Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-03-01

4
g The Land aud The Book" represents
literally quarter of a century of life in
Palestine, where the author was a mission
ary. He has put his nfe into these vol
umes. And truly, no part of the habitabIe
globe is more Interesting 10 universal
Chrisiendom. The eye is never tired of
seeing, nor the ear of hearing descrip-
lions OF
Over whose wak'd those blessed feet.
Which, eighteen hundred years ago, nailed
For our acTantage, on the bitter cross -
and almost every year is noted for the pro-
ducilon of some new book of travels in
Palestine, or some new and revised edl
ton of old ones. The author of the book
now before US lived for long time amidst
the scenes and scenery be g. rscribes, .s and
from midnight, gazed upon them with a
joyous enthusiasm that never tired" A
large portion of his pages " was actually
written IN the open country, on sea shore
and sacred lake, on hillside or mountain
top, under the olive or the oak, or the
shadow of great rock" What his eye
saw his pen has describe IN vivaciouS
style; and In order TO help his readers IN
the enjoyment OF his subject, he calls to
his aid the scientific and mechanical skill
of the limner and engrver--embelishin
The work with more than two hundred
pictorial illustrations.
A few intensely Interesting details con-
cerning Lady Hester Stanhope will arrest
the readers attention, not far from the be-
gining of the first volume. The broken
tomb which covers The remains of that
. once lovely, witty and most eccentric
lacy" is on Ddhr June, one of the hills
of Lebanon. The garden, with lis bow
ers, alleys and flowers, is utterly Destroy
ed, and not one room of all her large es-
tabllshment remains entire. Mr.. Thomp-
son, al the request of the British Consul
at Beirut, performed the religious services
at the funeral of Lady Hester. The body,
in plain deal box. was carried to the
grave by ner servants, followed by mix
ed company, with torches and lanterns 10
enable them to tread their way through the
winding alleys of the garden. The bones
of a deceased Frenchman lay near the
vault IN heap, vita the head on the top,
having lighted taper suck IN either eye
socket hldeous grinnIng spectacle.
Inc morning OF the funeral, Mr.. L.
and the Consul went round the premises
with lrash-oll jars, old empty and dusty
Arab saddles, mo,h-eaten aud torn, be-
longing 10 her mounted guard superan-
nuated pIpe-stemS without bowels medl-
cInes, books and papers, In boxes and
ancient chests. Her servants and retain
ers had already appropriated to themselves
her most valuable effects. AS she died
Of a lingering disease, they worked their
will tetore h death. " What a death
without a European atlendant-wilhout a
friend, male or female alone on the top
of bleak mountain, her lamp of life grew
dImner and more dun, TIL 1t went quite
out IN hopeless, Tayless night. Sucn was
the end OF The once gay and brilliant niece
of PIt, presiding ia the saloons OF the
master-spIrlt OF Europe. ana tamillar with
the intrIgues OF kings aud cabiuets. But
nothing could tempt her back 10 Eng iaud.
She was furious, but unsubJued. In ner
mountain nest, all alone, she dragged out
the remainder OF her days III haugh,y
pride and Stubborn independence" We
do not remember 10 have seen so viva
cious a picture of this strange and unac-
countabIe creature as is here gwen, and
we are tempted TO transcrl5e The follow
ing paragraph, without abridgement.
one could be extremely sarcastic. and
her satire was often terrible. Many OF
her letters, and the margin OF books
which | purchased at the auction, are H.
Illuminated with her caustlc crItlcisms.-
There was no end TO her eCcentricIties.
La soi ie things she was devout believer
an unbellever In many. She read the
stars, aud dealt In nalIvlties, and sort OF
second sight, by which she pretended to
retell coming events. She prauced al
chemy, and, IN pursuit of this vain science,
was often closed with strange cou pam
ions She had mare, whose backbone
sank suddenly down at the shoulders, and
rose abruptly near the hips. This de-
formlty her vivid Imagination converted
into a miraculous saddle, on which she
was to ride into Jerusalem, as Queen,
by the side of same sort of Messiah, who
was TO introduce a fancled millennium
Another man had part 10 play In This
august pageant, and both were attended
with extraordinary care. A lamp was
kept burning IN their very comfortable
apartments, and they were served with
sher bet and other deIcacies. Nothing
about the premises SO excited my COM
passion as these poor pampered brotes,
on which Lady Stanhope had lavlshed
the choicest affection for fourteen years.
They were soon after sold al auction,
when hard work and low living quickly
terminated their existence.
Lady Hester was doctor, and mos,
positive In her prescriptions to herself,
her servants, her horses and even 10 her
L 4 6
10 all her patients. She had many whlm-
sicaI tests of character, both for man and
beast, and, of course, was often deceived
| by both, 10 her cost. To draw a full
length portrait is aside from eur purpose
and beyond oGr power. She was wholly
aud nagaificeni.y unique. Now rIdlng
at the head of wild Arabs, queen or The
! desert, on visit to Palmyra; nov iu-