this time of the year begin to fall, and from the cool breezes which sometimes spring up in the night, even after the day has been oppressive through its heat. Here we either sat and conversed, or else walking about, I learned from the mouth of Judith the names and directions of the principal objects in the scene, being lighted up by a brighter moon than it is ever our fortune to behold in Rome.

Onias seemed little disposed to join our discourse; yet, whatever was his preference for a close communion with himself alone, he never refused to lend his ear when Judith spoke. We had been talking of Rome, Cæsarea, Philip and Anna, of Pilate and Herod, to all which Onias had given but little attention, when Judith turned to him, and said:

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I hope, father, that now these long expeditions will cease; or if they must still be undertaken, that you will be persuaded to send our new cousin in thy stead, who has not as yet seen that region. But what of so great moment can a vine-dresser, here on the banks of the Jordan, have to do with princes?"

"My daughter," replied Onias, "seek not to know what may not be revealed; at least, not as yet, nor to woman's ears. Let this suffice thee,-that the vinedresser of Beth-Harem is not leagued with princes for any end which his daughter could not approve, or Jehovah smile upon."

Judith, who had evidently spoken in a sportful manner, seemed grieved by the grave reply of her father, and hastened to say "that she doubted not her father; yet, could she not but apprehend possible evil, when he was departing so far from his wonted manner of life,

and binding himself to associates so different from his former ones, as Herod of Galilee."

Onias rose and walked to and fro upon the roof. Presently he asked if any had been impatient to see him while absent. Judith replied, none, save a messenger from Machærus. Had he brought letters? asked No; his communication must be with Onias

Onias. himself.

He, then, kissing his daughter, and commending her to her bed, and me to early repose after the toil of our journey, descended to his apartment; we following him, and resorting also to ours.

VII.

I AWOKE, my mother, not in Rome, though my dreams had carried me there, and placed me at your side, vainly attempting to win away your attention from the book of the prophets, which according to your wont, in the morning's prime, you were diligently pondering. It was the rebuke of your sometimes severe countenance at an impertinent jest of mine, that broke my slumbers. Slowly the mists of the night drew away and left me in the full consciousness of my position. My eyes fell upon unaccustomed objects; the open casement held up before me a distant prospect of stream and plain, hill and tower, such as I never before had seen; the song of birds, whose strains were new and strange, voices of laborers or of the servants of the household calling to each other in the Syriac tongue,-not even yet an agreeable melody,-met my ear; these, and other sights and sounds by degrees informed me that I had been sleeping neither in Italy nor Rome, but was still a sojourner in the barbarous clime of the further Palestine, even upon the outskirts of the Asiatic deserts. In that sense of utter feebleness of the will with which we first wake in the morning, it seemed to me, that I would renounce all knowledge of other places and people, for the sake of being once more in Rome. I cared not for Onias, Judith, Judea, nor the whole East,

in comparison with Rome and thee. But action, and the bath, and the fresh air of the housetop, soon scattered these worse than dreams, and restored me to my manhood.

In a part of the dwelling not far from where I had slept, I found Onias and Judith, with others of their large household, awaiting me at a table well covered with bread, fruits, wines, and dainties unknown to the vocabulary of Roman art. Thy stern and contemplative brother saluted me, methought, with no very encouraging fervor, but very much as if he were addressing a new comer as little welcome as expected. But this I regarded not, for I knew, that so soon as his dreamy thoughts could be gathered together, some from Jerusalem, some from Galilee, and some from Rome, he would comprehend who I was, and I should be dealt with accordingly. From Judith my greeting was quite otherwise. She hastened to meet me as I entered, and by the natural ardor of her manner, and the glow of her most expressive countenance, made me feel that I was in but another home. Indeed, my mother, thy niece is very beautiful. Shall I speak of Rebecca, or Ruth, or Rachel, or Judith of old? Rebecca at the well, with our great father Isaac, as tradition paints her, was not to be placed by the side of Judith, the daughter of Onias, when she rose from her embroidered couch and gave me the salute of peace, and then proffered me the refreshments of the loaded board. I believe I only gazed at her in return, and gave as many signs of distraction as Onias himself; for before I had fully recovered myself, I heard from one who was near, "Can it be that Rome hath no women?" Those few words,

not intended to reach my ear, brought me to myself, and gave a new direction to my eyes, and unloosed my tongue. There was then no want either of food for discourse, or of disposition to engage in it, save on the part of thy brother, who during the whole repast spake never a word, unless it were in reply to questions urgently pressed upon him, and those relating to the matters immediately before us.

No sooner were our duties discharged towards both ourselves and the substantial dishes that had been set for our refreshment, than, Judith leading the way, we turned from the apartment where we had been sitting, and were conducted by her to an extensive portico, stretching along the side of the house that overlooks the Jordan and` the vineyards which lie along his banks. The single terebinth of a giant size, of which I have already made mention, stood near this portico and spread its broad arms so far, that some of them reached and cast a grateful shade over the spot where we sat, defending our eyes agreeably against the rays of a bright summer sun. The dwelling of Onias, I could now observe to be even more extensive than in the twilight of the preceding evening I had supposed; and to be composed of parts varying greatly in their forms, giving signs of having been built at periods remote from each other, and by those who paid no regard to any other rule than to indulge each his own particular fancy in what he added or altered. As I have said the building is low and of but a single story; yet its lowness is in seeming only, owing to the large space which it covers. The rooms within are lofty, and the portico where we sat— of Roman construction and order—is of a height not less