Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

4

hath happened, that which was the leaft object of my hope or my ambition, should at this moment prefs with fuch refiftlefs influence on my mind. I, who hitherto have walked on in life without molefting or intruding myfelf on any one, am now neceffitated, even in violation of the modefty of my nature, to be importunate with Majefty itself:-urged to this ftep, indeed, not by any views of felf-intereft, but purely by the calamities of others; which, left they fhould rife to a ftill higher degree, afford me an additional motive to deprecate the feverity of judgment.

4

"I have been informed, that with us there are fome ftrangers-Hollanders, if I mistake not-of both fexes, who were lately cited to the bar for maintaining pernicious doctrines. Some of them have been lately reduced from their errors, and have made the best atonement in their power for them, by a public act of penitence. The major part of thefe fectaries have been banished from this country; which in my opinion, was the most prudent ftep that could be taken. But I am informed that one or two are doomed to the laft extreme of punishment; and (unless your Royal clemency Thould interpofe) are to be devoted to the flames.

we know not into what delufions we may be precipitated. But I thank God, with the warmeft gratitude, that not one perfon of our country, that I can find, hath been infected with this heretical frenzy. Fanaticif, like this, though it ought by no means to be encouraged in a ftate, yet ought al ways to be checked and fuppreffed, by rational methods of correction.

[ocr errors]

Truly, Madam, the fires of the stake, raging with the moft combuftible ingredients, have rather a tendency to throw a cloud over the understandings, than to lay a proper refraint on the wills of the erroneous. They fuit rather the rigid practice of Rome, than the gentle fpirit of the gofpel. In Rome, indeed, they had their origin, Pope Innocent the Third was the nrft who gave this example of cruelty to fucceeding Pontiffs, for never, till his time, had any one dared to transport the brazen bull of Perillus from a tyraut's court to the Church of Chrift. I do not fay this from a delight in, or an or an indifference to, what is pernicious to Religion or the State, or to encourage the errors of any perfon.→ But I value the lives of men-for I am a man myfelf. I would fhow fame indulgence to thefe unhappy delinquents; not that they may perfift in herefy, but that they may live to "In this bufinefs, two objects prin- renounce it. objects prin- renounce it. Indeed my benevolence cipally ftrike me the first refpects the is not limited to my fellow-creatures; malignity of their errors; the fe- the very brutes fhare in my good will, cond, the severity of their punishment, and I would gladly extend my fucWith regard to their errors, I can cours s to the most abject of animals. conceive of none more abfurd and con- For fuch is the tenderness of my dif temptible; and I prefume that every pofition--perhaps I may be thought perfon of common understanding muft vain in thus fpeaking of myself, but I defpife them as much as I do. For feel it to be a truth, that I can fcarcely my own part, judging from the opi- pafs by a public butchery, where the nions themselves, I fhould have ima- cattle are flaughtered, without feeling gined that they were too ridiculous a fecret uneafinefs of mind. Hence and inconfiftent to have gained the be- I cannot enough admire the clemency lief of any Chriftian whatever. But of God, who commanded that the fuch is the lot of frail humanity, that beafts which were devoted to sacrifice if, being destitute of the light of the fhould first be flain at the foot of the Divine Spirit, we are left to ourselves, altar before they were committed to even for the smalleft portion of time, the fire. This inftance of the Di

[ocr errors]

vine clemency teaches us, that even in the moft juft and neceffary punishments, rigour fhould not be carried to its utmost extreme; but that mercy should always temper the ftroke of juftice.

chains and ignominious marks of pub-, lic opprobrium and contempt. But the flames of Smithfield !-oh! fuffer them not, after having been extinguished fo long, under the auspices of your gentle reign, to be enkindled afresh.

"Since it is only allowed me to addrefs the throne as a fupplicant in the name of Jefus, to implore the Royal mercy for the wretched, I would prefume to plead that authority (and what cannot that effect? (which Divine goodness hath conferred upon your Majefty for the protection of the lives of multitudes; and would make ufe of it as an argument in behalf of the poor delinquents-that you would in mercy fpare them, or at leaft change their fentence, and foften the horrors of the punishment to which they have been condemned. There should perish alfo.” is exile or imprisonment. There are

"If this request of mine cannot be granted (which yet I would offer to your Majefty in every poffible form of fupplication) yet, at leaft, let the maternal tendernefs of the Royal breaft indulge this wish,—that the execution of thefe unhappy creatures may be fufpended for a month or two, that, in the mean time, we may wait to fee whether the mercy of Heaven will reclaim them from their dangerous errors; left, with the destruction' of their bodies, their immortal fouls

Defcription of Mount Carmel *.

N afcending that part of Mount monks. The ftructure of this peace e the. ful retreat, we are

fea like a promontory, one finds on the left a garden, furrounded by very weak walls, which conducts to two remarkable grottoes cut out of the rock with the chifel. These grottoes are held in great veneration by the Mahometans, who confider them as the ancient habitation of the prophet Elias. They have converted them into a mofque, under the title of El Rader; in which fervice is performed by a dervife, or Turkish monk, who with his family lives in a neigh bouring cottage.

On coming out of these grottoes, the afcent is by a very fteep and narrow path, which in fome places is cut out of the rock in the manner of fieps; and a little below the fummit is fituated a folitary convent of Carmelite

refpect and admiration. It is indebted for its whole extent almost entirely to the hand of nature, which feems to have conftructed it in favour of rural and fequeftered virtue. The small apartments and cells deftined for the ufe of travellers, are fo many convenient grottoes, fuited to the neceffities of life. A grotto ferves likewife as chapel to this facred place. It contains two altars, the principal of which; is confecrated to the Virgin, and the other to St Elias. On the whole. declivity of Mount Carmel, which divides the grottoes El-Rader from the convent, there may be feen a great number of cifterns, deftined formerly for receiving the rain water. Some paces from the convent there is a folitary grotto, which the Orientals

From "Mariti's Travels through Cyprus, &c."

are

are perfuaded was the habitation of from the proprietor one of thofe cuthe prophet Elifha, whofe name it cumbers to refresh him, denounced that they fhould be changed into. ftones. Abundance of the same kind of ftones may be found in all the mountains of Syria.

fill bears. On the fummit of the mountain are the ruins of an ancient edifice, which have hung over the cells of these Carmelites. They are as thick, as the walls of a fortrefs. The first time that the traveller vifit ed Mount Carmel, he found them much higher than he did at his return. He was told by the monks, that they had demolished about nine feet in the height of them, to prevent their falling on the cells, and burying them; which might have happened by the fury of the winds, that blow there fometimes with great violence. It feems as if St Elias inhabited fucceffively every part of Mount Carmel, fince the greater part of the grottoes, fountains, and fields, are ftill called by his name.

At the distance of eight miles from the promontory,, advancing towards the eaft, one arrives at a certain part of the mountain, called by the Arabs Manfur, and by the Europeans the place of facrifice, in remembrance of what was done there by the prophet Elijah. The tranfaction alluded to, is his drawing down the fire from heaven on his facrifice, to convince the people of Ifrael of the existence of the true God, while the prophets of Baal found their invocations attended with no effect. In the neighbourhood are forty grottoes all connected together; the now-deferted refidence of the ancient anchorets of Mount Carmel.

After travelling five miles, there commences a valley, on defcending into which, one is ftruck with a view Mount Carmel was anciently difof a vast space cut out in the rock, tinguished by the abundance of its prowhich was destined for receiving ductions, and the excellence of its horfes, and is capable of containing a fruits; but this favoured fpor is at dozen. A neighbouring fountain, prefent covered with nothing but fowhich winds through the valley, threw refts. It muft, however, be naturally itself into a canal cut alfo out of the fertile, fince various plants grow on live rock, and turned the wheels of a it without cultivation; fuch as fage, mill at a little distance from the fea. wormwood, rue, hyffop, lavender, and The canal and the mill are now both parley. It produces likewife many) destroyed; and no ufe is made of flowers, among which are hyacinths, this beautiful ftream, which lofes it- lilies, anemones, tulips, and ranunfelf in the neighbouring waves. A culufes. This place, is extremely little lower, is a fecond fpring, of equally pure water, to which the good Coenobites have refort when the fummer heats dry up the cistern of the

.convent.

The traveller next enters a field called the field of Cucumbers; fo named, because it contains a great number of round ftones, the inner part of which, confifting of a fparry fubftance, has a great refemblance to the pulp of a cucumber. Oriental fuperftition confiders this lufus nature as occafioned by a malediction of the prophet Elijah; who, not being able to obtain

R VOL. XIV. No. 80.

agreeable, and above all to the fportfman, on account of the number of fowls and quadrupeds with which it abounds. Among the latter are fome tygers. On this mountain there was formerly a fortrefs called Ecbatana. Pliny tells us that it was afterwards called Carmel, as well as the promontory on which it was built. Thefe folitary places were once the favourite haunt of Pythagoras, who reforted to them for meditation; and Vefpafian came hither to confult the oracle, which, according to Tacitus,' had only one altar, without a ftatue or

temple.

7

t

temple. It may easily be perceived, cient edifices, the remains of which that this celebrated mountain had for- give ftill an idea of their ancient mely on its fummit feveral magnifi- grandeur.

N

Account of Nazareth, Tiberias, and Mount Tabor; by the Same.

AZARETH, a city of Galilee, fo famous among the chriftians, is fituated in 35 degrees of east longitude, and in 32 degrees of north latitude. It held the third rank a mong the metropolitan cities dependent on the patriarch of Jerufalem. At prefent, it forms a part of the domains of the chief of Acre. The ancient city, deftroyed by fanaticifm, was, after its ravages, nothing but a miferable hamlet, confifting of a few Arab huts. Under the protection of Daher Omar, however, it has recovered from its humiliation, and now makes a far fuperior appearance. The houfes are built of beautiful ftone, In the eastern part there is a handfome church dedicated to the Virgin, which was formerly deftroyed by the Saracens, and rebuilt by the zeal of the Cœnobites. The building confifts of three naves, divided by two rows of ftone pilafters. That in the middle contains the principal altar, the afcent to which is by two magnificent ftaircafes, much admired for their iron baluftrades, formed with great skill by one of the monks belonging to the con vent. Under the altar is a remark able grotto, called the Chapel of the Annunciation. It is defcended by steps of beautiful marble, which are cut with much tafte. In this place, according to tradition, the angel ap peared to the Virgin, and announced to her the future birth of our Saviour. Two beautiful columns of oriental granite ftrike the eye of the obferver in the entrance. They appear to have been conftructed both to fupport and ornament the grotto. The altar of shis fubterranean chapel is extremely

elegant; and the different kinds of marble with which it is ornamented, receive an additional luftre from the combined light of several filver lamps prefented by chriftian princes. On folemn feftivals, the walls and the pilafters are ornamented with various pieces of tapeftry, reprefenting the myfteries of the Virgin; a fuperb prefent from the house of Auftria. In the western part of the city ftands a chriftian church, built, as is faid, on the fite of the ancient fynagogue where Jefus fhowed the Jews the accomplishment of the prophecies in his perfon. This place ferved a long time as a fhelter for flocks; but at prefent it is in good repair. In the neighbourhood may be seen a fountain of excellent water, which is, however, esteemed by the people on another ac count. They conjecture that it was contiguous to the habitation of the Virgin, and that it was used by her. At some distance is a large flone, of a round form, called Chrift's table. It is pretended that he came hither more than once with his difciples to eat. The inhabitants of Nazareth pay it a kind of worship, by burning perfumes and incenfe around it.

At the diffance of a mile from the city, on the fouthern fide, is a mountain which the Arabs call Sein, and the Nazarines 'the mountain of the precipice;' because the Jews wifhed to precipitate the Meffiah from it. On the fummit is found a fmall grotto, cut out in the rock, in the form of a tabernacle, to recall to remembrance the miraculous power manifested by the Son of God in escaping from the hands of the impious. There was

formerly

formerly upon this mountain a celebrated monaftery, which is now deftroyed by time. Some cifterns, half in ruins, are the only memorials of its ancient existence. Oppofite to this, and feparated from it by a rivulet, ftands another mountain, at about the distance of a gun-fhot. This ftream was fo much fwelled by the winter rain, that it overflowed all the peighbourhood, and even part of the plains of Galilee. Three miles from Nazareth, towards the fouthweft, stood the ancient city of Saffe, Jaffe, or Saffre, of the tribe of Zebulon. Nothing now remains of it but a few rude ftones. At a little distance is a delightful eminence, the fides of which are covered with vines. On the fummit is a small village, with a rural altar, to which the fathers of Nazareth come to celebrate the feftival of the apostles.

The city of Tiberias lies at the foot of a mountain. The neighbourhood of this place is very badly cultivated, and abounds with wild animals, both birds and quadrupeds; among the latter of which are a great many antelopes, a fpecies of fmall goats. The city of Tiberias was one of the most confiderable in Decapolis. It was built by Herod Antipa, tetrarch of Galilee, who named it Tiberias, in honour of Tiberius the emperor. Situated towards the southern part of the lake of Genezareth, it extended its walls for three miles towards the fouth, and in breadth occupied all that fpace which lies between the fame lake and the mountains. At prefent, it is much less than formerly, being no more than a mile in circumference, It is of a square form, with two gates; one of which looks to the weft, and the other towards the fouth. Its external appearance is very melancholy; the walls being built of brown ironcoloured ftones, like thofe, our author obferves, which the poets fay furround the palace of Pluto. The difmal idea is ftill more encreased by the appear

ance of the interior part, where nothing is to be seen but mifery and defolation. On one fide are ruins half buried in the earth; and on the other, fome fhattered edifices, converted into a kind of huts. The afpects of the inhabitants correfpond to that of the place; and they feem to live in extreme poverty. Before the year 1759, when this city was deftroyed by an earthquake, it contained some beautiful edifices and ancient churches worthy of attention. To the weft of the city, on the borders of the lake is a large church, which efcaped the effects of that calamity. This religi ous place ferves as an hofpital for ftrangers, who are received in a very hofpitable manner. The fea of Ti

berias had different denominations at different periods. Sometimes it was called the fea of Galilee, and fometimes the lake of Genezareth; a name which was given to it from a city built between Bethfaida and Capernaum, belonging to the tribe of Naphtali. The excellent water of this lake, which is used by the inhabitants of Tiberias, flows from the fources of the Jor and the Dan, at the bottom of the Anti-Libanus, where stood Pareades, called likewife Cafarea. This lake is confounded afterwards with the river Jordan, and both difcharge themselves into the dead fea. It is about eighteen miles in length from north to fouth, and its breadth about fix miles. It is fometimes fubject to great commotions, occafioned by a chain of mountains in the neighbourhood; where the winds meeting with oppofition, recoil with violence upon the lake. It is rare to find here any boats or vessels, because its banks are barren and uncultivated. Several celebrated cities exifted anciently on this coaft; fuch as Capernaum, Bethfaida, Bethfan, Gadara, Tarichea, and Chorazin, of which nothing remains but shapeless ruins. This fea of Galilee is an object of veneration among the neighbouring chriftians, as being

R 2

[ocr errors]

much

« AnteriorContinuar »