NAZARETH. 179 
the city is built," and came to a precipice ^J^A^- 
corresponding with the words of the Evangehst. ^ y * 
It is above the Maronite Church, and probably 
the precise spot alluded to by the text of 
St. Luhijs Gospel. 
But because the monks and friars, who are 
most interested in such discoveries, have not 
found within the Gospels a sufficient number of 
references to Nazareth, upon which they might 
erect shops for the sale of their indulgences, 
they have actually taken the liberty to add to 
the writings of the Evangelists, by making 
them vouch for a number of absurdities, con- 
cerning which not a syllable occurs within their 
records. It were an endless task to enumerate 
all these. One celebrated relic may however Menm 
be mentioned; because there is not the shghtest 
notice of any such thing in the New Testament; 
and because his Holiness the Pope has not 
scrupled to vouch for its authenticity, as well 
as to grant very plenary indulgence to those 
pilgrims who visit the place where it is exhibited. 
This is nothino- more than a lars:e stone, on which 
they affirm that Christ did eat with his Disciples, 
both before and after his resurrection. They 
have built a chapel over it ; and upon the walls 
of this building several copies of a printed 
