temple. It may eafily be perceived, cient edifices, the remains of which that this celebrated mountain had for- give ftill an idea of their ancient merly on its fummit feveral magnifi- grandeur. Account of Nazareth, Tiberias, and Mount Tabor; by the Same. a of ent kinds fo famous among the chriftians, is fituated in 35 degrees of eaft longitude, and in 32 degrees of north latitude. It held the third ránk 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 callern 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 flaircafes, much admired for their iron baluftrades, formed with great skill by one of the monks belonging to the convent. Under the altar is a remarkable grotto, called the Chapel of the Annunciation. It is defcended by fteps of beautiful marble, which are cut with much tafte. In this place, according to tradition, the angel appeared 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 this fubterranean chapel is extremely marble with which it is ornamented, receive an additional luftre from the combined light of feveral filver lamps prefented by chriftian princes. On folemn festivals, the walls and the pilafters are ornamented with variou's pieces of tapeftry, reprefenting the myfteries of the Virgin; a fuperb prefent from the house of Austria." 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 ac complishment 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 feen a fountain of excellent water, which is, however, efteemed 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 fome diftance is a large ftone, 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 distance 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 withed 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 manifefted by the Son of God in escaping from the hands of the impious. There was formerly formerly upon this mountain a cele brated monaftery, which is now deftroyed by time. Some cifterns, half in ruins, are the only memorials of its ancient existence. Oppofite to this, and separated from it by a rivuJet, ftands another mountain, at about the distance of a gun-shot. This Atream was fo much fwelled by the winter rain, that it overflowed all the neighbourhood, and even part of the plains of Galilee. Three miles from Nazareth, towards the fouthweft, flood 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 fun mit is a small village, with a rural altar, to which the fathers of Nazareth come to celebrate the feftival of the apostles. ance of the interior part, where no- 1759, when this city was deftroyed by an earthquake, it contained fome 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 escaped 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 The city of Tiberias lies at the foot name which was given to it from a of a mountain. The neighbourhood city built between Bethfaida and Caperof this place is very badly cultivated, naum, belonging to the tribe of Naphand abounds with wild animals, both tali. The excellent water of this birds and quadrupeds; among the lake, which is ufed by the inhabitants. latter of which are a great many ante- of Tiberias, flows from the fources of lopes, a fpecies of fmall goats. The the Jor and the Dan, at the bottom of the Anti-Libanus, where ftood Pareades, called likewife Cafarea. This lake is confounded afterwards with the river Jordan, and both dif charge 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 veffels, becaufe its banks are barren and uncultivated. Several celebrated cities exifted anciently on this coaft; fuch as Capernaum, Beth' faida, Bethfan, Gadara, Tarichea, and Chorazin, of which nothing remains" but fhapelefs ruins. This fea of Ga lilee is an object of veneration among the neighbouring chriftians, as being 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 fouthern 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 fquare 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 iron coloured ftones, like thofe, our author obferves, which the poets fay furround the palace of Pluto. The difmal idea is ftill more encreafed by the appear R 2 much much frequented by the apostles in their capacity of fishermen. At the distance of a mile from Tiberias, on the north, there was formerly a town celebrated for the victories of Vefpafian, and of which fome reftiges may yet be feen. It was calfed Ammaus, which fignifies the Bath, on account of its hot fprings, which are endowed with a medicinal quali. ty. Mount Tabor is diftant from the fea of Tiberias about twelve miles, and is diftinguished by different names; but, at prefent, it is called, in the Arabian language, Gibel ElTor. The fituation of it is most delight ful. Rifing amidst the plains of Galilee, it exhibits to the eye a charming variety of profpects. On one fide there are lakes, rivers and a part of the Mediterranean; and, on the other, a chain of little hills, with fmall valleys, thaded by natural groves, and enriched by the induftry of the hufbandmen with a number of useful productions. Here you behold an immenfity of plains interfperfed with hamlets, fortreffes, and heaps of ruins; and there the eye delights to wander over the fields of Jezracl, or Mageddon, named by the Arabs Ebn-Aamer, which fignifies the field of the fons of Aamer. A lile farther you diftinguish the mountains of Hermon, Gilboa, Samaria, and Arabia the Stony. In short, you ex perience all thofe fenfations which are produced by a mixture and rapid fucceffion of rural, gay, gloomy, and majestic objects. This is the facred fpot which was the scene of the tranfEguration. Mount Tabor has a perfect refemblance to a fugar loaf, and is covered with fmall trees from the top to the bottom. Its fummit is inclofed by the remains of ancient wails. Within thefe is a plain of about two miles in circumference, on which, according to every appearance, no buildings were ever erected. Amongst the ruins of the churches may be distinguished three very beautiful tabernacles, which formed part of the ancient temple erected by St. Helen in memory of the transfiguration. In feveral places there are cifterns defined for the purpofe of collecting the rain water, becaufe there are no fprings on this mountain. Though the plain on the top be very much expofed to the severity of winter, it is often covered with odoriferous herbs even in the middle of that feafon. Great numbers of flocks and herds refort thither daily to feed on the rich paftures which abound in this place. It is no less frequented at prefent by multitudes of Oriental Chriftians, without diftinction, whether Catholics or fchifmatics; and the fathers of the Holy Land likewife come hither annually to celebrate the transfiguration. Of the fundamental Principles and Spirit of the Hindoo Religion F we abftract our minds from the (pirit of the Hindoo religion, we fhall find that it inculcates the belief in one God only, without beginning and without end; nor can any thing be more fublime than their idea of the Supreme Being. In the dialogues between Krishna and From "Sketeles relating to the Hiftory, Religion, Learning, and Manners, of the Hindoos." ning and the end. I am time; I am all-grafping death; and I am the refurrection. I am the feed of all things in nature, and there is not any thing animate or inanimate without me. "I am the myftic figure Oom*, the Reek, the Sam, and the Vayoor Veds. I am the witnefs, the comforter, the afylam, the friend. I am generation and diffolution: in me all things ⚫are repofited. "The whole universe was spread abroad by me. The foolish are unacquainted with my fupreme and divine nature. They are of vain hope, of vain endeavours, and void of reafon; whilst those of true wifdom ferve me in their hearts, undiverted by other gods. "Thofe who worship other gods, worship me. I am in the facrifice, in the fpices, in the invocation, in the fire, and in the victim." Arjoon fays in reply: "Thou art the prime Creator-Eternal God!Thou art the Supreme! By thee the universe was spread abroad! Thou art Vayoo, the god of the winds; Agnee, the god of fire; Varoon, the god of the oceans, &c. "Reverence be unto thee; again and again reverence, O thou, who art all in all! Great is thy power, and great thy glory! Thou art the father of all things; wherefore I bow down, and with my body proftrate on the ground, crave thy mercy. Lord, worthy to be adored! bear with me as a father with a fon; a friend with a friend; a lover with the beloved." In fpeaking of ferving the Deity, Krishna fays: "They who delighting in the welfare of all nature, ferve me in my incorruptible, ineffable, and invifible form; omnipotent, incomprehenfible, flanding on high, fixed, and immove able, with fubdued paffions, and who are the fame in all things, fhall come unto me. "Thofe whofe minds are attached to my invisible nature, have the greater labour, becaufe an invisible path is. difficult to corporeal beings. Place thy heart on me, and penetrate me with thy understanding, and thou fhalt hereafter enter unto me. But if thou shouldft be unable at once ftedfaftly to fix thy mind on me, endeavour to find me by means of conftant practice. "He, my fervant, is dear to me, who is free from enmity; merciful, and exempt from pride and felfifhnefs; who is the fame in pain and pleasure; patient of wrongs; contented; and whofe mind is fixed on me alone. "He is my beloved, of whom mankind is not afraid, and who is not afraid of mankind; who is unfolicitous about events; to whom praise and blame are as one; who is of little fpeech; who is pleafed with whatever cometh to pafs; who has no particular home, and is of a fteady mind." In treating of good works, it is faid: "Both the defertion and practice of works, are the means of happiness. But of the two, the practice is to be diftinguished above the desertion. "The man, who performing the duties of life, and quitting all intereft in them, placeth them upon Brahm, the Supreme, is not tainted with fin, but remaineth like the leaf of the lotus unaffected by the waters. "Let not the motive be in the e vent: be not one of thofe, whofe motive for action is in the hope of reward. "Let not thy life be fpent in inaction; perform thy duty, and abandon all thoughts of the confequence. The miferable and unhappy are fo about "the Oon is faid to be a myftic word, or emblem, to fignify the Deity, and to be compofed of Sanskrit roots, or letters; the first of which ftands for Creator; the fecond, Preferver; and third, Destroyer. It is forbidden to be pronounced, except with exueme reverguce. the events of things; but men, who are endued with true wifdom, are unmindful of them." Notwithstanding that the Hindoos are feparated into the Vilhaou Bukht and Sheevah Bukht, and that a variety of fects are to be found over the whole peninful, the chief articles of their religion are uniform. All believe in Brama, or the Supreme Being; in the immortality of the foul; in a future ftate of rewards and punishments; in the doctrine of the metampfychofis; and all acknowledge the Veds as containing the principles of their laws and religion. Nor ought we to wonder at the fchifms that have arifen in fuch a yaft fpace of time, but rather be furprifed that they have been fo mild in their confequences; efpecially when we reflect on the numbers that arofe among ourselves, and the dreadful effects they produced in a period fő much shorter, Their rules of morality are most benevolent; and hofpitality and charity are not only strongly inculcated, but I believe no where more univerfally practifed than amongst the Hindoos. "Hofpitality is commanded to be exercised even towards an enemy, when he cometh into thine house: the tree doth not withdraw its fhade evea from the wood-cutter, "Good men extend their charity unto the vileft animals. The moon doth not withhold her light even from the cottage of the Chandala, (outcoff.), "Is this, one of us, or is he a ftranger!-Such is the reasoning of the ungenerous; but to thofe, by whom liberality is practifed, the whole world is but as one family," On the Manners and Customs of the Hindoos. From the fame THE HE Hindoos are naturally cheer- the fingers of the right hand, and are ful, and are fond of converfation, fcrupulously nice both before and afof play, and of other amusements.- ter meals. They will spend almost the whole night in feeing dancing and hearing mufic; yet none dance but the women, whofe profeffion it is, and who devote themelves to the pleasures and amufement of the public. They are nevertheless extremely fober; they eat only twice a day, in the morning and evening. It has been obferved, that none of the four cafts are allowed to taste any intoxicating liquor, and even thofe who may eat meat do it fparingly. Their food is prepared in earthen pots: instead of plates and dishes they fe broad leaves, generally of the palm or plantane tree, neatly fewn together with a blade of dry grafs, and which are thrown away and renewed at every meal. Like the inhabitants of molt eaftern countries, they wfe neither forks nor fpoons, but only With them, modes and fashions are unknown; and their dreffes, like their cuftoms, are the same to-day that I fuppofe they were at the beginning of the Kaly Youg. The Hindoos are averfe to many of thofe accomplishments in women that are fo admired by Europeans. They fay, they would be injurious to that fimplicity of manners and decorum of behaviour which are requifite to render them estimable in their families that, by too much engaging the mind, they would lead their attention away from their children and husband, and give them a difrelish to thofe cares to which they think providence has defigned them: and, as they ftrictly adhere to this? opinion, there are few Hindoo women to be found who can either read or write. But |