cnted long before the Christian sera, still uninjured by 

 decomposition. Here also we find the tombs of the 

 kings of Judah, of Joshua, of Zacharia, of Jehosaphat, 

 of Absalom, of Joseph of Arimathea, of the "Virgin 

 Mary, and the Sepulchre, (as identified by Dr. 

 Clarice,} of our Lord and Master ; and a number of 

 others, of which Dr. Clarice observes, '' It has never 

 yet been determined, when those sepulchres were 

 hewn, nor by what people. They are a continuation 

 of one vast cemetery, extending along the base of all 

 the mountainous elevations, which surround Jerusalem 

 upon its southern and eastern sides ; and their appear- 

 ance alone, independently of every other considera- 

 tion, denotes the former existence of a numerous, flour- 

 ishing, and powerful people."* 



These monuments, which carry us back to the ear- 

 liest ages of time, and which are calculated to inspire 

 the beholder with an awful reverence, have survived 

 the attacks and vicissitudes of time, entire and un- 

 changed. Even the very inscriptions are still preserv- 

 ed in legible characters, and mostly free from marks 

 of decomposition. Nay more, "These are monu- 

 ments," says Dr. Clarice, " on which a lapse of ages 

 effect no change : they have defied, and will defy, the 

 attacks of time ; and continue as perfect at this hour, 

 as they were in the first moments of their comple- 

 tion." 'f 



Independently of these, there is still to be seen on 

 the plain of liephidim, at the foot of Mount Sinai, 



* Clarke's Travels, vol. II, page 321. f Do. vol. II, page 281, 



