RACINE'S ATHALIAH.

De son amour pour toi ton Dieu s'est depouillé ;
Ton encens à ses yeux est un encens souillé

Où menez-vous ces enfans et ces femmes ?
Le Seigneur a détruit la reine des cités :
Ses prêtres sont captifs, ses rois rejettés;
Dieu ne veut plus qu'on vienne à ses solennités :
Temple, renverse-toi; cèdres, jetez des flammes.
Jerusalem, objet de ma douleur,

Quelle main en un jour t'a ravi tous tes charmes ?
Qui changera mes yeux en deux sources de larmes
Pour pleurer ton malheur?

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The pen drops from my fingers: one feels ashamed to scribble any more after a man has written such verses.

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CHAPTER V.

Convent of the Latin Fathers-The Pilgrims' Room-DietPrices of Eatables-Horses-The Pilgrims-Their Expences

Statement of the Author's Expences at Jaffa and JerusalemPoverty and Persecution of the Latin Fathers-Their Library and Archives-Firmans granted to them.

I SPENT part of the 9th in the convent to collect some particulars respecting private life at Jerusalem; having seen every thing of consequence within and without the city, except Nehemiah's Well, in which the sacred fire was concealed at the time of the captivity, the Sepulchres of the Judges, and some other places. These I visited in the evening of the 9th; but as there is nothing remarkable about them except their names, it is not worth while to detain the reader's attention with them.

I shall therefore proceed to those little details, which excite curiosity in proportion to the renown of the places that are treated of. Who could figure to himself that people live at Athens and Sparta in the same manner as in his own country? Jerusalem, above all, whose name awakens the recollection of so many mysteries, overawes the imagination; it seems as if every thing must be extraordinary in that extraordinary city. Let us see how far this is really the case, and begin with the description of the convent of the Latin fathers.

CONVENT OF LATIN FATHERS.

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You reach it by a covered way, which leads to another passage of considerable length, and very dark. At the end of this passage you come to a court formed by the wood-house, cellar, and pantry of the convent. In this court you perceive to the right a flight of twelve or fifteen steps, ascending to a cloister which is immediately over the cellar, wood-house, and pantry, and consequently overlooks the court by which you enter. At the east end of this cloister opens a vestibule communicating with the church, which is very pretty. It has a choir fitted up with stalls, a nave lighted by a dome, an altar, in the Roman style, and a small organ; but all comprised in a space only twenty feet by twelve.

Another door at the west end of the above-mentioned cloister leads to the interior of the convent. "This convent," says a pilgrim (Doubdan), in his description, not less distinguished for accuracy than simplicity, "is very irregular, built in the antique style, consisting of several parts, high and low, the offices small, and concealed from view, the apartments mean and dark, several little courts, two small gardens, the largest of which may be about fifteen or sixteen perches, and adjoining to the ramparts of the city. Towards the west end is another court, with some small rooms for pilgrims. All the recreation to be found in this place is to ascend to the terrace of the church, where you enjoy a view of the whole city, which goes down hill all the way to the valley of Jehoshaphat: you see the church of the Holy Sepulchre, the court of Solomon's Temple, and farther off, but likewise towards the east, the Mount of Olives; to the south, the castle of the city, and the road to Bethlehem; and to the north, the

grotto of Jeremiah. Such, in a few words, is the plan and description of this convent, which partakes very much of the simplicity and poverty of Him who, though he was rich, yet on this very spot for our sakes became poor."

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The apartment which I occupied is called the Pilgrims' Great Room. It looks upon a solitary court, enclosed on all sides with walls. The furniture consisted of a hospital bed, with curtains of green serge, a table, and a box: my servants had two cells at a considerable distance from me. pitcher of water, and a lamp, in the Italian fashion, completed my establishment. The room, of large size, was dark, having but one window, which opened into the court that I have just mentioned. Thirteen pilgrims had inscribed their names on the door, in the inside of the room. The first was Charles Lombard, who was at Jerusalem in 1669; and the last, John Gordon, the date of whose visit is 1804.* I found only three French names among these thirteen travellers.

The pilgrims do not eat with the fathers, as at Jaffa. A separate provision is made for them, and they go to what expence they please. If they are poor, they are supplied with food; if they are rich, they pay for such things as are brought for them; so that the convent gets by them not one single farthing. Lodging, bed, linen, light, and fire, are always furnished gratis, as a tribute due to hospitality.

A cook was placed at my disposal. I scarcely ever dined before dark, on my return from my excursions. Lentil soup, dressed with oil, was the

* Probably the same Mr. Gordon whose analysis of a bottle of the water of the Dead Sea is noticed in the preceding part of this work.

first dish; then came veal, stewed with cucumbers or onions, broiled kid, or mutton boiled with rice. Beef is never eaten here, and buffalo's flesh has a strong taste. Of roast, I had pigeous, and sometimes partridges, of the white species, called partridges of the desert. Game is very common in the plain of Ramah, and in the mountains of Judea it consists of partridges, woodcocks, hares, wild boars, and antelopes. The quail of Arabia, which fed the Israelites, is almost unknown in Jerusalem; though it is sometimes met with in the valley of the Jordan. The only vegetables ever brought to my table were lentils, beans, cucumbers, and onions.

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The wine of Jerusalem is excellent; it has the colour and taste of the wines of Roussillon. It is still furnished by the hills of Engaddi, near Bethlehem. As to fruits, I ate, as at Jaffa, large grapes, dates, pomegranates, water-melons, apples, and figs of the second season; those of the sycamore, or Pharaoh's fig-tree, were over. The bread made at the convent was good and well-tasted.

Let us now proceed to the prices of these different eatables.

The quintal of Jerusalem is composed of one hundred rolts; the rolt of nine hundred drachms. The rolt is equal to two oques and a quarter, which make very near eight French pounds.

Mutton sells at two piastres ten paras the rolt. The Turkish piastre, the value of which is continually fluctuating at the pleasure of the beys and pachas of Egypt,does not amount in Syria to more than thirty-three sous four deniers, and the para to more than ten deniers:* consequently, the rolt

According to this calculation a piastre is equivalent to between one shilling and fourpence-halfpenny and one shilling and fivepence, and a para to not quite a farthing, in English money.-T.