CELEBRATED TBEES. 171 



ages. The old standards had low stems, growing 

 like fruit-trees, whereas the younger made a 

 much more stately appearance, not a httle resem- 

 bling Pines. Of the ancient trees he saw only 

 eleven; those of younger growth far exceeded 

 that number. Some of these old Cedars were 

 four or five fathoms in circumference. Under one 

 of them was erected an altar, where the clergy of 

 Tripoli and the neighbouring convent of Massurki 

 sometimes celebrated mass. From this tree spread 

 five limbs, resembling substantial trees, each being 

 about a hundred feet in length, and inserted into 

 the main trunk about fourteen or fifteen feet from 

 the ground. 



These are noble dimensions, though it is pro- 

 bable that the best of the trees now left upon 

 Mount Lebanon are only the refuse of the ancient 

 race, as we may well suppose the best were occa- 

 sionally taken first. If Solomon's botanical works 

 had still been preserved, it is probable we should 

 have met with trees of much larger dimensions 

 than those which either Maundrel or Van Egmont 

 measured. 



Gilpia's reference to the ancient Cedars of Lebanoa 



