THE PALMS OF EUROPE AND AFRICA. 59 



the sons of men." To a dweller in those eastern 

 climes this would convey the idea of an appal- 

 ling famine. 



The elegance of form in the trunk, but 

 especially in the foliage of the palm, together 

 with its special connexion with the Jews as a 

 people, its abundance in their land, and their 

 dependence on it as an article of sustenance, — 

 all contributed, doubtless, as reasons for its choice 

 as one of the models selected for the ornamental 

 carvings in the magnificent temple of Solomon, 

 in which it bore a very conspicuous place. 

 " And he carved all the walls of the house round 

 about with carved figures of cherubims and 

 palm trees," " The two doors also were of olive 

 tree ; and he carved upon them carvings of 

 cherubims and palm trees, . . . and overlaid them 

 with gold." " And the greater house he ceiled 

 with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, 

 and set thereon palm trees and chains." It is 

 also mentioned as an ornament of the temple of 

 which so elaborate a description is given by 

 Ezekiel, *' And upon each post were palm- 

 trees," Ezck. xl. IG, and several other passages. 

 The palm is especially the emblem or symbol 

 of triunii>h, and this obtained both amongst 

 believers and idolaters. It was with the leaves of 

 palm trees that the multitude who accompanied 



