Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Granada is surrounded with the most spacious gar- | and survey prospects; as to the comparison to a dens, where the trees are set so thick as to resemble hedges, yet not so as to obstruct the view of the beautiful towers of the Alhambra, which glitter like so many bright stars over the green forests. The plain, stretching far and wide, produces such quantities of grain and vegetables that no revenues but those of the first families in the kingdom are equal to their annual produce. Each garden is calculated to bring in a nett income of five hundred pieces of gold, (aurei,) out of which it pays thirty minue to the king, Beyond these gardens lie fields of various culture, at all seasons of the year clad in the richest verdure, and loaded with some valuable vegetable production or other; by this method a perpetual succession of crops is secured, and a great annual rent is produced, which is said to amount to twenty thousand aurei. Adjoining you may see the sumptuous farms belonging to the royal demesnes, wonderfully agreeable to the be-morrow, she merely hints at what she could find in holder, from the large quantity of plantations of trees and the variety of plants. The vineyards in the neighborhood bring fourteen thousand aurei. Immense are the hoards of all species of dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, plums, &c. They have also the secret of preserving grapes sound and juicy from one season to another."", [Comp. FIFTH DAY, No. 20.] "N. B. I was not able to obtain any satisfactory account of these Granada aurei, gold coins." (Swinburne's Travels in Spain, Letter xxii. p. 164.)

well, delicacy itself must admire, not censure, the
simile. The Fourth Day opens with a dream, by
which the reader perceives the inclination of the
dreamer, and the progress of her affection; but the
Bridegroom himself does not hear it, nor is he
more favored by it, or for it; on the contrary, the
lady permits him in the evening to sport his military
terms as much as he thinks proper; but she does
not, by a single word, acquaint him of any breach
he had made in her heart. We rather suspect, that
she rises to retire somewhat sooner than usual,
thereby counterbalancing, in her own mind, those
effusions of kindness to which she had given vent
in the morning. The Fifth morning is wholly oc-
cupied by the ladies' praises of the Bride's dress;
she herself does not utter a word; but, in the evening
of that day, as the marriage was to take place on the
her heart to do, were he her infant brother; and for
the first time he hears the adjuration, "if his left
arm was under her head,” on the duan cushion, &c.
and the discourse, though evidently meant for her
lover, yet is equivocally allusive to her supposed
fondling. It must be admitted, that after the mar-
riage they make a procession, according to the cus-
tom of the place and station of the parties, in
the same palanquin together, and here they are
a little sociable; but modesty itself will not find
the least fault with this sociability, nor with one
single sentence, or sentiment, uttered
occasion.

on this

We have supposed that this Sixth Day is the day of marriage; as this has not usually been understood, we shall connect some ideas which induce us We appeal now to the candor, understanding, and to consider it in that light. Leo of Modena says, sensibility of the reader, whether it be possible to that (1.) "The Jews marry on a Friday, if the spouse conduct a six-day conversation between persons be a maid ;" (Thursday, if a widow.)-Now Friday solemnly betrothed to each other, with greater delimorning is the time of this eclogue, supposing the cacy, greater attention to the most rigid virtue, with poem began with the first day of the week.-(2.) greater propriety of sentiment, discourse, action, de"The Bride is adorned, and led out into the open meanor, and deportment. The dignity of the perair" so, in this eclogue, the Bride's mother "brings sons is well sustained in the dignity of their lanher out," for that purpose ;-(3.) "into a court or guage, in the correctness of their ideas and exgarden;" so, in this eclogue, the ceremony passes pressions; they are guilty of no repetitions; what "under a citron-tree;" consequently in a garden. they occasionally repeat they vary, and improve by This eclogue, then, opens with observation of the the variation; they speak in poetry, and poetry furnuptial procession after marriage; and we learn that nishes the images they use; but these images are the ceremony had taken place by the following con-pleasing, magnificent, varied, and appropriate; they versation, in which the Bridegroom alludes to the are, no doubt, as they should be, local, and we do maiden bashfulness of his Bride, as having required not feel half their propriety because of their locality; some address to overcome. Moreover, the Bride but we feel enough to admit, that few are the authors solicits the maintenance of perpetual constancy to who could thus happily conduct such a poem; few herself, as implied in the connection now completed; are the personages who could sustain the characters with attention to the interests of a particular friend, in it; and few are the readers in any nation, or in she transfers all her private property to her husband, any time, who have not ample cause to admire it, yet reserves a government-due to her royal parent and to be thankful for its preservation as the SONG in Egypt; and the eclogue closes, both itself and OF SONGS! the poem, by mutual wishes for more of each other's conversation and company. See the article MAR

RIAGE.

It is now time to conclude our investigation of this poem; but we must previously observe, how perfectly free it is from the least soil of indelicacy; that allusions to matrimonial privacies which have been fancied in it, are absolutely groundless fancies; and that, not till the Fifth Day, is there any allusion to so much as a kiss, and then it is covered by assimilation of the party to a sucking infant brother. The First Day is distance itself, in point of conversation; the Second has no conversation but what passes from the garden below up to the first-floor window; the Third Day is the same in the morning; and the evening is an invitation to take an excursion,

Being well persuaded that the reader has never truly seen this poem before, and that (though it has always been in our Bibles in prose) under the present arrangement it becomes a new poem, we have directed more attention to be given to the_Plates than perhaps otherwise might have been done; these must speak for themselves; we only say, further, that in regard to the arrangement of the poem, our opinion advances toward a pretty strong persuasion of its correctness; but as to the version, our endeavor has been to make that speak English.

[graphic]

VEHICLES. Mr. Taylor has collected representations of several descriptions of those carriages which are used in the East, and which are supposed to be alluded to in the opening of the Second Day of this poem. We select the most important. Behold him seated, placed in his carriage, thus; looking out through the apertures, or front windows. Gleaming, showing himself, or rather, being just visible, just glimpsing through, or between the lattices, perhaps appended to the apertures in front of the carriage. This engraving represents a travelling carriage; not a carriage for state or splendor. But in the Third Day we have the description of a superb and stately equipage, different, no doubt, from the former, because built expressly by the royal lover, to suit the dignity of his intended nuptials. Such a palanquin we have in the accompanying engraving, and this is what may be more particularly examined by the description given in the poem. "King Solomon hath built for himself a nuptial palanquin; its pillars" (or what we should call its poles) "are made of cedar wood;"-Lebanon wood: perhaps, indeed, the whole of its wood-work might be cedar; but the poles, as being most conspicuous, are mentioned in the first place. Now, it is every way unlikely that Solomon would make these pillars of silver, as we read in our common version; the use of silver poles does not appear; but the top, covering, roof, canopy-literally the rolling and unrolling part, that which might be rolled up-was of silver tissue. This canopy, or roof, is clearly seen in the engraving; and it is ornamented with tassels, and a deep kind of hanging fringe, perhaps of silver also. But the lower carriage, or bottom, was of golden tissue, meaning that part which hangs by cords from the pillars or poles; that part in which the person sat-literally, the ridden-in part, which we have rendered the carriage-was of gold. The internal part of this carriage was spread with aregamen. Was this a finely-wrought carpet, adorned with flowers, mottos, &c. in colors, as some have supposed? How, then, was it purple? as the word is always held to denote. We see at each end of the carriage a kind of bolster or cushion, or what may answer the purpose of easy reclining. Is this covered with chintz? or very fine calico?-Was such the carriage-lining of Solomon's palanquin, but worked with an ornamental pattern of needle-work, and presented to the king by the daughters of Jerusalem? We presume we have now approached nearly to a just understanding of this poetical description: no doubt, the royal vehicle was both elegant and splendid. We have attempted to distinguish its parts, with their particular applications. The propriety of our departing from the customary mode of understanding these verses must now be left to the reader's decision; but if the words of the original be so truly descriptive of the parts of this carriage, as we have supposed, we may anticipate that decision with some satisfaction.

EGYPTIAN DRESSES.-There are two ideas which ought to be examined before we can justly ascertain

the particulars of the Bride's appearance: first, Was her dress correspondent to those of the East in general? or, secondly, as she was an Egyptian, was her dress peculiarly in the Egyptian taste? To meet these inquiries, we propose to offer a few remarks on the peculiarities of Egyptian dress, presuming that some such might belong to the dress worn by this lady; and indeed, that these are what give occasion to the admiration of the ladies of the Jerusalem haram; who, observing her magnificent attire, compliment every part of that attire, as they proceed to inspect it, in the following order. See the notes in illustration of the FIFTH DAY.

1. Sandals. See BRIDE'S DRESS, infra.

2. Selvedges of thy thigh apparel.-We have already examined the import of this word. If we look at the accompanying figure, we shall find, that, in front of the drapery which descends down the thigh, from the waist to the ankle, that is to say, where the edges of the drapery meet in front, is a handsome border of open-work; this is very distinct, and it answers exactly to the description and words used to denote it in the poem ; it is, (1.) at the return-the sclvedge of the drapery; (2.) it appertains to the thigh, and accompanies it like a petticoat; (3.) it is pinked, or open-worked, into a pattern, which has evidently cost great labor, the performance of excellent hands! This figure is truly Egyptian; for it is from the Isiac Table. We find the same kind of ornament worn by Grecian ladies, but on the outside of the thigh, as appears in the Hamilton vases. Whether we read returning edge, selvedge, or front borders, &c. of this drapery, is indifferent to the idea here stated.

6. Thy girdle clasp. See BRIDE'S DRESS, infra. Bodice, body vest. See BRIDE'S DRESS, infra.

8. Nipples. (1.) See the engraving under the article BED, where the nipples are just discernible through the very fine gauze, which covers the bosom. (2.) Observe that the Egyptian figures above have the breast and nipple entirely naked: each has a kind of neckinger, which crosses the bosom, and is brought between the breasts, so that the wearer might have covered the breast had she pleased; but the breast itself is left-as if carefully left-uncovered, in all these figures: we presume, therefore, that this was, anciently, a customary mode of dress, rendered necessary by the heat of the country. It appears on various mummies, and on many other Egyptian representations. Sonnini says, (vol. iii. p. 204.) "The Egyptian women have no other clothing than a long shift, or jacket, of blue cloth, with sleeves of an extraordinary size.-This manner of dressing themselves by halves, so that the air may circulate over the body itself, and refresh every part of it, is very comfortable in a country where close or thick habits would make the heat intolerable." We must not judge of the propriety of Egyptian costume by the necessary defences against the variations and chills of northern climates. The reader will observe the head-dress in this figure; the hair, which we pre

sume is meant to represent curls; the pectoral; the | are close, compact, stuck together like an intimately covering of the bosom; the petticoat, its border, ornaments, &c.

BRIDE'S DRESS.

There is a figure in Sandys, which shows the sandals, not only adorned with flowers, wrought on them, but which, being sandals only, permit the whole foot to be seen; and being heighteners, they make the wearer seem so much taller than otherwise she would be, that the Bridegroom may well compare his bride to a palm-tree, up to whose top he designs to climb, that he may procure its fruit. This figure also shows an ornament around the ankle, and a girdle, perhaps of silver embroidery.

woven or worked texture;" say a carpet, diaper, calico, &c. It is true, this figure shows only a few tresses; but we ought to extend our conception to a much greater number; for lady Montague says, This figure represents an oriental lady in full dress, "I never saw, in my life, so many fine heads of hair. from Le Bruyn. The read- In one lady's I have counted a hundred and ten er will observe the head- tresses, all natural." Now, what numerous intricacies, dress, which consists of a meanderings, convolutions, &c. would a hundred and cap set with pearls in vari- ten tresses furnish by dexterous plaiting! And as ous forms, the centre hang- long hair, capable of such ornamental disposition, ing over the forehead. On was esteemed a capital part of personal beauty, how the top of this cap rise a deeply, how inextricably, was the king-his affection number of sprigs of jew--entangled in such a labyrinth of charms, adorned elry work, which imitate, in the most becoming manner, and displayed to the in precious stones, the nat-greatest advantage! The sex has always been proud ural colors, &c. of the flow- of this natural ornament; and, when art and taste ers they are meant to rep- have well arranged it, all know that its effects are not resent. The stems are inconsiderable. The reader will recollect, that we made of gold or silver have already stated embarrassments on the subject wires; and the leaves, we of the word Aregamen. We have taken some pains suppose, are made of color- to examine passages where it occurs; but we cannot ed foil. We saw, in the acquiesce in the opinion that it means purple; that former plate, that Egyptian is, the color of purple only. Nevertheless, as all the ladies wore a high-rising dictionaries, and lexicons, and concordances, are composition of ornaments; against us, we suspend our determination. and we see in this figure, a composition little, if at all, less aspiring. In fact, then, this head-dress renders very credible the idea of our translators, "thy headdress upon thee is like Carmel !"-whether, by Carmel, we understand mount Carmel, in which case the allusion may be to the trees growing on it; or, as the word signifies, a fruitful field, whose luxuriant vegetation displays the most captivating abundance. From the cap of this head-dress hangs a string of pearls, which, passing under the chin, surrounds the countenance. We observe, also, on the neck, a collet of gems, and three rows of pearls. These are common in the East; and something of this nature, we presume, is what the Bridegroom alludes to, when he says, Eclogue II. in the First Day, "Thy cheeks are bright, or splendid, with bands, thy neck with collets:" meaning bands of pearls, surrounding the countenance, and glistening on the cheeks; and collets of gems, or other splendid or shining substances, disposed as embellishments. Observe, also, the ornaments suspended by a gold chain, which hangs from the neck. These, though not, strictly speaking, girdle-clasps, yet have much the same effect in point of decoration; and are composed of precious stones, including, no doubt, rubies, "rich in mingled wine." Observe the rings worn on the fingers; the wrist-bands of the vest, the flowers brocaded on it, on the veil, &c. The figure also shows distinctly the difference between locks and tresses of hair. The locks are those which hang loosely down the temples and cheek: the tresses are those braids which naturally hang down the back, but which, in order to show their length, are in this instance brought forward over the shoulder. The reader will observe how these are plaited. Now, this mode of dressing the hair seems to have little allusion to the color of pur, le, or to require purple-colored ribands, or ribands of any color. It may rather be fancied to resemble a mode of weaving, such as might be practised at Arech, or Erech, whence it might be denominated Arechmen, that is, "from the city of Arech;" and, could this be admitted, we should perhaps find something like the following ideas in this passage: "Thy head-dress is a diffuse, spreading appearance, like vegetation and flowers [q. chenille ?];" "Thy tresses

[graphic]

This engraving is from "Estampes du Levant," and will assist to illustrate the comparison which our public translation (chap. ii. 2.) renders, "thy belly is a heap of wheat set about with lilies." In the first place, instead of heap, read sheaf, of wheat. Secondly, for belly, read bodice, or vest; that is, the cov ering of the belly. Thirdly, for set about, read bound about, or tied up with a band of lilies. In short, the comparison is a vest of gold tissue, tied up with a broad girdle of white satin, or of silver tissue, like that of this figure, to a sheaf of wheat standing on its end, and tied round its middle by a broad band of lilies, twisted into itself, whose heads would naturally hang down loosely, like the end of the girdle of this figure. Having given the above as our idea of this comparison, it may be proper to say, that if the words set about be absolutely retained, then the silver flowers on this ground of gold tissue may answer that idea; but this does not appear to be so correct a translation. We may be allowed also to observe, how entirely this explanation removes every indelicacy to which our public translation is ex

[graphic]

posed; and how greatly it is recommended by its sim- | ural; but it must be owned, that every kind of beau plicity.

ty is more common here than with us. They generally shape their eyebrows; and both Greeks and Turks have the custom of putting round their eyes a black tincture, that, at a distance, or by candle light, adds very much to the blackness of them. They dye their nails a rose color; but, I own, I cannot enough accustom myself to the fashion to find any beauty in it." Letters xxix. xxxiii.

BRIDEGROOM'S DRESS.

We have elsewhere (see CROWN) bestowed some thoughts on the nature and shape of the royal crown of the kings of the Jews, and we wish now to recall those thoughts to the mind of the reader. We observed, that the crown of king Saul was called nazer, or separated; but a very different word, othar, is used to express the circlet, with which the mother of Solomon encircled his head on the day of his marriage. Our translation renders both these words by one English appellation, crown; and the word othar is thus rendered, where, as it seems, it gives incorrect notions of the subject intended. In distinguishing the different forms of this part of dress, we consider the cap or crown, (or both ideas in one, the crowned cap,) in the annexed figure, as being the nazer, or "separated" cap of Scripture. This is a portrait of Tigranes, king of Armenia; and it coutributes, with others, to authorize our distinction. In addition, however, to these, we have also representations of a cap, the separations of which are very evident behind; and one of these separated parts falls on each shoulder down the back of the wearer. This goes not only in corroboration of the proposed distinction in the form and nature of the crowns of Jewish monarchs, but also strongly tends to establish the nature of the shebetz, or royal coat of close armor.

This investigation of the Bride's dress may be closed with propriety by the following description of a dress worn by lady Montague as given by herself; also, that of the fair Fatima, of whom she says, "She was dressed in a caftan of gold brocade, flowered with silver, very well fitted to her shape, and showing, to admiration, the beauty of her bosom, only shaded by the thin gauze of her shift. Her drawers were pale pink, her waistcoat green and silver; her slippers white satin, finely embroidered; her lovely arms adorned with bracelets of diamonds; and her broad girdle set around with diamonds; upon her head a rich Turkish handkerchief of pink and silver, her own fine black hair, hanging a great length, in various tresses; and on one side of her head some bodkins of jewels. When I took my leave, two maids brought in a fine silver basket of embroidered handkerchiefs; she begged I would wear the richest for her sake, and gave the others to my woman and interpretess." (The DUDI, love-favors, of our poem, passim.) "The first part of my dress is a pair of drawers; very full, that reach to my shoes, and conceal the legs more modestly than your petticoats. They are of a thin rose-colored damask, brocaded with silver flowers. My shoes are of white kid leather, embroidered with gold. Over this hangs my smock, of a fine white silk gauze, edged with embroidery. This smock has wide sleeves, hanging half way down the arm, and is closed at the neck with a diamond button; but the shape and color of the bosom are very well to be distinguished through it. The antery is a waistcoat, made close to the shape, of white and gold damask, with very long sleeves falling back, and fringed with deep gold fringe, and should have diamond or pearl buttons. My caftan, of the same stuff with my drawers, is a robe exactly fitted to my shape, and reaching to my feet, with very long, straight, falling sleeves. Over this is my girdle, of about four fingers broad, which all that can afford it have entirely of diamonds and other precious stones. Those who will not be at that expense have it of exquisite embroidery on satin; but it must be fastened before with a clasp of diamonds. The curdee is a loose robe they throw off, or put on, according to the weather, being of a rich brocade, (mine is green and gold,) either lined with ermine or sables; the sleeves reach very little below the shoulders. The head-dress is composed of a cap, called talpock, which is, in winter, of fine velvet embroidered with pearls or diamonds, and in summer of a light shining silver stuff. This is fixed on one side of the head, hanging a little way down, with a gold tassel, and bound on, either with a circle of diamonds (as I have seen several) or a rich embroidered handkerchief. On the other side of the head, the hair is laid flat; and here the ladies are The accompanying portrait of Nadir Shah of Perat liberty to show their fancies; some putting flow-sia, from Frazer, shows his dress to abound in pearls, ers, others a plume of heron's feathers, and in short what they please; but the most general fashion is a large bouquet of jewels, made like natural flowers; that is, the buds of pearl; the roses of different colored rubies; the jessamines of diamonds; the jonquilles of topazes, &c. so well set and enamelled, it is hard to imagine any thing of that kind so beautiful. The hair hangs at its full length behind, divided into tresses braided with pearls or ribands, which is always in great quantity. I never saw in my life so many fine heads of hair. In one lady's I have counted a hundred and ten of these tresses, all nat

:

It was not, then, a royal cap of state, with which the mother of Solomon decorated his head at his nuptials; that was probably made by a more professed artist: neither was it proper to be worn at such a personal ceremony, but only on state occasions:but, if the queen mother had taken pains to embroider a muslin fillet; if she had worked it with her own hands, and had embellished it with a handsome pattern, then it was paying her a compliment, to wish the daughters of Jerusalem should go forth to admire the happy effects of this instance of maternal attention and decorative skill.

precious stones and golden embroidery. The manner of the king's sitting and the kind of throne on which he sits, may perhaps give some hint of the manner of the Bridegroom's sitting in the First Day. This is not the royal throne of state, the musnud of India; that is usually stationed in one place, where it is fitted up with all imaginable magnificence, and to which it is fixed: whereas this seat is movable, and is carried from place to place, as wanted. Some such settee was perhaps occupied by Solomon, when he visited his Bride; so that the king sat, while his companions stood on each hand of him, form

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

It | Achmet. But it shows
a girdle, or rather the
clasp which fastens it,
of a different nature
from the former. This
appears to be made of
some solid material,
(ivory,perhaps,) thick-
ly studded over with
precious stones, where-
by it corresponds per-
fectly with that de-
scribed by the Bride,
as bright ivory over
which the sapphire
plays: for these gems
may as well be sap-

phires as any other. The general appearance of the
sultan's figure is noble and majestic, and may answer,
not inadequately, to the description given of her be-
loved by the Bride.

It would be a considerable acquisition to sacred literature if those incidents which are furnished by the Greek poets, and which resemble certain incidents in this poem, were collected for the purpose of comparison: they would be found more frequent and more identical than is usually imagined. But this purpose would be still more completely accomplished, by a comparison with those productions of the Persian and Hindoo poets, which have been brought to our knowledge by the diligence and taste of our countrymen in India. It may safely be said, that every line of the Hebrew poem may be illustrated from Indian sources. Even that incident, so revolting to our manners, of the lady's going out to seek her beloved by night, is perfectly correct, according to Indian poetical costume, as appears by Calidasa's Megha Dúta, (line 250, of Mr. Wilson's translation,) also the Gitagovinda, translated by sir William Jones, (Asiatic Researches, vol. iii.) and others, which have been subsequently added to the stores of English literature. Admitting, as the reader has seen supposed in this work, that the Egyptians were from India, and that Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, was also from the East; this conformity to the manners of the original country by an Egyptian princess, consort of a Hebrew king, could include no difficulty arising from any imputation of indelicacy; especially as the poet explicitly assigns the entire occurrence to a dream.

ing a circle. is necessary to distinguish the kind of throne; because there are (1.) the musnud itself, or throne of state-(2.) this kind of seat or settee (3.) a kind of palanquin (called takht revan, that is, movingthrone) and others, all of which are thrones; but their names and application are not the same in the original text of Scripture. This figure is copied from De la Valle, and is a portrait of Aurengzebe, the Mogul of India. Observe the pearls, &c. in his turban; the collets of pearls and gems hanging from his neck; the same at his wrists: so the Bride says of her Prince, "his wrists, that is, his wrist-bands, the ornaments at his wrists, are circlets of gold full set with topazes." These topazes occupy the place of the pearls in our figure. Observe, also, his shoes, which, being gold embroidery, are the bases of purest gold, from which rise his legs, like pillars of marble. Observe, too, that the stockings, fitting pretty closely to the legs, give them an appearance much more analogous to pillars or columns, that when the drawers are full, and occupy a considerable space, as they are commonly worn in the East. The reader will remark the nature and enrichments of this girdle, which is, no doubt, of gold embroidery. The tent may give some idea of that of Solomon, to which the ladies compare the Bride; they say she is "attractive as the tent of Solomon" and certainly a tent so ornamented and enriched, so magnificently embellished, is attractive; attractive in the same manner as a magnificent dress, when worn by a person. If this tent be of black velvet, the golden enrichments embossed upon it must have a grand effect. It should be recollected, that the passage demands the strongest contrast possible to the "tents of Kedar," or the black tents of wandering Arabs; and, were it not for a following verse, the reference should be to the Bride's dress-discomposed-all in a flutter-after a long journey, from which she is but alighted at the moment-rather than to her person, or complexion, which subsequently is described as fair, &c. by terms absolutely incompatible with blackness or swarthiness. The coverings annually sent by the grand seignior for the holy house at Mecca, are always black. Mr. Morier has delineated a tent, intended to represent that of the prophet, the front of which is all but covered with jewels; the whole sides and the top with ornaments, shawl-patterns, &c. (Travels in Persia, vol. ii. p. 181.)

This is a portrait of the grand seignior, sultan

[graphic]
[graphic]
[graphic]

CAPERNAUM, a city on the western shore of the sea of Galilee, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, and in which our Saviour principally dwelt during the three years of his public ministry, Matt. iv. 13; Mark ii. I; John vi. 17. Buckingham, Burckhardt, and some other writers, believe it to have been the place now called Talhhewn, or Tel Hoom, which is upon the edge of the sea, from 9 to 12 miles N. N. E. of Tiberias, and where there are ruins indicative of a considerable place at some former period. Dr. Richardson, however, in passing through the plain of Gennesareth, inquired of the natives whether they knew such a place as Capernaum; to which they replied, "Cavernahum wa Chonasi, they are quite near, but in ruins." This should, perhaps, induce us to fix the site of Capernaum farther south; but our Saviour's denunciation against it seems to have been literally accomplished; and it has been cast down into the grave, for hitherto no satisfactory evidence has been found of the place on which it stood, Matt. xi. 23.

« AnteriorContinuar »