66 hall,” i. e. suppose, in respect to interior buildings; as karw may signify here, its general import being below. If this be admitted, the particulars of the history become clear. In fact, in something like this we must acquiesce; for the evangelist Matthew, relating the same incidents, says chap. xxvi. 58," And Peter followed into the hall, (ews тng avλng) and sat there with the servants ;"-verse 69, " And Peter sat WITHOUT in the hall,”-i. e. in the outer hall, with respect to the interior parts of the building,the lower hall of Mark, as above; whence he could easily throw himself out of the company, and retire to a fit privacy for his penitent weeping. These two halls, though one was interior, the other exterior, might be not far asunder, even if they were on the same level: but, beside an interval, there might, also, be stairs, or a flight of steps, leading to a superior, or upper hall. Hence we readily see in what sense the outer hall, in respect to interior buildings, might also be the lower hall, in respect to another somewhat raised; if such there were. Jesus having been examined in the apartment wherein the council was sitting, was remanded into the lower, or outer hall, while the rulers consulted what to do with him: this hall being large, and many people moving in it, his entrance might not be regarded by Peter, standing at the fire; who there denied him. This, in respect of Peter, is the mildest construction of the story; but I fear, we must do Peter the severe justice of saying, that he was not ignorant of the entry of Jesus, if he did not see him, who stood at this moment with his back towards him: "he began to curse, and to swear, I do not know THIS MAN (av0ρwπov тsтov) of whom you speak," (Mark xiv. 71.); which pointed, personal asseveration, naturally attracted our Lord's attention; "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter." Commentators have been obliged to suppose these distinct halls but they have not explicitly noticed, that such distinction is implied in the expressions used by the evangelists, in perfect coincidence, as it should appear, with the foregoing extract. The circumstances attending the examination and exposure of Jesus by Pilate, receive additional elucidation from this description. This construction of courts, exterior, and interior, &c. affords ample opportunities for many incidents which the evangelists evidently imply: as, (1) for the governor to maintain his dignity, by keeping within his palace; (2) for the priests to satisfy their scruples, by preserving a due distance from contact with polluting Heathen; (3) for the situation, &c. of the terrace, (Heb. Gabbatha, 2 raised, elevated; Gr. XorTρwTоv, a pavement) i. e. a raised pavement, by compounding the two ideas into one English expression; most likely also, ballustraded; (4) for the priests to fill the courts with their creatures, who raised their clamours according to orders: Matthew xxvii. 20, 23; Mark xv. 8, 11; (5) for the governor to perceive this management of the priests, Matt. xxvii. 18; Mark xv. 10; (6) for the easy bringing forth and retiring of Jesus and of Pilate; and, indeed, for all the other events of that affecting scene. We submit, also, that this idea of an extensive palace gives an easy kind of paraphrase on the history of the decollation of John the Baptist, as related at large by the Evangelist Mark, chap. vi. 21, &c.—" Herod, on his birth-day, made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee (in the GREAT HALL of his palace) into which the daughter of Herodias came, and danced before them: the king was so pleased with her performance, that he sware to give her whatever she would ask-She went forth"-slipped away-out of that hall, to her mother, who was either close by, or in the harem of the palace; and returning, straightway, IN HASTE, before she could be missed by the king, or he could possibly suspect where she had been for advice, “demanded forthwith, instantly, the head of John the Baptist:" who, being in the prison, in another part of the palace (a common thing in the East) was slain directly by a A capitzi, sent by Herod. So that the whole of this history passed in a very rapid manner, was over presently, and was as it were, one transaction. This account, thus understood, agrees more precisely to that of Matthew xiv.-the " pre-instruction" of the daughter, by the mother, (ver. 7.) becomes perfectly easy; and the "give me here (not presently, as we now use that word, as in our rendering of Mark, but instantly, at the present time) the head of John,"-is an entire co-incidence. For construction of the Courts of great houses in the East, vide FRAGMENTS, No. CCIV. No. LI. PASSING THROUGH FIRE TO MOLOCH, FEW things are more shocking to humanity than the custom of which such frequent mention is made in Scripture, of making children, &c. pass through fire in honour of Moloch a custom, the antiquity of which appears from its having been repeatedly forbidden by Moses, as Lev. xviii. 21. and, at length, in chap. xx. 1-5. where the expressions are very strong, of "giving his seed to Moloch." This cruelty, one would hope, was confined to the strangers in Israel, and not adopted by any native Israelite; yet we afterwards find the kings of Israel, themselves, practising this superstition, and making their children pass through the fire. This may be illustrated by an instance: There is a remarkable variation of terms in the history of Ahaz, who (2 Kings xvi. 3.) is said to make "his son to pass through the fire, according to the abomination of the Heathen," i. e. no doubt, in honour of Moloch-which, 2 Chron. xxviii. 3, is expressed by "he BURNED his children in the fire." Now, as the book of Chronicles is best understood, by being considered as a supplementary and explanatory history to the book of Kings, it is somewhat singular, that it uses by much the strongest word in this passage for the import of (IBOR) is generally, to consume, to clear off: so Psal. lxxxiii. 14, "as the fire burneth a wood," so Isaiah i. 31; and this variation of expression is further heightened, by the word son (who passed through) being singular in Kings, but plural (sons) in Chronicles. It seems very natural to ask, "If he burned his children in the fire, how could he leave any posterity to succeed him?” We know, that the Rabbins have histories of the manner of passing through the fires, or between the fires, or into caves of fire; and there is an account of an image, which received children into its arms, and let them drop into a fire beneath: amid the shouts of the multitude, the noise of drums, and other instruments, to drown the shrieks of the agonizing infant, and the horrors of the parent's mind. Waving farther allusion to that account at present, we think the following extract may afford a good idea, in what manner the passing through, or over fire, was anciently performed: the attentive reader will notice the particulars. "A still more astonishing instance of the superstition of the ancient Indians, in respect to the venerated fire, remains at this day in the grand annual festival holden in honour of Darma Rajah, and called the FEAST OF FIRE; in which, as in the ancient rites of Moloch, the devotees walk barefoot over a glowing fire, extending forty feet. It is called the feast of fire, because they then walk on that element. It lasts eighteen days, during which time, those that make a vow to keep it, must fast, abstain from women, lie on the bare ground, and walk on a brisk fire. The eighteenth day, they assemble, on the sound of instruments; their heads crowned with flowers, the body hedaubed with saffron, and follow in cadence the figures of Darma Rajah, and of Drobede, his wife, who are carried there in procession: when they come to the fire, they stir it, to animate its activity, and take a little of the ashes, with which they rub their forehead, and when the gods have been three times round it, they walk either fast or slow, according to their zeal, over a very hot fire, extending to about forty feet in length. Some carry their children in their arms, and others lances, sabres, and standards. "The most fervent devotees walk several times over the fire. After the ceremony, the people press to collect some of the ashes to rub their foreheads with, and obtain from the devotees some of the flowers with which they were adorned, and which they carefully preserve." SONNERAT'S Travels, vol. i. 154. The flowers, then, were not burned. This extract is taken from Mr. MAURICE'S "History of Hindostan," (p. 448), and it accounts for several expressions used in Scripture: such as causing children (very young, perhaps) to pass through fire, as we see they are carried over the fire, by which means though devoted, or consecrated, they were not destroyed; neither were they injured, except by being profaned. Nevertheless, it might, and probably did, happen, that some of those who thus passed, were hurt or maimed in the passing, or if not immediately slain by the fire, might be burned in this superstitious pilgrimage, in such a manner as to contract fatal diseases. Shall we suppose, then, that while some of the children of Ahaz passed safely over the fire, others were injured by it, and injured even to death? But this could not be the case with all of them; as beside Hezekiah, his successor, we read of " Maaseiah, the king's son," 2 Chron. xxviii. 7. Humanity would induce us to hope that the expression "burned," should be taken in a milder sense than that of slaying by fire; and, perhaps, this idea may be justified, by remarking the use of it--Exod. iii. 2, 3, the bush burned (822, BeOR BEASH) with fire, yet the bush was not consumed ( 8, LA IBOR)." The word, therefore, being capable of a milder, as well as of a stronger sense, like our English word, to burn, it is desirable if fact would permit, to take it in the milder sense in this instance of Ahaz, and possibly in others. Nevertheless, as the custom of widows burning themselves to death, with the body of their deceased husbands, not only continues, but is daily practised in India, it contributes to justify the harsher construction of the word to burn; as the superstitious cruelty which can deprive women of life, may easily be thought guilty of equal barbarity in the case of children [and moreover the drowning of children in the Ganges, as an act of dedication, is common.] Somewhat of this custom, it is said, is yet kept up in Ireland, on Midsummer eve, such as dancing round fires, leaping over them, &c.; so that the practice appears to have been general all the world over, as well as of the deepest antiquity. Is it the parent of our bonfires? Vide DICTIONARY, BAAL. No. LII. TRIUMPHANT ENTRIES. DR. SHAW has a remark to this effect, (p. 273, folio edition,) "The method of building, both in Barbary and the Levant, seems to have continued the same, from the earliest ages.... All the windows open into private [internal] courts, if we except SOMETIMES, a latticed window, or balcony, towards the street. It is only during the celebration of some Zeenah, or public festival, that these houses, and their latticed windows, are left open; for, this being a time of great liberty, revelling, and extravagance, each family is ambitious of adorning both the inside and outside of their houses, with the richest part of their furniture; while crowds of both sexes, dressed out in their best apparel, and laying aside all modesty, ceremony and restraint, go in and out where they please. The account we have (2 Kings ix. 30,) of Jezebel's painting her face, and 'tiring [attiring] her head, and looking out at a window, upon Jehu's public entry into Jezreel, gives us a lively idea of an Eastern lady at one of these solemnities." We are much obliged to the Doctor, for the scriptural instance which he has illustrated by his remarks; but we think there is another which is at least equally well illustrated by them, and equally deserving of illustration. It is the account of Sisera's mother, as described by the pen of Deborah, Judges v. 28. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Her wise ladies [who accompanied her at the window] answered her, "Have they not found-are they not dividing the spoil?" &c. The passage is heightened by the relation which it appears to have to the triumphant, the joyous, entry of Sisera; as a spectator of which, his mother had taken the trouble of dressing herself in her best attire, and, with her wise ladies, stood ready at the balcony, only opened on such transporting occasions, to welcome and to applaud her heroic offspring. Thus considered, the satire of the poetess appears extremely bitter. No. LIII. CARCASES DEVOURED BY DOGS. THE mention of Jezebel by Dr. SHAW, in the foregoing Fragment, naturally reminds us of the end of that unhappy woman, foretold by the prophet Elijah, 1 Kings xxi. 23, and accomplished, 2 Kings ix. 35 : "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.... And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her, than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands." This, to an English ear, sounds very surprising; that, during the time of a single meal, so many dogs should be on the spot, ready to devour, and should so speedily dispatch this business, in the very midst of a royal city, close under the royal gateway, and where a considerable train of people had so lately passed, and, no doubt, many were continually passing: this, to an English reader, appears extremely unaccountable; but, we find it well accounted for by Mr. BRUCE, whose information the reader will receive with due allowance for the different manners and ideas of countries; after which, this rapid devouring of Jezebel will not appear so extraordinary as it has hitherto done. "The bodies of those killed by the sword were hewn to pieces, and scattered about the streets, being denied burial. I was miserable, and almost driven to despair, at seeing my hunting-dogs twice let loose by the carelessness of my servants, bringing into the court-yard the heads and arms of slaughtered men, and which I could no way prevent, but by the destruction of the dogs themselves: the quantity of carrion, and the stench of it, brought down the hyænas in hundreds from the neighbouring mountains; and, as few people in Gondar go out after it is dark, they enjoyed the streets to themselves, and seemed ready to dispute the possession of the city with the inhabitants. Often, when I went home late from the palace, and it was this time the king chose chiefly for conversation, though I had but to pass the corner of the market-place BEFORE THE PALACE, had lanterns with me, and was surrounded with armed men, I heard them grunting by twos and threes, so near me, as to be afraid they would take some opportunity of seizing me by the leg. A pistol would have frightened them, and made them speedily run, and I constantly carried two loaded at my girdle; but the discharging a pistol in the night would have alarmed every one that heard it in the town, and it was not now the time to add any thing to people's fears. I at last scarcely ever went out, and nothing occupied my thoughts but how to escape from this bloody country, by way of Sennaar, and how I could best exert my power and influence over Yasine at Ras el Feel to pave my way, by assisting me to pass the desert, into Atbara. "The king, missing me at the palace, and hearing I had not been at Ras Michael's, began to enquire who had been with me? Ayto Confu soon found Yasine, who informed him of the whole matter. Upon this I was sent for to the palace, where I found the king, without any body but menial servants. He immediately remarked, that I looked very ill, which, indeed, I found to be the case, as I had scarcely ate or slept since I saw him last, or even for some days before. He asked me, in a condoling tone, what ailed me? That besides looking sick, I seemed as if something had ruffled me, and put me out of humour. I told him, that what he observed was true: that, coming across the market-place, I had seen Za Mariam, the Ras's door-keeper, with three men bound, one of whom he fell a-hacking to pieces in my presence, and upon seeing me running across the place, stopping my nose, he called me to stay till he should come and dispatch the other two, for he wanted to speak with me, as if he had been engaged about ordinary business; that the soldiers, in consideration of his haste, immediately fell upon the other two, whose cries were still remaining in my ears; that the hyænas, at night, would scarcely let me pass in the streets, when I returned from the palace; and the dogs fled into my house to eat pieces of human carcases at their leisure." Travels, vol. iv. page 81, &c. Without supposing that Jezreel was pestered with hyenas, like Gondar, though that is not incredible, we may now easily admit of a sufficiency of dogs, accustomed to carnage, which had pulled the body of Jezebel to pieces, and had devoured it before the palace gate, or had withdrawn with parts of it to their hiding-places. But perhaps, the mention of the head, hands, and feet, being left on the spot indicates, that it had not been removed by the dogs, but was eaten where it fell (as those parts adjoined the members most likely to be removed) so that the prophecy of Elijah was literally fulfilled, " IN the portion of Jezreel, shall dogs eat Jezebel?" [Query, what was the nature of this "portion of Jezreel?" had it been obtained by violence, like Naboth's vineyard? or, was it any peculium of Jezebel, as queen? or, &c.] This account illustrates also the readiness of the dogs to lick the blood of Ahab, 1 Kings xxii. 38, in perfect conformity to which is the expression of the prophet Jeremiah, xv. 3, "I will appoint over them... the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth [the hyænas of Mr. BRUCE, perhaps] to devour and destroy." MR. BRUCE'S account also explains the mode of execution adopted by the prophet Samuel, with regard to Agag, king of the Amalekites: whom Samuel thus addresses -" In like manner [literally, in like procedure as-i. e. in the same identical mode of execution] as thy sword has made women barren, so shall thy mother be rendered barren [childless] among women," 1 Sam. xv. 33. If these words do not imply that Agag had ripped up pregnant women, they at least imply, that he had hewed many prisoners to death! for we find that "Samuel caused Agag to be hewed in pieces before the face of the Lord [probably not before the residence of Saul, but before the tabernacle, &c.] in Gilgal," directing that very same mode of punishment (hitherto, we suppose, unadopted in Israel) to be used towards him, which he had formerly used towards others. Vide AMALEK, in DICT. ad fin. The character of the prophet Samuel has been vilified for cruelty on account of this history, with how little reason let the reader now judge; and compare a similar retributive act of justice on Adonibezek, Judges i. 7. See SALT's Travels in Abyssinia. No. LIV. JERUSALEM. CADYTIS: THE HOLY CITY. "THE Orientals never call Jerusalem by any other name, than Elkuds, the HOLY. Sometimes adding the epithet El-sheriff, the noble. This word, El-kuds, seems to me the etymological origin of all the Cassiuses of antiquity, which, like Jerusalem, were high places; and had temples and holy places erected on them." VOLNEY, vol. ii. p. 305. We think, in justice to the memory of the learned PRIDEAUX, we ought to notice the foregoing extract, as it confirms his opinion, that the Cadytis of Herodotus, is the city of Jerusalem. See Connect. vol. i. p. 57, where he traces the etymology of the word. But this extract is remarkable on another account :-for what reason did the Orientals |