extremely well. Among the fields in this neighbourhood, there is one remarkable for the variety of petrifications, or rather na tural productions of ftone which are found in it. Some of these have the refemblance of olives, with the ftalks adhering to them. Others are like vetches or peafe; but what is still more remarkable, fays our author, there are fome which have the exact shape of a pod of lupines, with the divifions fo well marked as to fhew the number of feeds they contain; but as they are all of one folid ftone, they cannot be feparated. The exterior surface of thefe petrifications is ribbed with a number of longitudinal lines, which begin at the stalk and proceed to the other extremity. In the interior part they appear covered with a variety of concentric circles, which decrease in fize till they become fo fmall as to be almoft imperceptible. On the outfide they are of a reddish colour, the fame as that of the earth in which they are found; but in the infide they are white, inclining a little to yellow.

Proceeding towards Jerufalem, at the distance of little more than a mile on the right ftands the church and monaftery of St. Elias, inhabited by fchifmatic Greek monks, to whom it be longs. The church, as ufual, is ornamented in The Grecian manner, and has been confiderably embellished in the prefent century. The monaftery is fpacious, and built of excellent ftones in a fquare form. It has much the appearance of a fortrefs; and is indeed a place of fo much strength, that those in it might, in cafe it fhould be neceffary, defend themselves for fome time against the attacks of the Arabs. From the ftructure of it, the abbe is inclined to think that it was erected in the twelfth century.

The traveller afterwards relates his journey from Jerufalem to the monaftery of St. Saba, with a defcription of the environs. This monaftery ftands on the fouth fide of the brook Kedron, and is built on the declivity of a folid rock. In winter, when the brook is fwelled by the rains, its waters approach almoft to the walls of it. The church of St. Saba confifts of only one nave, with a beautiful small cupola. On the walls, the portraits of the most celebrated anchorets are painted in the ancient manner. In the middle of a court, fituated fomewhat lower than the great church, ftands a chapel of an hexagonal figure, and covered with a fmall cupola. Under this chapel was buried St. Saba, an hiftorical account of whofe life and actions is afterwards given by the author. In returning to Jerufalem the travellers obferved the ruins of the ancient city of Engaddi, on the fouth fide of the Kedron, at the distance of ten miles from the monaftery of St. Saba. Part of this country, which is in the confines of the city of Engaddi, is called

the

the Defert of Engaddi, and abounds with mountains. They are extremely high, and difpofed in fuch a manner, that some of the precipices and rocks in them feem ready to fall into the valleys below.

At a little diftance to the fouth, they observed on a mount an ancient caftle or fortrefs, which is called the Caftle of Herod. This, our author thinks, is certainly that magnificent fortress which Herod the Great, otherwife Herod the Afkalonite, caufed to be erected on the road leading to Mafada.

On the borders of the Defert of Ziph, lies that of Carmel, which is likewife mountainous, but abundant in rich pastures. Here dwelt Nabal, who refused to fupply David with food. In this defert there is a mountain called Carmel, which is, however, to be diftinguished from another mountain of the fame name in Phoenicia, celebrated for being the refidence of the prophet Elias. On Mount Carmel, in Judea, Saul erected a triumphal arch, after the victory which he gained over the Amalekites.

After giving an account of fome other deferts, the traveller defcribes that of the holy city of Jerufalem. The country thus denominated lay for the most part on the eastern fide of Jerufalem, and extended as far as the Dead Sea; being bounded on the north by the brook Kedron, for about the fpace of fix or feven miles. On the fouth it had as boundaries the city of Tekoa, with its defert; from which, proceeding in a straight line towards the Dead Sea, it comprehended a fpace of about four hundred miles. All the churches and monafteries with which this country once abounded are now destroyed, and nothing is to be feen of them but fome remains of painting, appearing here and there, amidst heaps of ruins.

The traveller next relates his journey to St. John, in the mountains of Judea. On the right fide of the road he faw a large ciftern of very great antiquity, called by the Arabs. Burchet Mamela, or the Cistern of Mamela, in which at that time there was very little water. It was about a hundred and forty paces in length, ninety in breadth, and as far as the author could judge by the eye, twenty-two feet in depth, On each fide were stone stairs, but at present the steps are almost entirely deftroyed. The water of this ciftern is conveyed by a canal, formed of stucco, towards Jerufalem, from which it is fix hundred paces diftant. In the fcriptures, this ciftern is called the upper fountain of Gihon, and is celebrated for being the place where Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the prieft, according to the orders of his father David.

Arriving at the village of St. John in the mountains of Judea, the travellers alighted at the convent, where they were received

received by fome of the minor fathers with much politeness, and introduced immediately into the church. This edifice, dedicated to St. John the Baptift, is divided into three small naves, feparated in part by two large pilafters. Over thefe is a small cupola, which admits the light; and at the farther extremity of the northern nave is the fanctuary, or place where St. John the Baptift was born. The afcent is by fix large fteps, and in the infide it is beautifully ornamented with marble. The whole appearance of this church is extremely elegant. It is ornamented with many beautiful paintings; and the facrifty, though fmall, is well furnifhed with facred utentils. The convent is not large, but has an excellent dormitory and an extenfive refectory, for entertaining fuch pilgrims as may vifit the place. All the neighbouring hills and vallies are cultivated with the greatest care; and there is scarcely an inch of ground which is not planted with fruit-trees and vines, or fown with barley, pulfe, or other vegetable productions. At the distance of about three miles from the convent there is a grotto, where St. John is faid to have refided in the earlier part of his life. It is about fifteen feet in length, fix in breadth, and five in height. The entrance faces the north, and on the left fide there is an opening in it, which ferves as a window. Clofe to the mouth of it there is a fpring of water as clear as the cryftal which iffues from the rock. From this eminence the profpect is faid to be extremely beautiful and extensive.

From the mountains of Judea the author returned to Jeru. falem, where the account of his travels in Palestine is terminated. In the fubfequent part of the volume, through a feries of twenty-three chapters, he afterwards details the history of Jerufalem, from its origin to the death of Baldwin the Third, in the year 1162. This narrative will prove interesting to many readers. On the whole, the work affords an agreeable account of the abbe Mariti's travels in Cyprus, Syria, and Paleftine; all which he has furveyed with much attention, and defcribes with apparent fidelity.

Collections towards a Defcription of the County of Devon. By Sir William Pole, Knt. Now first printed from the Autograph in the Poffeffion of his lincal Dejcendant Sir John-William de la Pole, Bart. 410. 11. 11s. 6d. Boards. White and Son. 1791.

WE have often had occafion to regret that Devonshire has not yet found an hiftorian, and to exprefs our good wishes for the fuccefs of Mr. Polewhele's intended work. Why thefe Collections' were published separately, and not communicated to this gentleman, we know not: perhaps they

were

were intended for the antiquary, and for those who wish to attain a minuter knowledge of manours, their early poffeffors, and fucceffors, than a more general hiftory could convey: perhaps, for conjectures are endlefs, the fucceffor of fir William Pole wished to preferve the name of his ancestor from the confusion of the common mass of affistant communicators. Whatever may be the reason, we have no doubt but the local antiquaries will feel a proper fenfe of the obligation: to general readers, it will not be very pleasing and acceptable. We have turned over the pages with fome difficulty, and find little that is generally interefting; fo that we fhall content ourfelves with a fummary account of the work.

Sir William Pole, from the account of Prince, transcribed in the Introduction, was bred at Exeter College, and afterwards became a member of the Inner Temple. In the 3d of Queen Elizabeth he was chofen autumn reader; the year afterwards double reader; and in the 7th of Q. Eliz. treafurer of the Inner Temple.

"Now we are not to understand it, as if this gentleman spent his whole time in London, but that he returned into his country, and attended the bufinefs of the Temple as the terms and his occafions required. He had his refidence (during his father's lifetime at leaft) at Colcombe, lying within both manors of Coliton, and Whitford, in the parish of Coliton, in the fouth-east part of this county. It was fome time the feat and dwelling, as well as inheritance of the most noble family of the Courtenays, earls of Devon; from whofe heirs-general it was purchafed by fir William Pole's father, and fettled upon this his fon. A goodly building was here defigned by the laft earls of Devon of that name; but they being prevented by death, left it unfinished. This gentleman when he came to it, new-built the houfe, and made it his habitation.

"Being thus fettled here, he lived in great reputation, and became an ornament to, and a very useful perfon in, his country; ferving his prince in the quality of a juftice of the peace, and high fheriff of this county in the last year of the reign of Q. Eliz. and the firft of king James the First; at what time one of my ancestors, John Prince, of Nower, near Axminster, had the honour to execute that office under him. About four years after which he was advanced to the dignity of knighthood by the faid king, at Whitehall, on Feb. 15, 1606, by the title of fir William Pole of Shute.

"He married Mary, the eldest daughter and co-heir of fir William Peryam, of Fulford, knt. lord chief baron of the exchequer; by whom he had iffue fir John Pole (knighted before his father, and afterwards, 12 Sept. 4 Car. I. 1628, created a baronet)

and

and Peryam Pole, of Talyton, near Honiton, efq. Sir John Pole, bart. had iffue two fons; 1. Sir William Pole, of Shute, bart. who died without iffue male; and 2d. Sir Courtney Pole, bart. lately deceased, about 80 years of age, anno 1684; who left iffue the prefent fir John Pole, of Shute, bart. (a most sweet and courteous gentleman, to whofe great civilities in vouch fafing me the perufal of thofe excellent MSS. of his ancestors, which have been fo greatly useful to me in this my undertaking, I gladly own hereby my own most grateful obligations), and two daughters; the eldest married to fir Coplefton Bampfield, of Poltemore, bart. and the youngest to the honourable and ingenious Francis Roberts, efq. the eldest fon by a fecond venter of the late John lord Roberts, earl of Radnor, and prefident of the council to king Charles II.

"Having thus confidered this gentleman in his family, which flourishes in honourable degree in this county to this day, it may not be improper to give a farther account of him as to his perfonal qualifications: He was endowed with excellent parts, and adorned with great accomplishments; and, as what enamels and adds loveliness to all the other, beautified with a very civil, cour teous, and obliging carriage and difpofition, which indeed is the true gentility. He was learned alfo, not only in the laws, but in other polite matters. He was very laborious in the study of antiquities, especially thofe of his own county, and a great lover of that venerable employment."

Mr. Prince's account of the MSS. which he left, we shall alfo add :

"The Defcription of Devonshire, in two volumes, in folio, MS. which contain an account of the feveral parishes in our County (beginning at the east, and coming round to the north), with the most eminent manors that are in them, whofe originally they were, and whofe fince; the gentry therein; with an account of most of their matches and iffue. In the beginning of the first volume we have the several antient baronies of this county, whofe they were, the particular barons of each, and their fucceffors: together with a lift of the knights of Devon, under the feveral kings reigns in which they lived: and of the most famous foldiers and flatcimen with a catalogue of the high fheriffs of this county. A very useful and elaborate work; from whofe lamp our Rifdon himself acknowledges he received light in his Survey of Devon, written with great judgment and faithfulnefs from the records of the Tower, the Heralds Office, original deeds and charters, &c.

"There were," continues he, "feveral other volumes of MSS. written by this gentleman and his fon fir John Pole, bart. (who was much addicted alfo to this ingenuous ftudy, and made fome

6

addi