LIBRARY. 
333 
tains. I found no difficulty in gaining the Patriarch’s permission to 
inspect the library. As for himself he seemed completely ignorant of 
its contents, and all that he knew about the books, was, that formerly 
there were a great many more. He conducted me to it himself through 
a dark narrow passage, contiguous to his own apartment. The books 
were ranged in thick rows along the sides of a small dark chamber, 
abundantly covered with dust, and apparently not much disturbed 
by their present possessors. I asked in vain for a catalogue ; the 
majority of their books were treatises on religion, lives of saints, and 
copies of the Evangelists. As a scarce book, they produced to me an 
old volume of Pope’s Homer. They had several Armenian manuscripts 
of the gospel, but none worthy of remark. It was difficult, from the ex¬ 
treme ignorance and indifference of my guides, to extract the smallest 
information about the books, how, when, and by whom collected, and 
what were their particular subjects. It is more than probable, that the 
library contains nothing valuable to any but Armenian priests; and 
from the specimen of that class which I had before me, it appeared to 
be a matter of little consequence, whether the books existed, or whether 
they were sent to light the baths of the Mussulmans. 
The day we remained with the Patriarch, we had an 'instance of 
the extent of Armenian superstition. I have already said, they hold 
it for certain, that the head of the sacred spear which is kept as 
a relick in the church, has amongst its many virtues the power 
of stopping the progress of the plague. This terrible disorder had 
broken out with violence at Teflis, and was making great havock 
amongst the inhabitants. A deputation was in consequence sent to the 
Patriarch, requesting the loan of the spear head, in order that the 
evil might meet with a speedy termination. We happened to be present 
when the deputation arrived. The Patriarch received it in great form, and 
lonfic consultations were held, whether the sacred instrument should be 
O 
permitted to go out of the walls of Etchmiatzin or not. At length it was 
determined that it should proceed to perform its holy office, and after a 
multitude of ceremonies, such as chauntings, prostrations, kissings, and 
ringing of bellsj it was delivered over to the deputation, who forthwith re¬ 
turned to Teflis. We afterwards learnt, that it was most devoutly be- 
