SYRIA, from its historical associations, as including Palestine, is the most remarkable and interesting country in the world. In our Number for November appeared some notices respecting Egypt and Turkey, with the affairs of which those of Syria are closely implicated. Our present remarks will be confined to Syria, and chiefly to that memorable portion of it, the emphatically Holy Land.

It is only of late years that the modern state of Palestine, and the probability of the alleged identity of many of its localities with places mentioned in Holy Writ, have been searchingly investigated. Even far more recently than the period of the travels of Dr. Clarke of Cambridge, and Chateaubriand, or even of Burkhardt, the difficulties of access to the country impeded inquiry, so that the student, amidst conflicting statement, had little choice between adopting all the fables, traditions, forgeries, and wonderments of the old explorers and narrators, from the times of the Crusades downwards, and arming himself against imposition by a sceptical resolution that little or nothing is to be ascertained with any reasonable certainty. But of late years, -thanks chiefly to Mehemet Ali, who with all his crimes has been anxious to promote commercial and literary intercourse, and has thrown open the regions

under his sway to European travellers, with a freedom never before known, and with a zeal and good faith which have protected them against the bigotry and lawlessness of the nativesPalestine, and the regions North, South, and West of it, have been extensively visited and explored by European travellers; many of them men of piety and scriptural learning, including several missionaries; so that fact and fable have been more clearly separated, and much has been effected by topographical researches towards elucidating Jewish and other biblical antiquities.

It would not be possible, without writing a volume, to abridge the results of these multifarious inquiries; nor would a few detached critical investigations be of much value or interest. Those who wish to enter into these details must minutely compare the researches of travellers. Among the most recent, we may mention Mr. Wilde, whose work, abovementioned, furnishes a good deal of new matter in this way. He ranges however beyond our ability to follow him, when he presents a map, not only of what Jerusalem is, and what he considers it was in ancient days, but of what it shall be topographically after the return of Israel and the restoration of the city in the Millennium. He admits, however, that "It is but fair to state, that objections have been urged against this

literal interpretation of the prophecies," and that some think that "they are emblematical, and relate to spiritual matters;" but he says, that if so, there would be "no manner of use" in the topographical allusions to ancient Jerusalem-which is just begging the point in question; and he also, from "a comparison of measures," asserts, that not only the spiritualists are wrong, but also those literal interpreteters, who, with Sir Isaac Newton, refer the prophecies in question to the temple of Solomon built upon Mount Moriah, and restored by Zerubbabel, or that rebuilt by Herod. We enter not now into the discussion; but a man had need be very clear that he is accurate in his knowledge of ancient lineal measures and topography, before he applies it with such confidence to explicate unfulfilled prophecy. Some of the writers of this school are not a little peremptory in their statements. While we are writing, a new book has fallen into our hands, entitled "Israel's Return, or Palestine Regained; by J. Freeman," in the very first page of the preface of which, the writer, speaking of the personal reign of Christ, sitting upon a throne in the literal Jerusalem, the re-establishment of the Jews in Palestine, and "the subjugation of every nation upon earth to their authority"-not merely to the authority of Christ, but to theirs-says that, in regard to these and other litigated matters, "The author feels unbounded confidence [his own Italics]; and were he, from a feeling of false humility, to speak in language less strong.... he would be affecting doubt, diffidence, and uncertainty, where (whether right or wrong) he is not in the slightest degree conscious of possessing them." We do not recommend

false"

humility; but a little real modesty of enunciation is not ungraceful in difficult matters, especially where hosts of wise, learned, and holy men are against us.

We are not about to attempt to discuss the history, antiquities, geography, or political relations of Syria; respecting which innumerable volumes have been written; more especially as the public has of late been sated with these topics in the newspapers. But we thought that a few striking though cursory particulars might be interesting; and we especially intended, when last month we included Baron Geramb's Pilgrimage in our list, to select some passages from that very

remarkable publication. While we are writing intelligence has reached England that the writer is no more; a circumstance which adds new interest to his book. We purpose therefore closing our review with it; but as Mr. Wilde's volumes are in our hands, we will extract a few entertaining and instructive scraps from them.

(Beyrout.)-"There is the appearance of a large population along the shores and hill sides about Beyrout; and several picturesque villages, with their patches of cultivation, mosques, and marabuts appear among the scattered groves. A light breeze off the land kept us on our course. Presently the moon rose in the most gorgeous splendour; the night was exceedingly mild and calm; and the stillness and strikingly grand The range of Lebanon, which runs paral scenery of all around was most imposing.

lel with the coast for some distance, raised aloft its dark fantastic form, and threw the broken outline of its summits into strong relief, as the orb of night sailed slowly and majestically on her

course."

(Mount Carmel.)" We departed from Tyre, and on rounding the headland of Cape Blane, we obtained a dis

tinct view of the promontory of Mount Carmel, running out into the sea for a considerable distance. The convent that crowns the outer part of Mount Carmel forms a pleasing object in the scenery here presented to the view; and when we consider that, in all pro

bability, on this spot was gained that wonderful triumph which the prophet Elijah, by the power of God, achieved over the priests of Baal and their idolatry, it adds considerably to the interest of the scene. The proximity of the spot to the sea at once answers the objections of the sceptic as to where the water was procured in that season of drought to pour out the sacrifice and in the trench."

(Sharon.)-We rode over the lovely vale of Sharon, still producing those roses, whose beauty and fragrance have been described by Solomon in the sweet strains of Hebrew poetry. Around us was an atmosphere such as can only be perceived and breathed in the East-no palpable sky-no cloud traversing a canopy definite in extent, but an ethereal expanse about and above us-terminating only where the powers of vision fail-and creating the thought that we looked into the regions of boundless space. No detached houses, and but two villages, are within view on this part of the plain."

(Latin Convent at Jerusalem.)-"The curate of the convent generally acted as our guide. He was a kind, goodnatured creature, but extremely dirty in his habits. He had been but a few years in the country, and had not yet told his tale often enough to believe it himself; for, on questioning him as to the accuracy of many of the sacred places, he usually finished his speech with, But I am sure it is all tradition.' His evening visits to us were often very acceptable, for he generally produced from underneath his cloak a bottle of good wine, much better than that supplied to us by the convent"

(The holy Sepulchre.)-" The scene that presented itself in this space was of most novel and exciting interest, and the motley groups of figures that thronged it gave it a very extraordinary appearance. On the upper raised steps were tables spread with coffee, sherbet, sweetmeats, and refreshments; and throughout the court were seated pedlars, and the Bethlehemite vendors of carved shells, beads, ornaments in mother of pearl, bituminous amulets, bowls made of the asphaltum of the Dead Sea, and other articles of holy merchandise, some of which each of the pilgrims purchase during their stay. Through these wares, hundreds of persons passed and repassed to the church door. Pilgrims of many nations were to be seen in their different costumes; Latin, Armenian, Russian, Greek, and Coptish friars, with Turks and Egyptian soldiers, all forming the most extraordinary scene that could be found CHRIST. OB SERV. APP.

in any spot upon the globe; and a polyglot language is heard, such as few other places in the world could exhibit.

"The front of the church presents little worth describing. No architectural beauty seems to have been attempted in its erection; and it is now a poor mean looking building."

"One of the first objects that caught our attention on entering the sepulchre, was a large oblong slab of variegated yellow marble, raised a few inches from the floor, and having an immense candle burning at each corner. Our cicerone, Padre Benjamin, very gravely informed us, that this stone was that on which our Lord was anointed; and here, on Good Friday, the priests go through a similar ceremony with an effigy of the Saviour. At this spot the daily station of the pilgrim commences; for, on approaching it, he kneels, and not only kisses it, but touches it with his forehead, and then with both cheeks. This is the usual form of salutation at all the holy places.'

(Calvary.) Going down upon my knees, I entered the passage to the crypt beneath. The first thing that attracted my attention on reaching this place, was a large circular plate of embossed silver, fastened on a marble flag, and containing the remains of many precious stones and gems which had been set upon it. In the centre of this plate there is an aperture, into which I sunk my arm, and at about the depth of a foot I found a square hole in the rock, where, it is said, the cross was placed on which our Lord was crucified. A few paces to the right of this spot, we were shown a silver grating which covers a cleft in the rock, which we were told was the exact spot where the rock was rent at the time of the crucifixion."

(The Pentecostal Fire.)-"On the Easter eve all the Christian inhabitants of Jerusalem, and many of the Mohammedans also, assemble in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, to witness the ceremony of what is termed the Holy Fire. After the usual masses and processions have been concluded, the Greek patriarch and the Armenian bishop enter the pavilion of the sepulchre, the outer door of which is immediately closed upon them. The dignitaries remain locked in till night, waiting for the miraculous fire which they assert is sent down to them from heaven."

"About four years ago, this mockery was visited with a signal instance of the wrath of the Almighty, and was attended with the most melancholy results. On that occasion the crowd was more than usually great, for up5 I

wards of 6,000 persons had assembled in the building, and according to custom, the outer doors were closed. Just at the moment that the fire made it appearance, several persons fainted,others sunk down from weakness and extreme exhaustion, a cry of distress rose from those in the centre of the building, and a general panic was immediately spread throughout the whole multitude. Α rush was then made towards the door, but, as it turned inward, it was impossible to get it opened, owing to the extreme pressure of the crowd against it. In the space of a few minutes, certainly not more than a quarter of an hour, numbers, not less than 300, perished, either from suffocation, or from being thrown down and trampled to death by the crowd."

(The rock rent.)-" As regards the fissure in Calvary, Clarke himself was forced to acknowledge that it was a most astonishing phenomenon; that he could not account for it; and that it was a natural crack or rent, proceeding down to a great depth, which could not have been formed by man, as its sides corresponded to each other."

(Garden of Gethsemane.)-"There is nothing unnatural in assigning an age of nineteen centuries to these patriarchs of the vegetable kingdom, the olive trees, whose growth is perhaps the slowest of any in existence. They have not borne fruit for some years past; but, though their trunks are greatly decayed, yet, from the hardness of the wood, and each part being so retentive of life, there is still a considerable head to each, whose lightcoloured, silky leaves hang like so many silver locks over their time-worn and aged stems, that now, in the evening of life, are fast tottering to decay. But, having witnessed scenes of suffering, and the long dark night of gloom, and fearful retribution that has sunk the pride and prostrated the glory of Jerusalem, they seem yet to linger for the morning twilight of that bright era that will shortly dawn upon the land of Judah."

"In the vicinity of this garden were pointed out to us the usual traditionary places, attached to which there is not a single shadow of probability. Some that we examined have been lately erected, and have recent Latin inscriptions upon them. But I will cease to enumerate them, nor would I have mentioned them here except for the following reason. They are opposition shops: that is, the Latins having of late years, and especially since Napo leon's invasion of Palestine, lost their influence in the country, as well as at

the Porte, the different holy places are now rented by the Greeks or the Armenians, but particularly the former. To make up for this deficiency the Latin fathers immediately pretend to have discovered some spot in the neighbourhood of one of these places, still more holy than the former; and at once establish its sanctity by reputed miracles, by masses and processions."

(Mount Olivet.)-"There is this charm about Mount Olivet, that there can be no cavil as to its identity, no doubt of its being the favourite resort of our Lord and his disciples, and the scene of some of the most remarkable events in his life. Even though the spot pointed out may not be the actual Gethsemane, we knew that it must have been within our view: and though antiquarians may dispute as to the exact position of Calvary, yet we were convinced that at this moment we must have been looking at the place."

(Bethlehem.)—"A flight of steps conducted us into an oblong apartment, on one side of which a small low crypt, said to be hewn out of the solid rock, was exhibited to us as the actual place of the Nativity. On one side of it is an altar with a silver plate, like to that at Calvary, and said to cover the spot on which the birth of our Saviour took place. Opposite to this, a niche in the wall contains a very handsome, polish. ed white marble trough, like a sarcophagus, which is shown as the very manger in which the infant Jesus was laid!!"

(The Innocents.)- "On our return to the sacristy of the Latins we were shown a relic of priceless worth, encased in a splendid frame, and decorated with gold and jewels. This is a relic the very oldest that superstition has yet pawned upon the world, and one that dates its origin from the nativity itself. It is the hand of one of the innocents who were slain by order of the Tetrarch, and whose bodies were all thrown into a deep pit which was pointed out to us beside the chapel that contains the manger. This musty looking little article is considered of great value. There is, however, one slight objection to it. It is quite true that, owing to certain diseases, or to the effect of embalming, or any other drying process, a hand would keep for a much longer period than tradition assigns to this; but this unfortunately preserves that plumpness peculiar to infancy which such means could not possibly retain. This fact may prevent the scientific, at least, from enumerating it among the wonders of Beth

lehem for the future. It is, however, an exceedingly good representation, and does considerable credit to the artist who made it."*

We will now quote two passages of a different class. The first shews the cruel and desolating character of Mehemet Ali's conscription.

“One day, while toiling up the steep ascent of Mount Sion from the valley of Hinnom, we perceived an old greybearded Arab, who sat under an olive tree with a lovely child in his arms, whose beauty struck us as being very remarkable. The man rose as party approached, in a different manner from that usually displayed by the generality of his people, and appeared to court an interview. Seeing us stop he advanced a little, and inquired of our ciceroni if we were not Russians.

our

On

being informed that we were English, the old man's face brightened up, his hesitation vanished; and coming boldly forward he seemed to recognise us as friends, and at once entered into conversation, and related to us his sad tale. It is one that then echoed throughout the length and breadth of Syria-a tale whose sad reality makes the mother childless and the wife a widow, but one ever consequent on the horrors of a forced enlistment and the ravages of war. He told us, with tears standing in his large expressive eyes, that he had been the father of eight sons, seven of whom were dragged from him to join the Basha's army within the last two years. Four of them were killed during the Houran war, and after their death the survivors deserted to the Bedawees beyond the Dead Sea; and had then a price fixed upon their heads. The youngest, his sole remaining joy,'the Benjamin of his old age-was the child he carried in his arms. 'When,' said he, will the English come to take this country?-when will you come to rescue us from our present bondage? Here is my child-my youngest-and I know that I am but rearing him for the battle; a few years more and he too will be taken from me. Oh! bring him with you to your own free coun

Mr. Wilde is mistaken in saying that this is the oldest alleged relic in existence. There are plenty of pretended Old Testament relics in various places. A monastery at Erfust boasted David's tuning-hammer! Popery however does not pitch its strings to his harp.

try-take him any where out of this unhappy laud.' And he held the child round to each of us in turn. From my heart I felt for him. On informing him that if we took the child to England he would be made a Christian, he appeared thoughtful for some moments, looked earnestly from us to his child -the inward struggle between deeprooted religious prejudices and fatherly love were strongly marked in the man's countenance; the latter conquered, and he answered, Yes, take him with you, even make him a Christian; better that than to remain here to be shot.' Never did I feel the pride of being an Englishman so strong as at that moment. Thrice happy land; even at that distance, and at the very gates of Jerusalem, has the poor Arab heard of shield to the desolate and oppressedyour freedom, and looks to you as a

the Judah of the Gentile world!"

The following is perhaps the most curious passage in Mr. Wilde's volume. We present the facts for consideration, without offering any opinion upon them.

"This Field of Blood still retains its name and is called in every language, and by every people within or about Jerusalem, Jews, Christians, and Mohammadans, Aceldama. It is not far distant from the stream of Gihon."

"Having heard a rumour of a tomb that had been lately discovered and and it being reported that some human opened by the Arabs, in this vicinity, remains were found in it, I rode out one evening during our sojourn in Jerusalem, to examine the place, accompanied by two of my companions, Mr. W. Meiklam and Mr. Finlay. A little higher up in the cliff that rises from the cavern erected by the Roman empress, within the ground denominated Aceldama, and in the neighbourhood of the painted chambers, and that excavation called the tomb of Isaiah, some Arabs, when at work in the place, accidentally discovered the door-way of a tomb carved out of the solid rock, which had been concealed by a heap of rubbish, over which the soil had accumulated so as to completely conceal the entrance. Such was the account given to me by credible witnesses in Jerusalem. This entrance at the time of our visit was still partly concealed by brambles, stones, and dirt, so that but one half of the door-way was visible.

"It represents a Doric pediment, supported by rude pilasters, with some