Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-03-23
MISCELGAN NY.
The Destruction of Jerusalem.
BY E. BULwER LYrroN.

A few weeks ago Sir f. Bulwer Ivtton
delivered a lecture in Lincoln, which city he
has for a number of years represented in
Parliament, on the early history of East
ern nations. He gave an outline of the
history of the Babylonian, Assyrian. Per-
sian, Egyptian. Greek and Jewish nations.
and closed with the following powerful and
dramatic description of the destruction of
Jerusalem by Titus
Six years after the birth of our Lord.
Judea and Samaria became a Roman prov
ince, under subordinate Governors. the most
famous of whom was Pontius Plate
These Governors became SO oppressive that
the Jews broke out into rebellion and
seventy years after Christ, Jerusalem was
finally besieged by Titus, afterwards En-
peror Of Rome. No tragedy on the stage
has the same scenes of terror ms are 10 be
found in the history of this siege. The city
itself was rent by factions at the deadlest
war with each other-ali the elements of
civil hatred had broke loose-the streets
were slippery with the blood of citizens
brother slew brothers the sranaries were
set on fire-raufue wasted those whom the
sword did not -lay. In the midst of these
civil massacres, the Roman armies appear
ed before the walls Of Jerusalem. Then
for snort time the rival factions united
against the common foe; they were again
the gallant countrymen of David and Josh
aa-they sailed forth and scattered the
eagles of Rome. But triumph was brief !;
the ferocity of the ill-fated Jews soon wasted
al. 4, 4
on-encamped his armies close by the walls
and from the heights the Roman General
gazed with awe on the strength and splen-
dor of the city of Jehovah.
Let US here Eausc-and take. ourselves,
a mournful glance at Jerusalem, as it then
was. The city was fortified by a triple
wall, save on one side, where it was pro-
tected by deep and impossible ravines.
These walls, of the most solid masonry,
were guarded by strong towers opposite
to the loitiest of these towers Titus had en-
camped. From the height of that tower
the sentinel might have seen stretched be-
low the whole of the fair territory of Ju-
dea, about TO pass from the countrymen of
David Within these walls was the palace
of the king, its root of cedar, its doors of
the rarest marble, its chambers filled with
the costliest tapestries, and vessels of gold
and silver. Groves and gardens cleaning
with fountains, adorned with statutes of
bronze, divided the courts of the palace it.
self. But high above all, upon a precipit-
Gus rock, rose the temple, fortified by Sol
ONION. The temple was strong without as
citadel--within more adorned than pal
ace. On entering you beheld porticoes of
numberless columns Of porphyry, marble
and alabaster; gates adorned with gold and
silver. among which was the wonderful gate
called the Beautiful. Further on through
the vast arch, was the sacred portal, which
admitted into the interior of the temble all
sheetea over with gold and ovcrhung by a
vine tree of gold, the branches of which
were as large as a man. The roof of the
temple. even on the outside, was set over
with golden spikes, TO prevent the birds set
tling there and defiling the holy dome. AT
distance, the whole temple looked like a
mount Of snow, fretted with golden pima.
ces. But, alas, the veil of that temple had
already been rent asunder by an inexpiahle
crime. and the Lord of Hosts did not fight
with Israel. But the enemy is laundering
at the walls. All around the city arose i'm
mense machines, from which Titus poured
down mighty fragments of rock and show
ers of fire. The walls gave way-the city
was entered-the temple itself was storm
ed. Famine in the meantime had made
such havoc, that the besieged were more
like spectres than living men; they devour-
ed the belts to their swords, the sandals TO
their feet Even nature itself so perished
away, that mother devoured her own in
FAINT; fulfilling the awful words Of the war;
like prophet who had first led the jews to-
wards the land of promise-"The tender
and delicate woman amongst yon, who would
not venture 10 set the sole of her foot upon
the ground for delicatenesS and tenderness
her ewes shall he evil towards her young
one and the children that she shall bear, for
she shall eat them For want Of al things -.
cretIy in the siege and siraightness where
with thine enemy shall distress thee In thy
aates." Sill, as j; the foo and the famine
vas moi seouree enough, eitizens smots aud
murdered each other rs they met in the
way. false prophets ran howlihg through The
streeis-every image of despair completes
the ghastly picture of the fall Of Jerusa-