deep interest, and growing delight, his heart throbbing with wonder and gratitude, his eyes suffused with sacred affection. While he discards the weakness of superstition,he indulges the sensibilities of a man; while he reasons like a sage, he feels as a saint, and wishes the description more minute, more full. I shall never envy the man his sensations, who can read with indifference a description of the places, where prophets and apostles preached the word of life, where the Son of God ruled the storm, and raised the dead. I shall never envy the man, who can without emotions, undescribable, ascend mount Sinai, where God himself came down, where the voice of the trumpet waxed louder and louder, where Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. I pity the man, who can read the present state of Chorazin, or Tyre, or the seven churches of Asia, and not bow to the force of truth, his faith confirmed, his heart trembling. I pity the man, who can view, unmoved the Rocks smitten by Moses, whence the waters gushed, and the stream flowed to refresh the camp of Israel. I pity him, whose heart does not thrill with unutterable tenderness, while he reads a description of Gethsemane, echoing the sighs and prayers of his suffering Redeemer, or the hill of Calvary, crimsoned with his blood, or of the holy sepulchre, where his body was laid, or the Mount of Olives, graced with his last footsteps, as he ascended to glory.

In this work the compiler has often borrowed the style of the au. thors, quoted; not always, because he thought it the most laconic or perfect; but among other reasons, because, as it respects travels, there is a certain interest produced by the words of one, who himself saw what he describes; he gives vividness and life to his subject. For borrowing from others, I may, to use the words of the Encyclopedia, "plead the common law of authorship in justification." This is a Geographical Dictionary, and the learned Mr. Chambers remarks, "that such works are supposed to be in a great degree, the compositions of other people, and that their quality gives the authors a title to every thing, which may be for their purpose, wherever they find it. If you ask them their authority they will produce you the practice of their predecessors of all nations and ages. But as the compiler in this work has quoted authors of established reputation, he presumes to hope, that the style and matter may be satisfactory.

A laudable curiosity prompts the reader to inquire what were the sources of information enjoyed by his author. To this I only say, that a considerable portion of the work, was necessarily taken from the Bible. Several of the most interesting articles have been collected from the Asiatic Researches. The Encyclopedia has repeated-,

A Geo

iy made very liberal contributions. A Dictionary of the Bible in 3 vols. anonymous, printed in London 1759, has afforded more constant aid, than perhaps any other work. From the Scripture Geography of Dr. Wells, I have largely borrowed. I need not add, that Calmet has contributed something to almost every page. graphical Dictionary of the Bible, entitled, Onomasticon Urbium et Locorum Sacræ Scripturæ, &c. written by Eusebius in the fourth century, and afterwards translated from the Greek into Latin, and improved by St. Jerome, I have quoted in almost every article.

The following works have also been carefully consulted, and often quoted. Opera Jacobi Bonfrerii, &c. Descriptio Terra Sanctæ Brocardi Monachi, &c. Geographia Sacra ex Veteri et Novo Testamento, &c. Descriptio Terræ Chanaan, &c. et Index Geographicus, auctore Nic-Sanson, etiam Note Johannis Clerici, &c. To name all the Travels, Gazetteers, Geographies, Commentators, and other books, from which extracts have been made, would be thought superfluous. Were it not ostentatious, it would be pleasant and flattering to myself, to acknowledge the encouragement and aid of several respectable Friends, who have kindly furnished me with rare and valuable books. These generous Patrons will do me the justice to believe, that I prize their friendship, as I ought, and accept my warmest gratitude. Though it is not without very serious diffidence, that I present this work to the public; yet may I not be permitted to say, that if the reader find the advantage and the entertainment, which have rendered the labor of compiling it so pleasant, I shall, not only think myself to have been well employed, but doubly rewarded.

Byfield, March 9, 1813.

E. PARISH,

A

SACRED GEOGRAPHY;

OR,

GAZETTEER OF THE BIBLE.

AASAR, a town of Palestine, in the tribe of Judah, between Azotus and Askalon, which in the time of Jerome was a hamlet.

ABANA, a river of Damascus, mentioned by Naaman, the king of Syria's general, in these terms, are not Abana and Pharphar rivers of Damascus, better than all the rivers of Israel,' 2 Kings v, 12. Calmet is of opinion, that this river is the same with Barrady or Chrysorrhoas, which, according to Maundrill, derives its source from the foot of mount Libanus towards the east, and runs round Damascus and through it, and so continues its course, till its waters are lost in the wilderness, at the distance of four or five leagues from the city. The compilers of the Encyclopedia suppose its source is in mount Hermon, and that it falls into the Phenician sea to the north of Tripolis. The Greeks called it Chrysorrhoas. Lat. 31,

20.

ABARIM, a chain of mountains between the Jordan and Arnon, (Numb. xxvii, 12,) reaching a great way into the tribe of Reuben, and the country of the Moabites; composed of many hills, under different names. The mountains, Nebo, Pisgah, and Peor, were parts of the Abarim. See the article Nebo, &c. They were high mountains and of steep ascent, separating the land of Canaan from the Ammonites and Moabites. From their summits was a grand view of Canaan. According to Josephus they stood opposite to Jericho, and were the last station of Israel, excepting one, as they were entering Canaan. Lat. 31, 30. Kimpton

ABEL BETHMAACHAH, a city of Palestine, placed by Jerome in the tribe of Judah, between Eleutheropolis and Jerusalem; but more probably it was a city in the tribe of Naphtali, in the north of Palestine; for here we find a place of this name, taken by Benha