Syria and the Holy Land : their scenery and their people : incidents of travel, &cfrom the best and most recent authorities . tood mute and over-joyed like those celestial spirits, when, hovering over the globe theybelieved a desert, they heard rising from these same regions the first prayerof mankind. We felt how the voice of man can give life to nature in herdeadest aspect, and what song will be at the end of time, when all theemotions of the human heart shall be absorbed and concentrated in one singlesentiment, and poetry shall be here below but one hymn of adoration ! We returned that nigh
Syria and the Holy Land : their scenery and their people : incidents of travel, &cfrom the best and most recent authorities . tood mute and over-joyed like those celestial spirits, when, hovering over the globe theybelieved a desert, they heard rising from these same regions the first prayerof mankind. We felt how the voice of man can give life to nature in herdeadest aspect, and what song will be at the end of time, when all theemotions of the human heart shall be absorbed and concentrated in one singlesentiment, and poetry shall be here below but one hymn of adoration ! We returned that night to Eden, and arrived in town to witness theceremony of fetching a bride on the eve of a nuptial day. The descriptionof a Maronite wedding may serve as a general specimen of the Christianmarriage ceremonies ; for, though each sect has its respective mode of churchservice, the differences on that point are not material, and the manner ofconducting the feast is nearly the same. The priests, from their easy access to families, have a principal share inmatrimonial negotiations; and, having opportunities of being acquainted. Part of the Kadisha. ROUTE TO TRIPOLI AND THE CEDARS. 119 with the tempers of the children, they are supposed to be sincere in theirreports. The female relations of the youth, too, (as among the Muslims)are employed in the search for a bride. When the choice is determined,flowers, and other small presents, are, from time to time, sent from thefamily of the bridegroom to that of the bride, and the relations interchangevisits; but the girl, before company, will not so much as touch a flower thathas come from the other house; and if the bridegroom happen to be namedin her presence, she suddenly assumes a reserved air, becomes silent, orretires. The women know this so well, that, when the young lady happensto be rather pert, they threaten to make her soon change her tone, and thehint is sufficient to silence her. After the bride has been demanded in form, and other
Size: 1345px × 1857px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, bookpublisherlondonchapmanandha
