The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-02-02
M is G. E Il A N EOUS.
From the New York Observer
MIR. BUCKINGHAM,S LECTURES.
THIRD LECTURE-oN PALESTINE.
jerusalem.

now come to notice, in the last place. the city
of JERUSALEM, of the interest of which need say
nothing. | shall endeavor, as well as | can, to
place in your minds an accurate conception Of its
local position and appearance, It's shape its size,
It's interior structure, its population, the classes in
to which its inhabitants are divided and the ranks
of each; and shall then close the present lecture
with some account of the rock of Calvary and the
tomb of the Saviour.
Jerusalem is Familiarity called in the East by a
name which sufficiently expresses the high degree
of sanctity and importance attached to it by Jews
and Mahomedans as we'll as Christians. That
name, translated, signifies z" the holy, and the no.
be-" Its ancient name was Salem" and is in
dcative of the reason which led to the selection
of the site on which it stands, it signifies, "qu-
etness and security" The city presents very diff
ferent appearances as it is seen from different
points of view; a circumstance which has led crit
les, without due reflection, to impute to falsehood
the discrepancy which is found in the language
of those who have published descriptions Tray
eHers themselves vary exceedingly in the impress
sions made on its appearance in their minds
Some express great disappointment at what they
term the miserable aspect of city so celebrated;
others are in raptures at its magnfcence; while
a third Glass; more sober and temperate, hold a
middle space between the two. But in all this
there is nothing surprising. 1t happens in rela-
ton to every remarkable object which becomes a
resort of observers; and it is rather wonderful that
it should never have occurred to the critics in
question, to make some allowance for these differ
ences in the tastes and temperaments of travellers.
Some men are very strongly impressed, for exam
pie, by the beauties of landscape scenery, while
others are utterly insensibe to them; just as some
men are alive to the charms of music, and poetry,
and eloquence, while others prefer the profundity
of mathematical investigation, or close logical rea-
soning. Besides, all cities built upon hills do and
must appear very different under different aspects :;
and this is peculiarly the case with Jerusalem.-
Travellers who approach it by the road from Jop-
pa, are presented at first sight of the holy city,
with only long dead wall, unbroken by mosque
or dome while, on the other hand, those who
first see the city from the Mount of Olives, stand
transixed with astonsment, being perfectly en-
chanted with the beauty of the birds eye view
which they there obtain Of the whole impressive
scene. Others, again, coming from the north,
have presented to them neither the monotonous
aspect which met the eye Of the first, nor the splen
did and enrapturing view which met the eye of
the last class of beholders and these are general
ly among the moderates The Psalmist has used
an expression which, as it stands in our version
would lead one to expect that Jerusalem was stu
ated on very beautiful hill. Beautiful" says
he +" for situation the joy of the whole earth, is
Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city oil
the great King" The word rendered beautiful \
has in the Hebrew rather the meaning of appro-
priate,- -ft,-becoming. The word beautiful is
used in England, as find the word elegant is