an upper apartment of the convent inhabited by a man and his wife, with several children, and for the use of it the monk received regularly a rent. In all probability he was forced to violate the monastic rule, from his great poverty, his claims on the French government having been disregarded. A garden with fruit trees adjoins the convent, where are vaults, which he opened, containing several coffins, where repose the ashes of several persons who fell at the siege of Acre, and some of them were those of my countrymen who had been travellers here. At some distance from Bayreuth, the field is pointed out where St. George, it is fabled, fought the dragon. It may perhaps be interesting to know that this saint or hero is famous in the Holy Land, and represented on horseback tilting at a dragon at his feet. His sanctity is established in the Franciscan and Greek churches, and he is distinguished by the title of the "Great Martyr." Several temples were dedicated to him at Constantinople, and one of them gave to the Hellespont the name of St. George. Portugal has honoured him as her tutelar saint, as did England under the first Norman kings, at the council of Oxford, in 1222, when his feast was commanded to be kept a holiday. His name also was a war cry. Advance our standards! Set upon our foes! Our ancient word of courage, "Fair St. George !" Some deny his existence, and presume his effigy to be a mere symbol of victory. Others again consider him an Arabian bishop of Alexandria, who was killed in an insurrection against the Pagans, or an emblematical figure indicative that, by his faith and Christian fortitude, he conquered the devil or the dragon in the Apocalypse. * *His history is this:-On the death of his father, who lost his life in defence of the Gospel, St. George accompanied his mother into Palestine, where he came into possession of large property. The emperor About Mount Lebanon are a set of mountebanks assuming the title of magicians,; in short they are in many parts of the east, and "play such fantastic tricks as would make angels weep." Hohenlohe, with all his boasted knowledge, would receive some instruction if he came among this fraternity, in their hocus-pocus art, particularly "in casting out devils.”* 66 On paying the muckra for the use of the mules which had been engaged to perform this long journey from Nazareth, and giving him a backish as it is called, or compliment in money, he suggested that I should also offer him some wine; this I conceived to be odd, considering that such "horrid potion" is condemned by the disciples of the impostor. On presenting him with a full tumbler of it, he looked round the room to see if Mussulmans were pre any Dioclesian, who was not aware that he was a Christian, and admiring his noble aspect and majestic form, appointed him to the command of one of his legions, and a seat in his council. In his twentieth year he lost his mother, and dedicated himself to military duties, in which he greatly distinguished himself. During the height of his fame the persecution of the Christians took place with great violence and cruelty, on which he withdrew himself from the service of the tyrant, whom he publicly upbraided in the senate. Astonished at his boldness, the em peror resolved to destroy him, but suspended his vengeance, in the hope of having again the benefit of his military talents. Resolute, however, in his refusal to serve him, he was put to the torture, beheaded, and, as I formerly observed, was buried at Lydda, the rendezvous of the Christian forces. In the tenth year of king Henry VII., the Irish were prohibited from using their favourite battle-cry of Aboo or Aber. Every native of that country was enjoined against using that word, or "other words like or otherwise contrary to the king's laws, his crown and dignity and peace, but to call on St. George, or the name of his sovereign lord the King of England for the time being," &c. There is also this injunction to the English in an old art of war:-" Item, that all souldiers entering into battaile, assault, skirmish, or other faction of armes, shall have for their common cry and word, St. George forward! or, Upon them, St. George! whereby the soldier is much comforted, and the enemie dismaied by calling to minde the ancient valour of England, which with that name has so often been victorious." *Deut. xviii. 10-12. Levit. xx. 27. sent, when finding none, and not calling on " Mahomet" to "shut his eyes" bolted the wine with the greatest avidity, smacking his lips, shaking his head, and exclaiming, tiepe! tiepe! (good). This cup, too, for the rugged knaves Is filled: once quaffed, they ne'er repine. Thus having travelled over the Holy Land, which may be considered as terminating here, in this direction, I would conclude with a few observations. In the course of this journey, having particularly marked the tyrannical conduct to which Christians are exposed, it was often a subject of the deepest regret to me that such a country should be permitted to be under the dominion of Mahomedans, who are such bitter enemies to that people who profess those principles which had been personally taught in it by Him who spake as never man did, the great author and finisher of our faith. I am led therefore to express surprise that the Christian governments do not co-operate in wresting such a land out of the hands of barbarians, and should such an enterprise be decided upon, the most important consequences might be produced by it; nor could it fall under the description of a scheme of speculation or novelty. Never let us lose sight of that period, when, from that sound which had rung throughout Europe, a flame was lighted up, and enthusiastic desires excited against those decided and implacable enemies of the cross of Christ; those fields over which his feet walked on the errands of mercy, as the physician of the souls and bodies of men, and where he performed, to the astonishment of gazing thousands, the splendid miracles confirmatory of his divinity, were the distinguished theatre of English chivalry, by whom the lofty walls of Jerusalem were broken down; and the triumph of the belligerent Christians terminated in the subjugation of that city, when, in the name of the god of the battle, the standard was hoisted, and the banners displayed, of the cross on its shattered battlements; and, finally, the holy sepulchre, despised and contaminated by Infidels, was rescued from their desecrating hands. It is then my earnest prayer, that this sacred edifice may be exclusively in the hands of those who rest their hope and salvation on that great Redeemer, who laid down his life, and shed his most precious blood on that spot where it stands. Believing that the time is not far distant, when this country in general will be rescued from the dominion of Infidels, I would conclude in prophetical language, -"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice for the Lord will do great things." * Joel, ii. 21. "* 174 CHAP. XII. DEPARTURE FROM BAYREUTH.-CYPRUS.-CONFIRMATION OF MENT FOR THE GREEKS. RETURN TO LARNICA. I EMBARKED at Bayreuth in a small crazy vessel, sailing direct for Cyprus ;— Once more upon the waters! yet once more! And the waves bound beneath me, as a steed The weather was pleasant and clear, so that I had a distinct view of the island. It is very mountainous, rising towards the east, and the whole line of coast was also visible, besides that part where Laodicea, "a chief city," or Latakia as now called, is situated. There one of the seven churches was planted, as alluded to by John in his exile at Patmos *, and where Paul preached in his labours for the promotion of the faith. From thence he also directed his first address to Timothy, and recommends that his epistle to the Colossians from Rome should be read in the church of the Laodiceans, as well as that which he had written in that city.† There were twenty passengers on board. One I found to be a medical man proceeding to Cyprus, for the purpose of introducing the practice of vaccination. He had just + Coloss. iv. 16. *Rev. iii. 14. 22. |