Star.
London, England, 1828-11-25 00:00:00

LITERATURE.
ZILLAt-A TALE OF TIIILHOLT vrrY.-4 F.i& HAM

Couwas

For these talented and inTtrictive volumes we are in-
debted to Mr. Horace Sraids, the author of Ifratabkiye
House, and other popular works. He has here entered
upon a field unexplorc4, we believe, by any preceding
writer. The scene is laid in liclea, Italy, and Egypt, 40
years befine tl.e Chrician 1E a, and ever.t. connected
with the Jewish Hist, ry form the ground work of the
tale. Every reader must be .truck not Ir s. with the mi.
nut. ne.s than the extent of knowledge which he disi I rys
relative to the costumes, manners, custom., superstitions,
&c.preva:ent at that period in the c untries before men.
tioned. The fruits of the most laborious and catifnixing
research are here set forth with a prolusion which as.
suredly is not desened fot the gratification of the n-rvel•
reader alone, but will prove a lasting attr.iction to all
who delight in recurring to that splendid era of an.
ciet.t history, when the towering 'genius of Rome held
ondi•puted d minion over riskily
.the.s..ho'e knot(
o Id. A vision is raised, which; as it were, ab tracts
the mind, and leads it to the coritemplitson of for mer
days—of glories long since vani•hed—of power which
has left no trace behind. The story is of rn•aor
import; it is scanty in incident, and seems to have
been merely pot together for the purpose of con.
veying, in a connected and agreeable forte, tl.e fund
of inf rmatinn collected by the Author. Anthony,
Octavio', Cleopativ, and other conspicuous person rges,
are introduced wi h good effect ; though the very un-
favourable light in Wh.ch the character of the first.named
is displayed we do n )t think is altogether warranted by
history. The immediate event upon which the plot
turns is the expulsion c f she usurper Antigonus from the
throne of Jerusalem. It concludes with the siege and
capture of the Holy C sy by the Roman., who espoused
the cause of Hesod.

The tol.wing extract will illustrate the style of this
work:

ZdWs, who, from her long absence, fek as if she were about is
revisit a beloved friend, in again viewing the well known streets
and structures of Jerusalem, walked forth, accompanied by Lille,
into the city, taxing with renewed delight upon those lofty venerable
structures, with their balconies and crowning terraces, which,
crumbling with age,and appearing to crash down the inferior stories,
threatened to fall altogether, and threw back the mind into the
remotest antiquity. The holy inscriptions upon the door-posts, the
texts written over the windows, many of which were Illegible front
age,the sculptured records upon the walleand buildinp,wherever any
historical or religious incident bad occurred, all contrasted strongly
with the towns and edifices to which her eye had been lately
accustomed, and imparted to old and friendly associations a
certain air of novelty. Nor was the moving picture less chap
racteristic and peculiar to the Holy City. Numerous Priests,
in all the solemnity of their robes and long beards, were pangs
in various directions. From large skins slung across the backs
of asses, the water was streaming, to lay the dust preparatory is
the great procession of the Feast of Lights, in memory of the
purification of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus. The diffe-
rent sects were easily recognised as they passed along : the
fierce and savage zealot, armed with his dagger, looking upon
himself as the successor of Phiness, who, in a transport for
the honour of GOD, did immediate execution upon Zinn. arid
mistaking an outrageous and ferocious extravagance for a de•
vout enthusiasm, even when it inflamed him to rubbery and mar.
der: the Dashing Pharisee, sn called because he crawled along
span and in humility, the heel of one foot touching the great toe
of the other, and neither foot being lifted from the ground. so that
his toes were dashed against the stones : the Bkeding Pharisee,
whose kgs streamed with blood from the thorns inserted in the
bent of his garment, or who shut his eyes to avoid the sight of wo.
men, and pressed so close to the walls in walking, that he wounded
his feet and made them bleed : the Pharisee of the Mortar,who wore
a deep hat of that shape, so that he couhl not look upward, nor on
either side, but only downward, and straightforward ; the Pharisee,
who cried aloud as he walked " Let me know what my duty is,
lend I will do it ;" arid several others of the same sect, whose pecu-
liar absurdities and hypocritical pretensions to superior sanctity it
*mild be tedious to enumerate. All these wore unusually broad
;01Itylacteries, whence they had acquired the not inappropriate
'name of bridled asses, and were mostly followed by women,
'mumbling prayers, and affecting an enthusiasm of devotion,
tinder which veil they were suspected of practices diametrically
opposite to their professions. The Scribes and Fathers of the
Sanbedrim, proud of their legal learning, turned with profound con.
tempt 4003 these superstitibus devotees, and gathering into little
knots, so that their beards sometimes touched one :mother as they
conversed, mooted abstruse points of doctrine with ao eager, sharp.
eyed earnestness; the voluptuous Sedducee, the Epicurean of the
Hebrews, and generally a man of rank and quality, betrayed by the
jaded elegance of his appearance, that be was determined to crowd
as much luxury and debauchery as possible into the life which be
considered to bra final one ; while the Essenes, in their white linen
garments, testified by the primitive simplicity of their garb, and
the unaffected humility of their demeanour, that they courted not
vulgar popularity, but coniented themselves with that pious &set rine,
and life of rigid virtue, which rendered them the most exempla'',
and Irreproachable of all the Hebrew sectarians.
Mingled with these there were factious and tumultuous bandy
parading the streets with arms, and proclaiming with loud cries
death to the partisans of Herod, who, since his acknowledged
alliance with the Romans, the common enemy of all true Israel-
its, bad become ten times more hateful. Terrified at the me-
nacing aspect of these rioters, reminding her, as they did, of the
perils *be had encountered from similar desperadoes at the time of
the fire in Rome, Zillah quitted the street Maktesh, and turned into
the outer court of the Temple, where she showed her companion
the stones of the old altar desecrated by Antiochus, which were
lying piled up in a corner, until a Prophet should arise to pronounce
upon their final disposal. Beside a pile of wood, intended for the
new altar of burnt-offerings, was seated an ancient Levite, gattining

and putting aside the decayed billets; and beyond him was an aged
brother of the same sides, unravelling an old garment of the high
priests to make wicks for the tapers of the Sanctuary, it being held a•
desecration, that the robes, which bad been consecrated to the use of
the Temple, should be appropriated to any other service. Even
the volatile Lilla stood still and silent as she gaud with an awe-
stricken admiration at the stupendous proportions and solemn
majesty of the Temple. " Alas!" said Zillah, okserviiig her ento.
tion," the old men who retailed front the captivity, and recollected
the glory of Solomon's Temple, mourned and wept when they saw
the foundations laid of this inferior structure. stately and Jolliet as
it may appear to us. This work of Zeruhhabel and Joshua wasjts
live things, which were the chief glory of the former Temple—the
Ark and its furniture—the hechinab, or cloud of the Divine

presence—the holy fire—the Urim and tbunimisn—and the spifii
of prophecy; but it is still not the less to be revered as the palace
of the living GOD, • treasure house of glorious and hallowed read.
niscences, a type of all that is infinite and invisible. a link that
connects earth with heaven."

DISSENTERS' MARRIAGES —Married. on Saturday,
the 242 a. at St. Bock Ipb, Biahopsgate, by the Rev. Mr.
ToNLINSON, Mr. D. flatworm, of Bishopsgate, to Miss
E. CAMPBELL. of Islington. The parties being what are
usually4enousinared .4 Free Thinking Cltri tials," were
attended by the ElJer of that Community, and pre.
seated their usual protest against the inarria,,c tete-
mony, as by law eltublished. During the pr•tgiess of
Ihe ceremony, the Minister, in tile, ence to his ,twn situ-
ation, eschiiinesl; Thli is este Lilly painful ;"and
whilst' the partieitillj participated i this feeling, they
directed the Miniitet's attention to the distressing situ.
atioti in vihith tatty, by the la' , trete placed, being
x.wpefled to4o violence to their Faith and conscience.