Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-06-11
CAolCg LlTgRATuRG.
The Fall of Jerusalem.

One of the most splendid sketches it has
ever been our. fortune to peruse, is that by
Croly, who, in one Of his works, thus de-
scribes the fall Of Jerusalem:
The fall of our illustrious and happy
city was supernatural The destruction of
the co1quered was against the first princi-
pies Of Roman policy and the last hour of
our national existence, Rome held out of
fers of peace, and lanented our frantic dis
position to be undone. But the decree was
gone forth from mghtier throne During
the latter days of the siege, hostility, to
which that of man was a grain of sand to
the tempest which drives it on, overpowered
our strength and senses. Fearful shapes
and voices in the air; visions startling US
from our short and troublesome sleep; Id
macy in It's hideous forms; sudden death
IN the midst Of vigor; the fury Of the ele-
ments let loose upon unsheltered heads
we had every terrcr and evil that could be-
set human nature, pestilence, the most pro-
bable Of all in city crowded with the fam
ishing, the diseased, the wounded and the
dead Yet, though the streets were cover
cd with unburieti bodies; though every
we'll and trench vas teeming with them
though SIX hundred thousand corpses lay
flung over the rampant and naked to the
sun-pestiience came not, for if it had come
1t wonld have scared the enemy away
But g the abomination Of desolatiop," the
pagan standard, was fixed where it was to
remain until the ulouoh- had s4As14-d nrar
t,4-~--.-.--- ,.c--5rru-uteu. On this fatal
night no man laid his head upon his pillow.
Heaven and earthwere 10 coufct. Meteors
burned above Us; the ground shook under
our feet; the volcano btazed the wind
burst forth in irresistible blasts, and swept
the living and tie dead in whirldwinds, far
into the desert. We heard the believing
Of the distant Mediterranean, as if It's wa
ters were at our side, swelled by the delugo
The lakes and rivers roared, and inundated
the land. Tie fiery sword shot out ten
fold fire. Thunder pealed from every quar-
ter Of the Heavens: Lightning, in immense
sheets, of an intensity and duration that
turned the darkness into day, withering
eye and soul, burned from the zenith to the
ground, and marked its track by forests of
flames and shattered the SUBMITS Of the hills.
Defence was unthought Of for the mortal
enemy had passed from the mind. Our
hearts quaked for fear but it was 70 see
the powers of Heaven shaken. All cast
away the shield and the spear, and crouch
ed before the descending judgment.-We
were conscious smitten. Our cries of re-
morse, anguish and horror, were heard
: through the uproar of the storm. We
: howled to the caverns to hide US; We plum
!. ged into the sepulchres to escape the wrath
T that consumed the living, we would have
n buried ourselves under the mountains.
: | knew the cause, the unspeakable cause;
d and knew that the last hour of crime was
n at hand. A few fugitives, astonishcd to
: see one man among them sunk into the low
est feebleness of fear, calne round me, and
o besought me to lead them to some safety,
e if such were now to be found on earth.
s openly counselled them to die in the hallow.
Il cd ground of the temple. They followed
+ and | led through streets encumbered with
ID every shape of human suffering, to the foot
v of Mount Moriah.-But beyond that W
bt found advance impossible. Piles of cloud
< whose darkness was palpable, even in TIL
c, midnight in which We stood, covered tn
le holy HILL Impatient, and not to be daun
or ted by anything that man could overcome
r. I cheered my disaeartened band, aud al
ng tempted to lead the way up the hot ascent
Id But | had scarcely entered the cloud, whe
r. l was swept down by gust that tore th
us rocks in flinty shower around ne. An
ad now came the last ard most wonderful sgv
ut that marked tbe fate of rejected Israel.
While Hay helpless, [ heard the whir
om wind roar through the cloudy hill, and IL
lsy vapors began to revolve. A pale light Ill
that of the rising moon, quiyered On Il
N edges, and the clouds rose ladidly, shapi1
themselves into forms of battlement al
ex- towers. The sound Of voice was hea
ces within, low and distinct, yet strange
an sweet Still the lustre frightened, and t
be airy building rose. tower on tower, and b;
uc- tlement on bastlement.
In awe that held US mute, ve knclt a
h gazed On this more than mortalarchitectu
t it that continued rising, and spreading q
the glowing with senener light, still sofs a
the slvcry, yet to which The broadcst mo
god beam was dim At last it stood forth, f.
the earth to heaven, the colossal image Of
6rst temple; of the building raised By
Ar wisest Of men, one eonsecrated to the '
hese bic glory.