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all round, which support the inner end of the roof or ceiling; the outer end resting upon the walls of the building. This is composed of wood, or plaster, highly ornamented with a species of carving, and richly gilt. This Temple owes its name and existence to a large irregular massy stone, of an oblong shape, which is in the centre of the edifice. It is a portion of the calcareous rock on which the city is built, and which prevails in the other mountains in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, having very much the appearance of being part of the bed that might have been left when the foundation of the building was levelled. It rises highest towards the S. W. corner, and falls abruptly at the end where are the prints of the prophet's foot. It is irregular on the upper surface, as when broken from the quarry. It is enclosed with a wooden rail, four feet high, every where in contact with the stone. Al Aksá is an inferior building, within the same enclosure. Between the two there is a beautiful fountain, which derives its name from a clump of orange-trees overshadowing the water. The mosque is composed of seven naves, supported by pillars and columns. At the head of the centre wall is a fine cupola: two other naves branch off at right angles to the principal body of the edifice. Before it is a portico of seven arches in front, and one in depth, supported by square pillars. Alí Bey observes that the great centre nave of Al Aksá is 162 feet long by 22 broad. It is supported on each side by seven arches, lightly pointed, resting upon cylindrical pillars in the form of columns, but without any architectural proportions, with foliaged capitals which do not belong to any order. The fourth pillar, to the right of the entrance, is octangular and enormously thick, called the Pillar of Sidi Omar.' The walls rise thirteen feet above the tops of the arches, and contain two rows of twenty-one windows each. The roof is

timber, without being vaulted: the cupola is supported by four large arches resting upon four square pillars: it is spherical, with two rows of windows, and is ornamented with Arabesque paintings of great beauty: its diameter is equal to that of the centre nave. Ali Bey observed that the curtain suspended over the Sakhara, which is of green and red silk, was very dusty. Burckhardt remarks that the Holy House is a group of buildings, erected at different periods of Islám, and in the then prevailing taste. It is not one mosque, but a group of mosques."

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CHAP. IV. This chapter contains the traditional dogma of Reduplication; by which is meant, that, within the Holy Abode, the merit and reward of all good words, deeds, and blessings, are multiplied in a certain proportion; nay, that good things are actually multiplied, or doubled, in amount as well as effect. By the Reduplication of evil things (evil words or deeds), which also takes place, it is, however, meant to imply only, that the effect or retribution of such things is doubled, otherwise men might be supposed to be necessarily compelled to commit sin.

CHAP. V. In this chapter there is a story, from which Cervantes, doubtless, borrowed. The case which came before the sage governor Sancho, of two men, one of whom hid the entrusted deposit of the other in a stick, and, giving the stick to the claimant to hold, swore that the money had been restored.

CHAP. VI. The discussions of the Muhammadan divines, upon disputed points of theology, are often acute and diverting. An amusing instance is given by Sale. (Korán, Preliminary Discourse, p. 219 and seqq.) "The Ashárians

are a sect of the Sefátians, and are the followers of AbúHasan-al-Ashárí, who was first a Mótazalite, and then scholar of Abú-Alí-Al-Jobbáí; but, disagreeing from his master in opinion as to God's being bound (as the Mótazalites affirm) to do always that which is best or most expedient, left him, and set up a new sect of himself. The occasion of this difference was the putting a case concerning three brothers; the first of whom lived in obedience to God; the second, in rebellion against him; and the third died an infant. Al Jobbáí, being asked what he thought would become of them, answered, that the first would be rewarded in Paradise, the second punished in Hell, and the third neither rewarded nor punished. But what, objected Al Ashárí, if the third say, O Lord! if thou hadst given me longer life, that I might have entered Paradise with my believing brother, it would have been better for me. To which Al Jobbáí replied, that God would answer, I knew that if thou hadst lived longer, thou wouldst have been a wicked person, and therefore cast into Hell. Then, retorted Al Ashárí, the second will say, O Lord! why didst thou not take me away while I was an infant, as thou didst my brother, that I might not have deserved to be punished for my sins, nor to be cast into Hell? To which Al Jobbáí could return no other answer than that God prolonged his life, to give him an opportunity of obtaining the highest degree of perfection which was best for him. But Al Ashárí demanding further, why he did not for the same reason grant the other a longer life, to whom it would have been equally advantageous, Al Jobbáí was so put to it, that he asked whether the Devil possessed him. No, says Al Ashárí; but the master's ass will not pass the bridge; i. e. he is posed," This story is taken by Sale from Pococke.

CHAP. VII. Several Gates are enumerated in the original, which, as possessing no interest, are omitted.

Page 143. The Musalmáns imagine that our Lord did not himself suffer, but was caught up to Heaven; Judas being substituted and crucified in his room. They therefore disregard all places connected with his crucifixion, burial, or resurrection.

Page 145. The inhabitants of Jerusalem have long suffered an indifferent reputation. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssen, brother of St. Basil, born in Cappadocia A. D. 332. visited Jerusalem, and was much disappointed to find it "a sink of iniquity and debauchery, the seat of envy, malice, adultery, robbery, murder, idolatry, poisoning, and bloodshed, where men assassinated each other for a trifling reward; so that in no place were more murders committed."

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Page 146. It is not easy to say to whom this tradition of Dhahák-Ibn-Kais is to be referred; perhaps to some floating notions respecting Archimedes and the defence of Syracuse, or the siege of Tyre by Alexander the Great, or to the defence of Gaza, against the same monarch, by the eunuch Batis. (Mitford, Hist. Greece,' vol. ix. p. 381.) It is remarkable that the Tyrians are said to have venerated a Hercules; not the Grecian hero, but one worshipped by the Tyrians many ages before him in a temple the oldest known on earth. (Mitford, quoting Arrian.) Was this the Kaaba of Mecca, or some temple in Tyre constructed upon the model of the Kaaba? Dhahák-Ibn-Kais himself lived in the reign of the Khalíf-Marwán-Ibn-Hákim, the latter part of the seventh century.

Page 148. The talisman of the serpent is evidently a corruption of the Scriptural account of the Brazen Serpent.

Page 149. The prevalent impressions of the Muhammadans, respecting the future destruction of their religion, and the restoration of the Jews, appear to be faint outlines of ancient prophecy impressed traditionally upon the minds of

men.

Ibid. The various traditions which introduce Muhammad as prophesying the future deposition of the house of Abú-Sufián from the Khiláfat, the elevation of the family of Al Abbás to the pulpit, and the commencement of that revolution by a revolt in the province of Khorassán, were probably brought forward subsequently to the event. The eventual rule of the yellow-haired, or Russians, has for many centuries been currently asserted among the Turks.

Page 159. Abú-Ubaidah is represented as nominating the Governor of Damascus, which city he had himself taken; but this was probably only during his absence, as the appointment belonged to the Khalif Omar. Yazíd-Ibn-Abú-Sufián was nominated Governor of Damascus by Omar.

CHAP. IX. This chapter contains brief notices of the capture of Jerusalem by Omar, the Crusaders, and Saladin. A rapid review is also given of the dissensions between Saladin's surviving family. One of these, Al Kámil, demolished the walls of the Holy City,—a wise and politic measure, for Jerusalem could not offer any important resistance to an invader; nor was it of much value in a political point of view: to maintain any effective garrison there would, therefore, be a useless expense. Al Kámil, subsequently, by

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