CHAP. CXI IT.

CONI'FEKjE. CE'DRUS.

2409

of the goddess formed of cedar, which had been formerly taker, from the Island of Zacynthus (nowcalled Zante) by the inhabitants, when they formed the colony of Saguntum. When the inhabitantsof the city, after having endured a siege of eight months, destroyed themselves and their city by fire,this temple, standing in a valley beyond the walls, escaped ; and the cedar image of the goddess wasfound by Hannibal, who would not suffer it to be injured by his soldiers. The books of Numa, whichwere preserved so many centuries, are said to have been smeared over with the cedria, or juice ofcedar. According to Virgil, the ancients used it in their dwelling-houses, as well as for theirtemples. What proportion of the above history belongs to the cedar of Lebanon, and what belongsto other Conifer», it is impossible at this distance of time to determine.

The modern history of the cedar of Lebanon is attended with much greatercertainty. It may be said to commence with the revival of literature,as almost every modern traveller who has visited Syria has ascendedMount Lebanon, and recorded his visit. One of the first travellers who hasgiven any particulars of Mount Lebanon is Belon, who travelled in Syriaabout 1550. About 16 miles from Tripoli, a city in Syria, he says, “ at aconsiderable height up the mountain, the traveller arrives at the Monastery ofthe Virgin Mary, which is situated in a valley. Thence, proceeding fourmiles farther up the mountain, he will arrive at the cedars; the Maronites orthe monks acting as guides. The cedars stand in a valley, and not on the topof the mountain; and they are supposed to amount to 28 in number, though itis difficult to count them, they being distant from each other a few paces.These the Archbishop of Damascus has endeavoured to prove to be the samethat Solomon planted with his own hands in the quincunx manner, as theynow stand. No other tree grows in the valley in which they are situated ;and it is generally so covered with snow, as to be only accessible in summer.”(De Arb., &c., p. 4.) About this period, paying a visit to the cedars of MountLebanon seems to have been considered as a kind of pilgrimage; and, as everyvisiter took away some of the wood of the trees, to make crosses and tabernacles,the patriarch of the Maronites, fearing that the trees would be destroyed,threatened excommunication to all those who should injure the cedars; and,at the same time, exhorted all Christians to preserve trees so celebrated inHoly Writ. The Maronites were only allowed to cut even the branches ofthese trees once a year; and that was, on the eve of the Transfiguration ofour Saviour; which festival occurs in August, and consequently at a suitableperiod forvisiting the mountain. On this festival, the Maronites and pilgrimsrepaired to Mount Lebanon, and, passing the night in the wood, regaledthemselves on wine made from grapes grown on the mountain, and lighted theirfires with branches cut from the cedars. They passed the night in dancing akind of Pyrrhic dance, and in singing and regaling ; and the following day thefestival of the Transfiguration was held on the mountain, and the patriarchcelebrated high mass on an altar built under one of the largest and oldestcedars. {Bel. in Arb. Con., &c.; and Lois, in N. Du Ham., v. p. 300.) Dr.Hunter, in his notes to Evelyn’s Sylva, says, — “ we are informed, from theMemoirs of the Missionaries in the Levant, that, upon the day of the Transfigu-ration, the patriarch of the Maronites (Christians inhabiting Mount Libanus),attended by a number of bishops, priests, and monks, and followed by five orsix thousand of the religious from all parts, repairs to these cedars, and therecelebrates the festival which is called ‘ the Feast of Cedars.’ We are alsotold that the patriarch officiates pontifically on this solemn occasion ; that hisfollowers are particularly mindful of the Blessed Virgin on this day, becausethe Scripture compares her to the cedars of Lebanon; and that the sameholy father threatens with ecclesiastical censure thosewho presume to hurt or di-minish the cedars still remaining.” ( Hunter's Evelyn, ii. p. 5.) La Roque, in hisVoyage de Syrie etdu Mont Liban, in 1722,mentions this fete; and adds:—" TheMaronites say that the snows no sooner begin to fall, than these cedars, whosehoughs are now all so equal in extent that they appear to have been shorn,never fail to change their figure. The branches, which before spread them-selves, rise insensibly, gathering together, it may be said, and turn their pointsupwards towards heaven, forming altogether a pyramid. It is nature, they say,that inspires this movement, and makes them assume a new shape, withoutwhich these trees could never sustain the immense weight of snow remaining forso long a time.” ( Voy., &c., as quoted in an able article on the cedar, in theGent. Mag., 2d series, iv. p. 578.) Ran wolf, who visited the cedars in 1574,