JERUSALEM. 393 
av^enue towards it ; and, lastly, the sumptuous chap. 
costume observable in the dresses of all the ■ 
Eastern devotees, passing to and from the Sanc- 
tuary, make it altogether one of the finest sights 
the Moslems have to boast. 
We afterwards visited the Greek and Armenian Greek anri 
convents. The former consists of many sepa- ConTcnts. 
rate establishments, which, although small, are 
well supported. The Armenian Monastery is 
well worth seeing, being the largest in Jeru- 
salem : it is maintained in a degree of splendour, 
accompanied at the same time with neatness, 
cleanliness, and order, which are very remark- 
able in this part of the world; and particularly 
so, because every thing belonging to it is Oriental. 
The Patriarch makes his appearance in a flowing 
vest of silk instead of a Monkish habit, and every 
thing around him bears the character of Eastern 
magnificence. He receives his visitors in regal 
stateliness ; sitting amidst clouds of incense, 
and regaling them with all the luxuries of a 
Persian Court. We conversed with him for 
some time, and were much struck with his 
polished manners and his sensible conversation. 
He seemed to be quite as well aware of what 
was passmg in the Western world, as if he had 
regularly received the Gazettes of Europe, and 
