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of the spirit, the thoughts, the conflicts, known only to themselves and their God. Who can bid them come forth to the light? Here, as by the voice of the angel, they came forth, and as the pilgrims of all ranks stood or knelt, trembled or were bowed utterly, their eyes fixed intensely on the sepulchre, the "covering of all hearts was taken away." The rich and the poor, the proud and the mighty man, were alike subdued as the infant: some beat their breasts, some wept passionately, others unconsciously, as the tears fall sometimes in sleep; as if their past life was opening like a long dream to their view. Many pilgrims leaned on their staff, with clasped hands and pale faces, as if, in pain and unresolved, they waited for the "troubling of the waters." How beautiful the evening falls through the lofty dome on this scene of penitence, hope, and sorrow. Evening, so welcome in every Eastern home, but here doubly welcome, in its soft and gorgeous light, as if it bade the mourners weep no more, and drew its veil over the sad and guilty past. From many a lip the hymn is breaking, to many a bosom the cross is pressed, and the name of Christ murmured. A number of women were here, some of them ladies, whose sunken features told of long fatigues and journeyings: but there was a look and smile of exquisite comfort and hope, which they could not have found in their saloons, and in the bosom of their families. Was this religion in its power and purity? Yet who would have stretched forth his hand in that hour, and plucked the beautiful illusion away? All was not illusion; there was much of brokenness of heart, of sincere repentance, of attachment to their Lord.

The Greek church adjoining, is ornamented in a rich and costly style, and covered in many parts with gold: in the Armenian church, a Persian carpet covers the floor. The dresses of the priesthood, and more especially of their dignitaries, was during Easter rich and magnificent; the incessant and inharmonious chanting, the clouds of perfumes, the ceaseless processions, at last wearied the senses, and drove the wanderer forth into the loneliness of nature.

The Holy Sepulchre is of an oblong form, and composed of a very fine white and reddish stone, brought from the Red sea, which has quite the appearance of marble. You ascend a few low steps, and enter the first small apartment, which is floored with marble, and the walls lined with the same. In the centre is a low shaft of white marble, being the spot to which the angel rolled the stone from the tomb, and sat on it. You now stoop low to enter the narrow door that conducts you to the side of the sepulchre, which is of a light brown and white marble, about six feet long and three feet high, and the same number in breadth, being joined to the wall. The floor and the walls are of a beautiful marble: the apartment is a square of about seven feet, and a small dome rises over it, from which are suspended twenty large silver lamps, richly chased and of elegant workmanship, presents from Rome, from the courts and religious orders of Europe. These are kept always burning, and cast a flood of light on the sacred tomb and the paintings hung over it, one Romish and the other Greek, representing our Lord's ascension, and his appearance to Mary in the garden. A Greek or Romish priest always stands here with a silver vase of holy incense in his hand, which he sprinkles over the pilgrims. The scene in the plate represents the grand procession of the three

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orders around the sepulchre; on the right is the Armenian, on the left the Greek and the Romish dignitaries, whose trains are upheld by pages; they are surrounded by their chief ecclesiastics. They sweep slowly along, blessing the admiring crowds, the nearest of whom received with joy some of the sacred flowers, which the priests give them from the bunches in their hands, and which they bear, even when withered, to their distant homes. The Armenians, who are the most wealthy, wear on this occasion the richest dresses: the robe and tiara of their patriarch is literally loaded with jewels. Nine times slowly round the tomb they march, bearing a number of silk flags of various colours, with scenes from the scripture represented on them, and chant as they move, glorying to to excel each other in splendour.

SCENE AT THE VILLAGE OF BEIT-Y-ASS, NEAR SUADEAH.

This romantic spot is in the range of mountains between Suadeah and Antioch; it is near an estate of Mr. Barker, the consul, where he proposed to build a little villa: the situation commands, from various points, views of the valley of the Orontes and the plain of Suadeah: the traveller arrived in the evening, and well remembers how beautiful Antioch looked in the distance, its ruined towers climbing the hill behind. The lofty peak on the right is Mount Casius: the village in the foreground, in its shroud of trees, is Beit-y-ass: the ruin on the right is some remain of a church of the middle ages. The moonlight gave an extreme clearness to the outlines of Amanus and Casius, and covered the little silent grove and hamlet of Beit-y-ass: a group of Armenians was seated on the bank, enjoying the delicious freshness of the mountain air: the shepherd and his flock were yet on the pasture, where they often, in this climate, remain all night. The interior of the cottages was not tempting: they had not the cleanliness of many of the hamlets of Lebanon: a couch, or rude divan, was placed in the open air beside the home of the chief man, for the use of the traveller, who preferred the night air and the sky for a canopy, to the roof within.

MONASTERY OF SANTA SABA.

A more dreary situation than that of this remarkable monastery cannot be conceived: its walls, towers, and terraces are on the brink of precipices, at the bottom of which is the defile through which the Kedron flowed into the Dead sea. So thick and lofty are its walls, and so massive its gates, that it frowns on its dizzy site like a dark and formidable hold of the feudal ages. Flights of steps, cut out of the rock, ascend from terrace to terrace: the shadow of trees would here be a mercy, for the heat reflected from the surrounding rocks is often insupportable: it beat upon our heads as we stood a long time at the gate, knocking vainly for admittance. One of the priests looked over the high wall, and at first bade us be gone; but, after a long parley, he came down, and

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