's house.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE interior of Jerusalem, though it possessed so many magnificent buildings, yet it had but a sombre appearance to one whose eye was accustomed to range unconfined over the fairest objects in nature.

The streets were narrow and the houses high. The upper stories were latticed, but the lower ones had no windows looking to the town, and it was like passing between blank walls. For this reason most people preferred walking along the tops of the houses, which were flat-roofed and communicated with each other.

Just as they entered their friend's door, they found him going up to the Temple at the hour of prayer, and instead of entering the house, they dismounted from their camels and went with him.

Sephora could not, for the first time in her life, approach this consecrated building with

out feelings of awe, that thrilled through her very soul.

The Temple stood in the midst of a large marble court, at an elevation of about four hundred cubits above the adjacent valley. It was built on a very hard rock, and the foundations were laid within it, at an incredible expense. The great gate was seventy cubits high and twenty-eight broad. The stones which formed it were unspeakably beautiful, and of a most astonishing magnitude. Instead of doors, the gate was clothed with vails, flowered with gold, silver, purple, and every thing rich and curious.

The court, in which the Temple stood, was divided into three parts by buildings of great magnificence. Its utmost extremity was encompassed with triple galleries of white marble. This was called the court of the Gentiles, but it looked more like a place of traffic than of prayer. The money-changers were sitting before their tables, negotiating their coin for gold or silver; oxen, lambs, and doves, were being clamorously offered for sale, and recommended for sacrifice.