enter; and, where men will not tear up their rooted errors of more than a thousand years' standing, probably the desolations of war may be sent, as the only effectual instrument to abolish inveterate and beloved evils.

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JEWS IN ABYSSINIA.

Monday, Dec. 10, 1823-In the course of the evening, Rabbi Isaac called; with another young Jew, who has travelled as far as London. They assume this title "Rabbi" at so very early an age, that it surprises a person who has been accustomed to connect it with the idea of venerable years and learning. They marry also extremely young.

The Abyssinian Priest coming in, we obtained a little information concerning the condition of the Jews in his country. He stated that there are many in Gondar a few in Samen; and he had heard, but could not declare it from having been there, that, at Kuarka, the Jews are very numerous-that the inhabitants are nearly all Jews. I had hitherto understood, that, in Abyssinia, Jews were only to be found in Gondar, where they are known by the name of Falasha. He gave some account of the rigour with which they attend to certain ceremonial purifications, in a manner more severe than is practised even by the Jews of Jerusalem: this rigour was highly applauded by the Jews present: it had particular relation to the treatment of females.

We gave Rabbi Isaac a Hebrew and an Arabic New-Testament. On my wishing to point out to him Stephen's Sermon in Acts vii, and particularly the application of it at verse 51, he was so fearful of my taking the books from him, that he would not let me

have them to shew him the place. I therefore looked for another copy, and referred him to the page.

Thursday, Dec. 11, 1823-We called on Ysa Petros, and found him surrounded with papers, translations, &c. He evinces a general love of knowledge, and a desire to communicate knowledge. Besides several Maps drawn by his own hand, and with the names of places in Arabic, he has made some small Globes celestial and terrestrial, the workmanship being entirely his own.

MOSQUE OF OMAR.

We, afterward, waited on the Governor. The approach to his residence, the residence itself, and the aspect of his Court are all so destitute of what would be expected from his station, that I forbear to describe them. He asked some questions, which were far from courteous: being answered with reserve and distance on our part, he suddenly became very complaisant, repeated the compliment of sherbet, pressed us not to hurry away, and spoke of the hospitality due to strangers. The only favour which we had to ask of him, was permission to go on the roof of his house, which overlooks the Mosque of Omar, the Sakkara el Aksa, and the surrounding spacious area of which his house forms one side. As we were the first since his new government who have asked this, he had to inquire of his attendants whether it was Âdet (Custom). Being answered in the affirmative, he gave us leave, and we went up.

Here we had a view of this very interesting spot; within which had we set our foot, the penalty must have been either death or the embracing of the Mahomedan Faith. Can any thing be more absurd,

unjust, or harshly oppressive? Let insult offered to any, even the most absurd religion, suffer condign punishment: but is it possible that the followers of Mahomed can be gratified by such an extorted conversion to their faith; or thirst for the blood of a man, who shall, in a moment of temerity, have touched the mere earthly precincts of one of their sanctuaries? We availed ourselves of the moment attentively to survey the solemn scene before us→ where, once, that wonder and praise of the whole earth, Solomon's Temple, stood. The ample area is, in some parts, covered with turf: in others, the bare rock shews itself; and a few scattered trees scarcely suffice to give it the title of picturesque. The dome of the Mosque is a truly noble specimen of taste; but, pressing too low upon the subjacent part of the structure, it overwhelms the symmetry of the whole it is, in fact, best viewed at a distance, when it is seen apart from the lower building with which it is connected, and standing pre-eminent for beauty among the buildings of the City-a pre-eminence, however, diminished by its mournful defect in moral beauty. Here, they of the captivity in Ezra's days, Priests and Levites, and Chief of the fathers, who were ancient men that had seen the First House, wept with a loud voice on beholding the inferiority of the Second. Here, the Hebrew and the Christian may now, also, mingle their tears over the violation of the True Faith. Here, are neither the holy precepts of the Law nor the inviting promises of the Gospel, to dignify or to endear the place. This splendid edifice, surmounted with the Crescent, serves only to exhibit to all the world this desecrated spot, as a central monument of Divine Vengeance.

It may, spiritually, be called an Abomination of Desolation standing in the Holy Place, where it ought not.

In the afternoon of this day, we waited on the two Epitropi of the Greek Convent, in order to speak with them on the subject of the Apocryphal Books of Scripture. We had a very explicit conversation on this topic, in which Daniel chiefly engaged; his Colleague, Agios Petras, being very feeble from the effects of his late fever, and not manifesting any particular turn for theological discussion. They will send to us, from their Library, the Acts of the Seven General Councils, which may assist us in our present inquiries.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

Friday, Dec. 12, 1823-We went, this morning, to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The sight which meets the eye immediately upon entering, as most incongruous to the idea of a Christian Place of Worship, is a party of Turks sitting on the left-hand, taking their ease on the divan, smoking, and watching every Pilgrim who passes, that they may not lose their fee.

The first Sacred Object to which the attention is attracted, is the Stone of Unction, as it is called; being a splendid slab, laid over the spot where the body of our Lord was washed and anointed and shrouded, previous to its interment: here, Devotees were prostrating themselves, and kissing the stone¡

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On the right-hand, having ascended a flight of stairs, we entered the Chapel of the Crucifixion : the spot where the Cross stood is shewn under the altar: and, in a chapel underneath, is shewn, very dimly, the figure of the Rock; concerning which,

Maundrell and other Travellers have related the tradition of Adam's scull having been found there, when the rock was miraculously rent.

On the east side of the Church is the Chapel of the Greeks; who, having borne the principal share of the expense (if not the whole) of repairing the Church after a fire which, in 1808, broke out and consumed a considerable part of it, have repaid themselves by keeping possession of by far the largest and handsomest portion of the building. Their Chapel and High Altar are decked with very shewy pictures of Saints, after the Oriental fashion; that is, almost without any regard to perspective.

Passing behind the screen which separates their High Altar from the wall of the Church, there is a wide semicircular passage; from which there is, on the right-hand, a descent, by many steps, to St. Helena's Chapel, and the Chapel of the spot where she is related to have found the Cross.

At the northern extremity of this passage is the portion assigned to the Latins. Their Chapel is very far from splendid: it seems, indeed, dim and gloomy. One or two Devotees I observed passing a cane through a grate, and touching with it some stone or other object out of their reach; then withdrawing the cane, and kissing the extremity which had touched the holy relique within: thus, virtue is transfused from the relique to the cane, and from the cane to the lips of the Devotee!

Returning to the body of the Church, we approached the Holy Sepulchre, which is placed a little north of the centre. It is covered by a small building, which has the appearance of a Church in