106 
TOMB OF ESTHER 
in the land of their captivity. This tomb is regarded by all the 
Jews who yet exist in the empire, as a place of particular sanctity; 
and pilgrimages are still made to it at certain seasons of the year, 
in the same spirit of holy penitence with which in former times 
they turned their eyes towards Jerusalem. Being desirous of 
visiting a place, which Christians cannot view without reverence, 
I sent to request that favour of the priest under whose care it is 
preserved. He came to me immediately on my message, and 
seemed pleased with the respect manifested towards the ancient 
people of his nation, in the manner with which I asked to be 
admitted to their shrine. 
The character of Esther, as it is given in both books that bear 
her name, has ever appeared to me one of the most lovely pic¬ 
tures of female perfection ; a beautiful example of what might 
be called female heroism, without any of that hardness of mind 
which gives the idea of an Amazon. In short, she exhibits the 
most heroic self-devotion, in the cause of her unhappy nation, 
mixed with all the attractive softness of feminine delicacy and 
tenderness of heart. She shrinks from the act of exposing her 
life to the open shame of the violent death she yet steadily re¬ 
solves to dare, for the purpose of saving her people from the 
execution of the decree pronounced against them. Thus, with 
all the natural apprehensiveness of a delicate woman, trembling 
at the thought of her blood being shed by a private or public 
executioner, she warns Mordecai of the danger she must incur, 
in preferring her petition. She implores him to pray that the 
penalty may be averted, while she declares herself determined to 
run the desperate risque:—“ Go, (said she,) gather together all 
the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and 
neither eat nor drink three days, night nor day; I also, and my 
