which took place in the apparent state of this Tree, and those leaves being wholly useless, though the Tree might be said to be cursed by reason of this diminution or even privation of its verdure, yet this injury, or curse, was only apparent ;-not real. It was no detriment to any man's property; but was plainly saying in action, as well as words, "This Tree yields no fruit; let it not therefore produce leaves, to disappoint the expectations the appetite-of any subsequent seeker of food from it.". Whether this transaction were in any degree referable to the then state of the Jewish nation is a subject not at present under inquiry; but general opinion inclines to that sentiment.

No. CCLXI. CARAVANSERAI. (PLATE, No. xxxvI.)

THE nature of a Caravanserai, or Eastern Inn, was hinted at in No. XXIII: since that article was printed, having observed in Le Bruyn a representation that may give a good idea of such buildings, it is here copied for the use of our readers with the addition of a plan.

It consists of a square court, having chambers all around it; in the centre is a fountain. Apparently, these chambers are what the evangelist Luke designs, when he says (ch. ii. 7.), "There was no place (Twπоs) for Joseph and Mary in the Inn;" that is, every chamber was pre-engaged and pre-occupied." The reader will perceive by the plan what privacies these afforded for the circumstances of Mary; and he will learn that it is a frequent occurrence, in travelling in the East, to take shelter in a stable. But the question returns-Was the stable of Joseph and Mary adjacent to the Caravanserai, in fact, a part of it? according to the following extract; if so, did the Angel direct the shepherds rather to THE manger than to a manger? Several мss. answer this question, by reading "THE manger"—that is, either that of the Caravanserai ; in which case it was well known to the shepherds, and was accessible by night; or a place called "THE manger," where Joseph and Mary had obtained hospitality. The reader will accept the following quotations:

“The Caravanserais are the Eastern Inns, far different from ours; for they are neither so convenient nor handsome: they are built square, much like cloysters, being usually but one story high; for it is rare to see one of two stories. A wide gate brings you into the court; and in the midst of the building, in the front, and upon the right and left hand, there is a hall for persons of the best quality to keep together. On each side of the hall are lodgings for every man by himself. These lodgings are raised all around the court, two or three steps high, just behind which are the stables, where many times it is as good lying as in the chamber. Some will rather lye there in the winter, because they are warm, and are roofed as well as the chambers. Right against the head of every horse there is a niche with a window into the lodgingchamber, out of which every man may see his horse is looked after. These niches are usually so large that three men may lie in them; and here the servants usually dress their victuals." Tavernier's Travels, p. 45.

"The entrance is under a high and magnificent portal, adorned with Mosaic work, like the rest of the buildings, and upon the sides runs a portico, where where you may lye in the day-time conveniently, and as pleasantly as in the inn itself. The fountain in the middle of the court is raised above five foot; and the brims of it are four foot broad, for the convenience of those who say their prayers after they have performed their purification." Chardin, p. 45.

VOL. III.

3 X

No. CCLXII. ANCIENT DIALS. PLATE, NO. CLXXIX.

A FORMER occasion [vide FRAGMENTS, No. II.] offered an instance of a Dial, which, it was presumed, contributed to illustrate the history of the retrogradation of the shadow on the Sun-Dial of Ahaz. That article comprised two instances of SunDials, nearly of the same construction :-having since observed others, a selection of them is inserted on this Plate.

No. 1. It may be satisfactory to some of our readers to know, that a Dial of this kind has been brought over to our own country. This Dial, constructed on the same principles as those in the former plate, but of small dimensions, is at the Earl of Besborough's at Roehampton, and is a very valuable piece of antiquity: the inclination of the plane, supposed to be that of the equator, is about 31 degrees from the perpendicular (the latitude of Alexandria, in Egypt), whence it is at least possible that this Dial was made for that ancient city. The centre of the hour-lines is a little above the present top of the stone; probably so much as was equal to the thickness of the gnomon, which, by the holes yet remaining, seems to have been there fixed: the intervals of the hour-lines at each extremity are less than those in the middle; but this may be owing to the figure of the excavation not being truly semi-circular; for, had it been so, the intervals would have been all equal. This, however, is not the case in the Athenian Dial; for the intervals therein are all equal, although the curve of the excavation appears to be parabolic.

No. 2. A Dial of the same nature and principles; but the gnomon is different in form. This Dial is placed on a pillar, of which the height, by proportion to the figures accompanying it, may be full six feet. The original forms part of a Mosaic at Rome. From Winkelman's Monumenti Inediti, plate 185, page 243. That learned antiquary thus speaks of it: "We have here a Sun-Dial on a column, as was customary at Rome in ancient times, in public places, and seems to have been the usage in assemblies of learned men. [Cic. orat. ad Quinct. c. 18. Macrob. Saturn. lib. i. c. 4. conf. Vict. var. lect. lib. xxi. cap. 13.] All the Dials represented on ancient monuments are elevated, like this of our musaic, upon a column, or other high cippus in fact, it is recorded that Valerius Messala placed, in like manner, on a column the first Dial that was erected publicly at Rome, in the time of the first Punic war. Pliny, lib. vii. cap. 60."

No. 3. Another form of the Dial; the principles the same. Wink. Monum. Ined. No. 4. Another form; from Montfaucon's Supplement to his Antiquité Expliquée. He says, it is the only instance he knew of. In the original a figure is looking at this Dial, by proportion to which this pillar is about six feet high.

On the whole, it is credible, that the usual height at which these Dials were placed was about level with the eye of the inspector. How closely this agrees with the history of Hezekiah cannot escape the reader. These instances justify those interpreters who understood a pillar by the Dial of Ahaz; they were partly right in their opinion, though they fell short of accuracy. As it appears that these Dials were small and portable, no doubt but the mode of raising them to a proper height might vary, according to local situation, or to the purpose of the proprietor, whether for ornament, utility, or, &c.

No. CCLXIII.

OF HOURS AND WATCHES, IN THE EAST.

(PLATE, NO. CLXXIX.)

THE reader will recollect that the division of the Hour into three parts occasioned embarrassment when the Dial of Ahaz was under consideration; it was indeed the

chief embarrassment which the construction and application of that instrument then presented. With pleasure, therefore, we now adduce what may be esteemed sufficient conviction on that subject.

The upper figure on this Plate is the same as mentioned in No. CII. of which that print was a proof sent over from Calcutta by the engraver. To explain it in as few words as possible, observe that,

in

The outer circle contains the Hours, as used among ourselves, XII. being noon, and XII. being midnight. At the equinox VI. would be evening, and VI. morning; but [in India] in summer V. is morning, and in winter VII. is morning winter V. is evening, but in summer VII. is evening. In the second, or intermediary, course of figures, are marked the Hindu divisions of these periods of time into what we should call minutes (as from XII. to II.), 24. 48. 12. 36. 60. &c. whereby, it appears that 24 minutes is a division of time used in India; where it is called ghuree, or dund. This, though not exactly three divisions to the Hour (which would be 20 minutes each), yet is near enough to justify the former calculation; and may be loosely taken as an instance of dividing the Hour into three parts.

The third circle shews the Watches of the day and of the night: on which observe, that the first Watch begins at different points of time, following the fluctuations of summer and winter, but it always ends at XII. throughout the year; consequently the second Watch begins at XII: though its termination fluctuates with the seasons. The whole 24 Hours is divided into two sets of Watches, four in each set; the first of each ending at XII. of noon, and XII. of night: the intermediate Watches being longer or shorter, according to the season. For instance, the fourth Watch, in summer, begins about V. in the morning (sun-rise) and continues to about 48 minutes past VIII. during the space of nine ghurees, as denoted by the figures accompanying the word Summer; and the first Watch, following it, begins at 48 minutes past VIII. and ends at noon, of course; containing eight ghurees. At the equinox the fourth Watch begins at VI. and ends at 12 minutes past IX. containing eight ghurees; the succeeding first Watch containing only seven ghurees. In winter the fourth Watch begins at 48 minutes past VI. [nearly VII. o'clock] and ends at 36 minutes past IX. containing seven ghurees; the succeeding first Watch contains only six ghurees. The evening Watches are, of course, the reverse of this. The second Watch, in summer, is eight ghurees in length; at the equinox it is seven ghurees; and in winter it is six ghurees. The third Watch is proportionately long in summer, that is, from 12 minutes past III. to VII. o'clock; at the equinox it is from 48 minutes past II. to VI. o'clock; and in winter from 24 minutes past II. to 12 minutes past V. The fluctuations of these Watches are marked by the letters W. W. W. The same is to be understood of the night Watches.

If it be supposed that the mode of calculating time anciently in Judea should vary from this, yet it might be so far allied to this arrangement in principle that this may serve to exemplify the Hebrew Horologery, till greater exactness, if requisite, can be obtained.

The custom of dividing time by Watches is very ancient; so early as the Exodus of Israel from Egypt the morning Watch is mentioned (Exod. xiv. 14.), meaning, no doubt, that of which the termination was at the morning: the third night-Watch of our Dial. How much deeper the antiquity of this custom might extend we do not know; but from the manner of noticing it in the Mosaic History, it was not new at that time.

On our Dial, the shadow marks the night; parallels V. VII. mark the commence

ment and end of the day, in summer; parallels VI. VI. mark the same at the equinox, and parallels VII. V. mark the same in winter.

When the Psalmist says he "longed for God more than they who long for the morning," does he allude to those who, in a severe winter's morning, amid all the inclemencies of the season, frost, snow, &c. are bound to endure throughout a Watch considerably longer than the morning-Watch of summer? May we add, to a natural desire for morning light, the additional inconveniences of so long a period to urge their wishes?

Farther to apply these reasonings, observe, that among the Hebrews, says Godwin, "The night was divided into four quarters or greater hours, termed four Watches, each Watch containing three lesser hours. The first they called caput vigiliarum, the beginning of the Watches (Lam. ii. 19.); the second was the middle Watch (Judg. vii. 19.), not so termed, because there were only three watches, as Drusius (on Jud. vii. 19.) would persuade, but because it dured till midnight. The third watch began at midnight, and held till three of the clock in the morning: "If he come in the second, or third watch." Luke xii. 38. The last, called the morning watch (Exod. xiv. 24.), began at three of the clock, and ended at six in the morning. In the fourth Watch of the night Jesus went out unto them, Matt. xiv. 24, 25. These Watches also were called by other names, according to that part of the night which closed each watch. The first was called of, the even. The second μEGOVÚKTIOV, midnight. The third, åλektopopwvíu, cock-crowing. The fourth, Tpwi, the dawning.-Ye know not when the master of the house will come, 1. at even, or 2. at midnight, or 3. at cock-crowing, or 4. at the dawning, Mark xiii. 35.

"The day was likewise divided into four quarters, as appeareth by the parable of the labourers hired into the vineyard, Matt. xx. The first quarter began at six of the clock in the morning, and held till nine. The second quarter ended at twelve of the clock. The third quarter at three in the afternoon. The fourth quarter at six of the night. The first quarter was called the third hour, verse 3. The second quarter the sixth hour, verse 5. The third quarter the ninth hour, verse 5. The last quarter the eleventh hour, verse 6."

This writer, being ignorant of the fluctuations of some of the Watches, as intimated and explained above, proceeds to say,

"Some expositors finding mention of the dawning of the day in this parable, ver. 1. "They reckon the four quarters of the day after this manner. Hora prima, Hora tertia, Hora sexta, Hora nona. Where first they err, in taking the dawning of the day for the first hour of the day; for pot, the dawning, signifieth the last quarter of the night, called the morning watch. Secondly, they err in making the last quarter of the day to be the ninth hour, mentioned in the same parable.

"By this division of the day into these four quarters or greater hours, the evangelists are reconciled touching our Saviour's passion. He was crucified at the third hour, Mark xv. 25. St. John intimateth his examination before Pilate to have been Hora quasi sexta, about the sixth hour, John xix. 14. In the first place, understand by this 'crucifying' not his hanging on the cross, which was not till the sixth hour, Luke xxiii. 44. nor his expiration, which was not till the ninth hour, Mark xv. 34. but his examination under Pilate, at which time the people cried out, Crucifie him! Crucifie him! and then the third and sixth hour will easily be reconciled, for these two hours immediately following one another, what was done on the third hour might truly be said to be done about the sixth.

"This sheweth that the Hours among the Jews were of two sorts; some lesser, of which the day contained twelve: others greater, of which the day contained four; the

lesser are termed hours of the day—Are there not twelve hours in the day? John ix. 9 The greater some term hours of the Temple, or hours of prayer. Peter and John went up into the Temple at the ninth hour of prayer, Acts iii. 1. But in truth there are but three hours of prayer, the third, the sixth, and the ninth. The third instituted by Abraham, the sixth by Isaac, and the ninth by Jacob. The third hour the Holy Ghost descended upon the apostles, Acts ii. 15. About the sixth, Peter went up to the housetop to pray, Acts x. 9. At the ninth Peter and John went into the Temple, Acts iii. 1." The word Hour is used with great latitude in Scripture: it seems to imply the space of time occupied by a whole Watch, in Matt. xxvi. 40; Mark xiv. 37: "What, could ye not watch one Hour ?" one space of time allotted to that duty. Rev. iii. 3: "If thou shalt not watch, thou shalt not know what Hour I will come upon thee." Matt. xxiv. 43, 44; xxv. 13: "Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the Hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." In addition to those quoted above, these instances prove a connection between the word Hour, and the period of a Watch. The same may be inferred from some of the following passages, Luke xxii. 59: Peter having denied his knowledge of Jesus to the guard, a new set of guards came to relieve the former; among them was one who challenged Peter, about the space of one Hour-one Watch-after his former denial. Felix ordered Paul to be sent away at the third Hour, perhaps a military Watch-of the night, Acts xxiii. 23.

The Hours of prayer are alluded to 2 Esdras ix. 44: " Day and night and every Hour I prayed." Hour is used in a very extensive sense," But of that day, and that Hour, knoweth no man," Matt. xxiv. 36. "I will keep thee from the Hour of trial, which is to try all the world," Rev. iii. 10; xvii. 12.

But, after examining our Dial, we would query-Whether this word Hour is not used to express a much smaller portion of time? "Daniel was astonished one Hour" one schaate-turn, pause, or interval:—was this one ghuree, or division of time? In Chaldee this word signifies to declare, to tell, which agrees with what will be said presently; one noticing, or declaration (vide Dan. iii. 6.), and perhaps such is its import throughout this prophet, [whose book is written in Chaldee. From the article DIAL in the Dictionary, compared with HOUR, we learn, that Tobit continued prostrate about two hours; but the Chaldee reads, three Hours, q. three ghurees? making somewhat more than one of our Hours. The shortest period is implied Gal. ii. 5.

This word Hour is used with no less latitude in modern languages. "The Hours,” are the seasons of the year in Italian. Les quatre Heures du jour, the four hours of the day, in French, are morning, noon, evening, night: the hours of divine service, or canonical Hours, according to the Roman ritual, contain three common Hours: add to these the usual calculation of Hours, and we shall perceive, that however the signification of this word may have become fixed since the invention and adoption of mechanical time-measurers among us, yet in fact, it expresses little beyond a definite portion of time: or, a portion varying its limits according to the usages of places and nations.

It is now proper to inform the reader, that the ghurees marked on our circles— 1, 2, 3, &c. to 9. denote, also, the number of bells which are to be struck, or the number of strokes which are to be made, on a bell, during the course of a Watch: and this leads to two ideas, first, that of a person to inspect and to announce the time as it passes; secondly, the sounding of a bell to mark the time; which is equivalent to the striking of our clocks. [Our ships of war have bells for the same purpose.]

The attendant who strikes the bell, in India, is called the ghuree-alee: the following is the mode used in obtaining the time:-"The apparatus with which the Hours are measured and announced consists of a shallow bell-metal pan, named, from its office,