Turkmans gained possession of the city, and the persecution of the Christian pilgrims was permitted. In 1098 the Egyptian Khalifs again obtained possession of the city. In 1099 the Crusaders, under Godfrey de Bouillon, took the city, and elected their leader king. In 1188 Salahed-deen took it from the Crusaders; in 1229 it was given up to the Christians. In 1239 the Emir David of Kerek obtained possession of the city, which was restored to the Latin princes by Salah Ismaeel, Emir of Damascus, in 1212. In 1244 the Kharismian hordes stormed it; in 1291 it came into the possession of the sultans of Egypt. In 1517, Selim, the Turkish sultan, reduced Egypt and Syria, includ ing Jerusalem, and his son Soliman built the present walls in the year 1542; and in 1832, when Syria became subject to Mohammed Ali, Jerusalem fell into his hands. In 1834 an insurrection took place, and the city was held by the insurgents for a short time; but Ibrahim Pasha soon quelled the riot, and restored order within its ancient walls. Such is the history of this city, which has undergone many vicissitudes, and, having been the bone of contention for ages, is now almost "A vanish'd name; Its tribes-earth's warning, scoff, and shame." Our first visit was to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and never shall I forget the scene that presented itself on our approach. The whole area (A) was crammed with groups of beings from nearly every clime, and certainly clothed with nearly every costume--some selling beads, crucifixes, amulets, cups, bowls, &c., made from the bitumen of the Dead Sea, the olive-wood from the Garden of Gethsemane, or other relics; amongst which I noticed a host of saints, remarkable for the stiffness of the carving and desperate contortions of their frames, and many scriptural events, only to be made out by the inscriptions underneath; for, in truth, they were so badly executed that the carvers almost appeared to deserve the same fate; while others were importunately offering their services as guides, and asserting that they knew every part of the city, from the spot where the cock crew when Peter denied his Master, to the rock from which our Saviour ascended to heaven. We had been prepared for many extraordinary scenes by the perusal of the accounts furnished us by travellers, but the one we witnessed baffles all description. The pen of a Warburton, or the eloquent diction of an Eothen, could alone do it justice. Gentle reader, cast aside the notions you have generally entertained of the topography of Jerusalem. It is not THE JERUSALEM of Scripture. The position of many interesting locatities appear altered, but it is only the advances o modern ages that have altered the aspect of the Holy City. The Holy Sepulchre is within the walls and occupies the best part of the town; it is not without. Calvary of the present day is not the Calvary of the past; and the relics you view smack somewhat of the present age, therefore may not be quite so interesting to most travellers. From the earliest ages all Christian pilgrims have turned their thoughts towards the sepulchre of our Saviour, and happy the man who was enabled to visit the "Holy Shrine," and worship at other sacred spots. In the present day thousands flock to bow down in the Sepulchre of our Lord, and many perish in the attempt. It does not come within the province of the writer of these pages to comment upon the many wonderful things related to him, nor descant upon the reality of the spots pointed out; therefore it is proposed only to take a cursory glance of the places as they were visited. Passing through the motley groups in the crowd, our party went under the pointed Saracenic archway of the edifice, and entered its precincts: in doing so, we could not help observing the beautiful frieze, in low relief, representing the triumphant entry of our Saviour into Jerusalem, which was placed over the doorway. We had scarcely entered the building by the gateway (1),* and passed the stone See plan p. 222. seat (2) on which the Turkish_toll-ga- | The irregular form shows how the buildtherers seat themselves, and smoke away ing has been extended in places, in order the dreary hours they remain there, than to inclose various spots connected with we saw before us the "stone of unction," | Christ's death and burial. (5), on which, it is said, the body of our Lord was washed and anointed for the OR, WHY UNCLE HARRY WAS A BACHELOR. sepulchre (a). Around this precious relic is A PEEP AT AN OLD MAN'S HEART; a low rail, and at either end are three large candlesticks and tapers, the gifts of Christian princes. Here the pilgrims kneel, prostrate themselves on their faces, kiss the "stone of anointing," and offer up their prayers. Space compels us to defer the description of the interior of the Holy Sepulchre for a short time, when we shall continue our Rambles within its walls, and afterwards visit the outside of the "City of Solemnities." No sooner does the weary pilgrim enter Jerusalem than, regardless of everything else, he hastens to behold the spot where the Saviour of mankind was laid. It is a natural feeling, but is not judicious. To behold the sepulchre to advantage, the pilgrim should visit the environs and each sacred spot first-the hills, the remnant walls, the convents, and the various historical sites-reserving his visit to the Holy Sepulchre until "The twilight star from Hermon's peak Comes mildly o'er the glistening earth, And weary hirelings joy to seek Their dear domestic hearth.' "WHEW! what a storm!" ejaculated old Uncle Harry Bell, as he stamped his feet and brushed the snow from his overcoat in the hall, and then flung wide open the door of a snug, cozy little parlour in his comfortable farm-house. Within, a cheerful wood fire was burning; and the flickering light cast a bright lustre on the quaintly carved old-fashioned mahogany chairs and tables-danced upon the lofty ceiling, and scattered a shower of golden beams on the sunny ringlets of fair Lilly Bell, who had fallen fast asleep in Uncle Harry's arm-chair. "Whew! what a storm, I say. Lilly! Lilly! Lilly! where are you? Asleep? hey! A fine welcome, this, for a hungry old man; for as I live, tea is not ready. Come, Lilly, wake up!" and Uncle Harry rubbed his chilled fingers across Lilly's face, which caused her to jump from her chair, and open her blue eyes with astonishment. Then the feelings so long pent up will "Why, have I been asleep, and can it find vent; the soothing power of religion be six o'clock ?" she exclaimed, as the old will subdue the passions that have racked clock in the hall chimed forth the hour; the now repentant pilgrims; and when" and I declare it is snowing fast, too! he leaves the precincts of that edifice, Why, how could I be so careless as to fall the remembrance of his visit will be more asleep when I am in such a hurry to finish indelible. But as Sir Walter Raleigh my tabouret ? and where in the world can Nancy be ?" and away Lilly flew to the kitchen to summon the good old housekeeper, whose movements were somewhat dilatory. said, "Give me my scallop-shell of quiet, My staff of faith to walk upon; My bottle of salvation; My gown of glory (hope's true gage), And then I'll take my pilgrimage." To redeem this sepulchre from infidel hands was, it will be remembered, the paramount object sought by the Crusades. It is presumed to contain not only the sepulchre, but the scene of the Crucifixion. a John xix. 39, &c. Uncle Harry sat slowly sipping his tea -closely eyeing Lilly the while-a mischievous smile playing about the corners of his mouth, while her glance was fixed upon her plate; but it was evident by her movements that her thoughts were neither upon the plate nor its contents, for Uncle Harry presently burst into a hearty laugh, exclaiming-" There, Lilly, that will do. Pouring cream and sugar on one's bread is not so bad, but when I see large lumps of butter floating about like islands in your tea, I think it is time to recall your wandering thoughts. Ah! Lilly, how I pity poor Ned Allston. A sorry little wife you will make him. I declare you'll surfeit him one week, and starve him the next;" and again Uncle Harry burst into a hearty laugh, which sent the blood flying into fair Lilly's face; but then Uncle Harry was such a "dear old quiz," as all the girls said, that Lilly found it impossible to get angry with him, although a very perceptible pout was on her cherry lips as he again reiterated-" Poor Ned, I pity him!" Lilly could stand it no longer. "I don't believe Ned wants your pity," she exclaimed. "You are too provoking!" "Ah!" persisted her tormentor, "but that is the very reason why he ought to have it because, running into the fire with his eyes wide open does not show that he will not get burned." "Come, now, Lilly, dear," he continued, "acknowledge, like a candid, sensible girl, that no condition in life can be preferable to that of an old bachelor." But Lilly only persisted in shaking her pretty little head with an incredulous air, to the infinite amusement of her uncle, who sipped his tea with a smile of good humour on his lips. "Ah, well!" said he, at length, "it always has been so, and it always will be, that the young will never take the advice of the old. Now, if I were in Ned's place- -"Here he paused, for Lilly's eyes were bent upon him with an earnest, appealing look, as she asked-" What would you do, Uncle Harry ?" "Well," he continued, "were I very much bewitched, perhaps I might-I might-commit matrimony. But then I rather think that I should not resign myself to such a fate, without I had struggled pretty hard to free myself from my fetters." “Ah, then,” said Lilly, laughing, "I am to conclude that you never were bewitched by any pretty girl, else you had yielded to her snares. Uncle Harry, why were you an old bachelor?” Ah, Lilly, you touched a tender chord; for Uncle Harry's hand trembled strangely as he lifted s spoonful of tea to his mouth, and an unwonted moisture sprang to his eye; but he only dropped the spoon, exclaiming-" Why, Lilly, how hot this tea is. I declare it has scalded me!" Yes, Lilly had touched a tender chord; and the meal ended in silence, for Uncle Harry's heart was now filled with memories of the past. An hour later, Lilly sat the table, busy with her worsted-work. Her fingers flew rapidly, and the flowers rose quickly upon the canvas beneath her needle; but it was evident that her thoughts were not there. A sunny, loving, hoping smile played upon her lips, like a brightwinged bird among the flowers, and a tender light gleamed from the dilated eye, for her heart was away with her absent lover-Ned Allston. In one month from that eve was Lilly to plight her faith where she had long since given her love. The poet hath said-"the course of true love never did run smooth," but for once he erred; for Lilly was beloved by one well worthy of her, and hers had ever been a sunny sky, where storms never came, nor wild winds blew. Uncle Harry sat leaning back in his arm-chair, looking very comfortable, with his slippered feet resting on the fender, and the ruddy fire-light gleaming on his hale cheeks and silver hair. Lilly had placed beside him upon the table his spectacles and the newspapers; but, contrary to his usual custom, the glasses were unused, the papers unread. Even his old favourite, the pipe-and Uncle Harry still clung to that old pipe with a wonderful tenacity-lay quite unregarded between his thumb and finger. No graceful wreath of smoke, curling upward, wreathed his head like a silvery veil-no sudden nodding of the head betokened that ever and anon the old man was wandering in Dreamland; he was wide awake now, and his eye was fondly bent on the young girl who sat beside him; and thus he gazed until a tear started from its depths, and coursed down his cheek. Uncle Harry spoke Brushing it away, "What merry shouts rang out on the pure morning air, as one after another stowed themselves away in the huge hayracks, trimmed with wreaths of evergreen and fresh oak-leaves, woven for the occasion; and how merry was the cry "Lilly," and she slightly started, as his voice broke alike the silence and her reveries-"Lilly, you asked me a little while ago why I was an old bachelor. Shall I tell you a story of my earlyHere's room for just one more! when years ?" Lilly threw aside her work, and seating herself on a low stool at her uncle's feet, leaned her head upon his knee, letting her hair fall like a rippling shower of gold over her shoulders, while he gazed tenderly on her, and slowly passed his hand across his brow, as if to dispel some disagreeable memory that lingered there. It was thus that he spoke : UNCLE HARRY'S STORY. the carriage was already filled to overflowing. At length all were ready, and on we went, past orchards bending beneath golden fruit, and fields waving with nodding grain, by fragrant hedges and warm uplands, where the white mist hung overhead like fleecy clouds, until we entered the dim and solemn woods." Uncle Harry's voice grew yet more distinct as he proceeded, while Lilly's eyes were turned to his with eager interest "I was twenty-two years of age when speaking from every glance. I finished my studies at college. "But why do I linger ?" continued he. "With a mind and body alike enfeebled"It is of her, of sweet Annie Gray that I by intense mental application and long confinement, I gladly accepted the invitation of my friend and class-mate, Frank Waters, to spend the long vacation succeeding the summer term at his house. It was a lonely village whither we went, embosomed in lovely mountains, and very picturesque. "And here, away from books, and the ceaseless round of college duties, how swiftly sped the hours in quiet communion with the beauties of nature. We passed whole days shooting in the thick woods, or fishing in the blue river; and by these pursuits, varied by the healthy exercise on a large farm, my health was completely established. So the days sped swiftly onward, until one-half of our allotted vacation had vanished as a dream. would speak. Lilly, how can I describe to you the light of her violet eye, the dimpled cheek, and the waves of sunny hair? I have often thought that they were strangely like yours, Lilly. "It was then that I first met sweet Annie Gray. Frank and myself were both, at first sight, struck by her exceeding loveliness and quiet lady-like deportment; and we eagerly sought an introduction. "Her manner was calm and subduedquite different from the noisy group around her; and I half suspected that she had thus early known sorrow, else had the spirits not been checked in their joyous outpourings; and what I learned of her history confirmed me in the opinion I had formed. "An excursion and pic-nic in the moun"What I had heard of Miss Gray only tain woods had long been talked of among rendered me more anxious to seek her the young people of the village, and acquaintance, and I had but just engaged needed only the enterprising spirit of her as my partner for the day, when Frank to forward it. He, as chief manager, Frank came where we were standing, and enlisted me in his service, and so we im-repeating the question I had just asked mediately busied ourselves with all necessary preparations. "It was on a beautiful morning in the early autumn time, that a merry party of gay young men and rosy-cheeked maidens assembled at the Mansion House,' from which we were to start for the grove, about five miles distant. her, was informed that she was already engaged to Mr. Bell. He cast upon me a look, which then I could not fathom, but which rose before my memory in after days like an evil vision, bit bis lip with vexation, and walked away. "Lilly, that was to me a happy, happy day. |