and in about a mile's riding came to the || by Josephus, as extending from Scythofountain of Elisha, so called because mi- | polis towards Tiberias, to the further end raculously purged from its brackishness of the Dead Sea, and possibly as far as by that prophet, at the request of the || Idumea. Going in between this hill and men of Jericho*. Its waters are at pre the mountains, I saw a large ruined buildsent received in a basin, about nine or ing opposite to the place where we were ten paces long, and five or six broad; to ascend the mountains to the west, and from thence issuing out in good which, they say, are the highest in all plenty, divide themselves into several Judea. As we ascended, we passed by small streams, dispersing their refresh several grottoes, and an Arab took a cament to all the field between this and Je phn or tax. In the way they shew two richo, and rendering it exceeding fruit or three grots relative to Christ's temptaful. Close by the fountain grows a large tion; and at the top is a chapel, to which tree, spreading into boughs over the no pilgrims are allowed to go: it is on water.

the spot from which, they say, the Devil Mrs. Primrose. Can you turn to shewed our Saviour all the kingdoms of any other author, Mary-Ann, who the earth and the glory of them. On notices the same places?

the east of the low hill before-mentioned Miss Primrose. Yes, mamma. Po is a large ruinous building, with a chancocke, who travelled in 1737 and

|| nel to it from the hill, as if designed to the subsequent year, thus describes

convey the rain-water to a cistern that the localities of the scenes of our

probably was there. There is a canal Saviour's temptation, and of Elisha's

from it to an aqueduct, which is built on

high arches over a small valley: there well. He was travelling with a cara

are remains of several of these arches, van, which left Jerusalem on Easter

which probably distributed the water Monday for the Jordan. They passed

over the fields that are higher than the by Bethany; and when about mid

fountain of Elisha. We passed by anway on their journey, they

other little bill, to the north of which is had a view of the plain of Jericho, the bed of a torrent, which goes near the which is part of the great plain on both fountain of Elisha, which is near the end sides of the Jordan, that extended from

of a wood. The water of this spring is the lake of Tiberias to the Dead Sea. We

very shallow, and rises up in several passed near a very deep vale, in which

parts; it is a soft water, and rather there was a small stream of water ; the descent to the plain was long, and the

| it, of the turbinated kind : there is a road bad: towards the bottom, on the round inclosure about it of hewn stone. north, are the ruins of a small building, in which were six niches, semicircular at and a larger about a mile to the south. I top; two of them remain entire. These We crossed over a large stream, running are said to be the waters which were healeast at the bottom of the hill, our course

ed and made fruitful by Elisha's throwbeing now to the north; and after having ing salt into them, at the request of the gone about a mile, we came to a low hill

people of Jericho*. I observed that at the foot of the high mountains to the

the country around it was very fruitful, west, which are commonly called the

ccount producing good

producing good herbage and a great Quarantana, because there is an account from tradition, that Christ was tempted The Vicar. I shall read you one there forty days by the Devil; and it seems to be the chain of hills mentioned

passage more. It is from my quaint • 2 Kings ii. 19.

and a) are the ruins of a bottom, on the it, of the turnd some small shield rather

but favourite author, Baumgarten. | saw the ruins of a great many cities and He too is travelling from Jerusalem. places, particularly Galgala, towards the But, cousin, as you undertook to be least, where the children of Israel pitched reader for Mary-Ann, execute the their tents, after they passed the river same office for me, and read this Jordan*: We saw likewise the ruins of passage pointing one out to the Hay and Bethel, and of other cities. And captain, who proceeded :

then, when we had descended, or rather

tumbled down, from this mountain QuaThe first place we came to was Be- || rantana, we came to our company. thany; and having passed it, we came next to a fountain, called the Fountain Mrs. Montague. Now will you alof the Sun. Having there watered our low me to read one passage more; or mules, we went on our journey eight at least to point it out to our friend miles further, until we came to the ruins here? It is from Mr. Buckingham's of Adymon, which was on the confines Travels in Palestine. - The lady of Juda and Benjamin. Having after- handed the book to Basil, who read wards taken some refreshment at the the following extract from the chapfountain of Elisha, and tied our mules ter entitled the Passage of the Jorto the trees, we marched up the moun- i dan: tain Quarantana. The sun shone extremely hot, and annoyed us very much!

As we proceeded to the northward, as we strove to get up: for so it was,

we had on our left à lofty peak of the that when we crept upon the small stones

range of hills which border the plain of that lay loose, and scattered up and down

Jordan on the west, and end in this diin heaps, before we could arrive at any

rection the mountains of Judea. The place to fix upon, down we tumbled,

peak is conceived to be that to which stones and all. With many such falls,

Jesus was transported by the Devil durthere was scarce any part of our bodies

ing his fast of forty days in the wilderbut was marked most miserably with the

ness," after which he was an hungeredt." roughness of the stones. But because

Nothing can be more forbidding than we thought it dishonourable to be de

|| the aspect of these hills : not a blade of feated by this mountain, after we had

verdure is to be seen over all their surmustered Horeb and Sinai, higher and

face, and not the sound of any living far more inaccessible than this, we pluck.

being is to be heard throughout all their ed up our courage, and went on reso

extent. They form indeed a most apJutely till we had gained the middle ofil propriate scene for that wilderness in the mountain ; and here the remaining

which the Son of God is said to have part appearing still more steep and un

“ dwelt with the wild beasts, while the conquerable, sixteen of the monks, that

angels ministered unto him 1." were our fellow-travellers, deserted us.

In this mountain of the temptation Three of the lustiest of them stuck to

there are many grottoes of the early an, us; the rest going back to the mules,

chorites, which were visible to us as we were fain to stay till we returned. And

passed. The grottoes below are in long so six of us, by the help of God, with ranges, consisting each of several semuch ado, at last got up to the top of

parate chambers; those higher up are in the mountain, and there being entertain

general isolated ones, all in the cliff of ed with a fine cool air, we were much

the rock; and on the summit of the hill refreshed and comforted. On this moun

itself is a small Greek chapel, erected tain they say our Saviour fasted, and

* Joshua v.

+ Matt. ir, 2. was tempted of Satan. From hence we

Mark i. !3.

on the supposed spot of the temptation, perstitions into wild and romantic The grottoes were all formerly inhabit- tales? What a beautiful episode, for ed; and one of the uppermost of them, instance, is that which the Emir which is approached by a flight of steps Sherkohf, who, by the bye, is Salacut out of the solid rock behind the din himself, relates to Sir Kenneth immediate front of the cliff, has still its

of the origin of his family, founded decorations of Greek saints painted on

on the Oriental tradition, that as the the walls, with the colours perfectly fresh.

Ayoubites, the ancestors of the or· Mrs. Primrosc. Why is the tale thodox sultans, were infested with called The Talisman?

the heresy of the metempsychosis, Reginald. Because our gallant Ri- their descent was only on the mochard, who, when the tale opens, is ther's side, and that their paternal suffering under the enervating fever ancestor was a stranger, who settled of the climate, and obliged to remain among the Curds. I will read it. inactive in his tent, whilst dissension T “ Know, brave stranger," he said, and disunion reign in the councils " that when the cruel Zohauk, one of of the Crusaders, is cured by El the descendants

the descendants of Giamschid, held the Hakim, a Saracen physician, sent by

throne of Persia, he formed a league the sultan himself, by the applica

with the powers of darkness, ainidst the tion of a talisman. It was a stone,

secret vaults of Istakhar, vaults which

the hands of the elementary spirits had which, at some particular situations

hewn out of the living rock long before of the moon, he infused in water,

Adam himself had an existence. Here giving the latter to the patient to

he fed, with daily oblations of human drink. A stone, called the Lee-pen

blood, two devouring serpents, which ny, or Lee-stone, is now actually in

had been, according to the poets, a part possession of Sir Charles Macdo- of himself, and to sustain whom he lenald Lockhart of Lee and Carnwath, vied a tax of daily liuman sacrifices, till in Lanarkshire, the representative of the exhausted patience of his subjects the family of Lee, which is said to caused some to raise up the scymitar of possess the wonderful quality of heal resistance, like the valiant blacksmith ing. It was brought from the Holy and the victorious Feridoun, by whom Land by Simon Lochard of Lee, the tyrant was at length dethroned, and who accompanied one of the Doug

imprisoned for ever in the dismal caverns lasses thither, and who obtained it

of the mountain Damavend. But, ere from the wife of a Saracen chief, as

that deliverance had taken place, and a part of her husband's ransom. It

whilst the power of the blood-thirsty tyhas been in the family of Lee ever

rant was at its height, the band of rasince 1320: it is of a triangular

vening slaves, whom he had sent forth to

purvey victims for his daily sacrifices, shape; and tradition has banded

brought to the vaults of the palace of down accounts of the many wonder

Istakhar, seven sisters, so beautiful that ful cures it has performed.

they seemed seven Houris. These seven · Apathy. Yes; that is the way

maidens were the daughters of a sage, with this author; he plagiarizes even who had no treasures save their beauty from stories.

and his own wisdom. The last was not Reginald. And is it not a proof sufficient to foresee this misfortune; the of great, of consummate ability, to former seemed ineffectual to prevent it. .work up traditions of popular su- The eldest exceeded not her twentieth

year, the youngest had scarce attained | roun, which devoured all other rods, her thirteenth, and so like were they to when transformed into snakes before each other, that they could not have been king Pharaoh ; and the daughters of distinguished but for the difference of the Persian sage were less apt than others height, in which they gradually rose in to be afraid of the addresses of a spirit. easy gradations above each other, like | They gave the tribute which Cothrob the ascent which leads to the gates of demanded, and in an instant the sisters Paradise, So lovely were these seven | were transported to an enchanted castle sisters when they stood in the darksome on the mountains of Tagrut, in Kurdisvault, disrobed of all clothing, saving a tan, and were never again seen by morcymar of white silk, that their charms tal eye. But in process of time, seven moved the hearts of those who were not youths, distinguished in the war and in mortal. Thunder muttered, the earth the chase, appeared in the environs of shook, the wall of the vault was rent, || the castle of the demons. They were and at the chasm entered one dressed | darker, taller, fiercer, and more resolike a hunter, with bow and shafts, and lute, than any of the scattered inhabitfollowed by six others, his brethren. ants of the valleys of Kurdistan ; and They were tall men, and though dark, they took to themselves wives, and beyet comely to behold; but their eyes had came fathers of the seven tribes of the more the glare of those of the dead, Kurdmans, whose valour is known than the light which lives under the eye- throughout the universe." lids of the living. • Zeineb,' said the

Mr. Montague. The character of leader of the band, and as he spoke he took the eldest sister by the hand, and

Saladin is well drawn, and well suphis voice was soft, low, and melancholy,

ported throughout. He was the • I am Cothrob, king of the subterrane

Buonaparte of the age in point of an world, and supreme chief of Ginnis

fortune; but infinitely Buonaparte's tan. I and my brethren are of those

superior in all the qualities of the who, created out of the pure elementary

| heart. His father was a soldier of fire, disdained, even at the command of fortune, a native of Curdistan; and Omnipotence, to do homage to a clod of in his youth, Saladin followed the earth, because it was called man. Thou standard of his sire. An uncle nammayst have heard of us as cruel, unre ed Shiracough being sent from lenting, and persecuting. It is false. Curdistan to assist Adhel, the sulWe are by nature kind and generous ; tan of Egypt, against his rebellious only vengeful when insulted, only cruel vizir Shawer, Saladin accompanied when affronted. We are true to those

him; and on that uncle's death in who trust us; and we have heard the

1168, the fortunate Curd, at the age invocations of thy father, the sage Mi

of thirty-one, was appointed to sucthrasp, who wisely worships not alone the Origin of Good, but that which is

ceed him in the command of the arcalled the Source of Evil. You and

my of the caliph. By a fortunate your sisters are on the eve of death : but concatenation of circumstances, he let each give to us one hair of your fair

procured, after the death of Adhel, tresses, in token of fealty, and we will

and his son Al-Malek (with whom he carry you many miles from hence to a had been engaged in hostilities), his place of safety, where you may bid de acknowledgment as sultan of Egypt fiance to Zohauk and his ministers.' – and Syria, when he became actuated The fear of instant death, saith the po- || by an ardent' desire to drive the et, is like the rod of the prophet Ha- || Christians from the Holy Land. Re.

ginald de Chatillon, a soldier of for- || cautious policy of Philip, and the tune, having seized a fortress on the ardent, generous, but too impetuous borders of the desert, from whence zeal of Cour de Lion, were never hie greatly annoyed the caravans more admirably depicted. which travelled to Mecca and Medi- Reginald. And the author does na, and even threatened those cities, l justice to the better qualities of Phi. Saladin complained of this conduct lip, who, though a crafty, was an as a violation of the treaties then ex-able prince, the son of Louis the isting between the Christians and in-Young: he succeeded his father on fidels: redress not being accorded, the throne of France, A. D. 1180, at he resolved to take it into his own the early age of fifteen. One of his hands; and invaded Palestine at the first measures was to banish from head of a large army. The traitor court the buffoons and players, whose Raymond, Count of Tripolis, persua- licentious manners had so long disded the Saracen to lay siege to Tibe- graced it; his next was to expel the rias as his first exploit. The King of Jews from the kingdom. His geJerusalem advanced to its relief; but nius triumphed over that of our sethe Christians were deceived by the cond Henry, who was compelled to base counsels of Raymond, and de- make submissions to the French monfeated. Guy of Lusignan, the im- | arch, which were most unpalatable becile King of Jerusalem, and Regi- to his high spirit; and after his quarnald, were both taken, and conduct-rel with Richard in Palestine, he ed to the tent of Saladin, when an in- omitted no means of aggrandizing cident occurred, which probably sug- himself, and extending his dominions. gested to Sir Walter the fate of the From the weak and imbecile John grand master of the Templars. Guy he succeeded in conquering some of was fainting and exhausted, and the the brightest jewels in the English generous victor ordered him a cup of crown; and died with the character sherbet cooled in snow; but of this of being the ablest prince of his pledge of hospitality and pardon he time. would not suffer Reginald to par- Captain Primrose. His treatment take. “ The person and dignity of of our gallant monarch was, howa king," he observed, “are sacred; ever, exactly that of a Frenchman : but this impious robber must instant- it was disgraceful to him as a man, ly acknowledge the Prophet whom and ought to cover him with conhe has blasphemed, or meet the tempt as a king. But even the Temdeath which he has so often deserv- plars, those sworn soldiers of the ed.” Reginald nobly refused to ab- Holy Land, were disaffected, as were jure his God to save his life; when all the allies of the English, RichSaladin, striking him with his scymi- | ard alone remaining true to his vow. tar, the hapless warrior was dis- In the tale, we have all their petty patched by the infidel's guards. jealousies and base resolves brought

Mr. Mathews. The character of before us with the fidelity of histothe King of France is not less ably | ry. drawn; and that of Richard is admi- The Vicar. The Templars had ably contrasted with it. The cool, long been corrupted from their ori

VOL VI. No, XXXII.