This forests, which extend up the declivities of the mountains, to the elevation of about 4500 feet above the sea. mighty mass of trees is known to the Turks by the significant appellation of Agatch Degnis, or "the sea of trees." The scenery on this coast is described as highly beautiful and picturesque, presenting, especially in its eastern limits, one continued garden of azaleas, rhododendrons, and myrtles; whilst, in the rear of "the sea of trees," rise the mountain crests, to the height of 5000 or 6000 feet. The vegetation of this region is rich and varied, and Asia Minor forms the original habitation of a large number of valuable plants, now almost naturalized in Southern Europe. The pine, fir, and juniper, occupy the most elevated spots: we here also meet with the cedar of Lebanon; whilst evergreen oaks, as well as some deciduous species, are peculiarly abundant. The beech also prevails in Caramania, Bithynia, Paphlagonia, Pontus, and Colchis; in which districts many of our fruit-trees, such as the plum, cherry, apricot, almond, medlar, quince, apple, pear, chesnut, mulberry, fig, and vine, are met with, growing wild in the heart of the forests. Vast tracts are also covered with olive, myrtle, and arbutus, laurels, pomegranates, pistachio nuts, rhododendrons, &c.; whilst the ground is adorned with the hyacinth, tulip, garden ranunculus, and several kinds of iris. The mountains of Amanus diverge from the Taurus range, which they connect with that of Lebanon. The latter range traverses the whole of Syria, towering to a considerable elevation; many of the summits being covered with perpetual snow. In its southern course, this range forms two branches, known to the ancients as Libanus and Anti-Libanus, which enclose a broad valley, familiar to the student of ancient history, as Cœlo-Syria. On the declivities of the mountains of Lebanon, are still found a small number of the long-celebrated cedars of Lebanon, which, in the days of king Solomon, were so abundant, but which, in 1836, did not, of large size, exceed four hundred in number. The plains of Syria, and more especially those in the southern districts, are celebrated for their beauty and fertility; their vegetation resembles that of Palestine; but in the northern districts, near Aleppo, the date, orange, and lemon, will not succeed without shelter, which arises from the excessive climate of this part, the winters being sometimes severe, though the summers are extremely hot. The damask rose, once well known as a choice ornament of our gardens, though now nearly superseded by modern varieties, is supposed to have been originally brought from Damascus at the time of the Crusades. Judea now, and all the Promised Land.-MILTON. The mountains of Palestine diverge from the range of Libanus, but are by no means elevated, Judea being rather a hilly, than a mountainous, country. Its principal eminences, Carmel, Tabor, and Abarim, do not rise in bleak and rugged peaks, but present picturesque and gradually rising hills, the slopes of which are adorned with vineyards, whilst they are clothed to the summit with luxuriant woods and the richest pastures; and the clefts of the rocks are inhabited by innumerable bees, so that they may almost literally be said to flow with milk and honey. The valleys of Judea are exuberantly fertile; Where stately Jordan flows by many a palm, Delights the flowers to lave, That o'er her western slope breathe airs of balm. Of a far different character is the desolate territory in the neighbourhood of Lake Asphaltites, or the Dead Sea, where the surface is only varied by fearful precipices, so lofty as to exclude the rays of the sun from the deep and dreary glens they enclose; whilst the massive rocks, apparently rent and shattered by some mighty convulsion, assume a thousand fantastic forms. Among these wild and rocky fastnesses, numerous deep caves occur, which, under the first dispensation, served as places of refuge to the persecuted prophets and people of God, and which, in later times, also sheltered the Christians of the East. Judea having been the land selected by the Most High for the abode of His chosen people, and being described in Holy Writ as "a good land," we are naturally led to inquire in what its peculiar excellency consists. Nor will the reply prove unsatisfactory; for we shall perceive, that this country is no less distinguished for its great fertility, than for possessing a climate singularly adapted to favour the luxuriant growth of the most important vegetable productions, both of temperate and of hot regions. Bordering, as this land does, upon the Mediterranean, or "Great Sea," and traversed by hills of sufficient elevation to attract moisture, though not so high, but that they admit, in this latitude, of culti vation to their very summits; it enjoys a sufficient supply of rain to ensure its fertility, whilst in the months when those are suspended, copious dews water and refresh the thirsty land. The inequalities of its surface, at the same time, favour the growth of the various vegetable productions of different zones, some of which succeed in the low plains and valleys, and others in the more elevated districts. From Tripoli to Sidon, the country is much colder than the rest of the coast further to the north and to the south, and its seasons are less regular. The same remark applies to the mountainous parts of Judea, where the vegetable productions differ from those on the sea-coast. Owing to their greater elevation, again, some parts of Galilee are very fresh and cool; though at the foot of Mount Tabor, and in the plain of Jericho, the heat is intense. Wheat, barley, rye, beans, maize, rice, dhoorah, and sesamum, all flourish in this territory; but there is much reason to believe that the latter grains are comparatively modern introductions, and that the "parched corn" of the country, of which the children of Israel partook on the day the manna ceased, was of that description distinguished among us as bread-corn. According to the representation on an ancient Jewish coin, it appears that the wheat at that period cultivated in Palestine, though perhaps a bearded wheat, was not the Egyptian species. We here also meet with the greater number of forest trees, we have mentioned as occurring in Southern Europe, and all the fruit trees which adorn those regions, such as the orange, citron, pomegranate, mulberry, fig, olive, pistacia, and vine; together with the tamarind, date, and plantain. But it is not the mere occurrence of these various plants, but rather the superiority they here attain, which renders this region remarkable. The olive trees and pomegranates grow to an unusal size, and the figs are of the greatest excellence; but the most distinguished among the vegetable productions of Palestine are the vines. And not only are these plants of extraordinary size in this region, but the bunches of grapes are described by modern travellers as weighing from ten to twelve pounds, and the grapes as of the size of plums. Of similar character may have been the cluster of grapes brought from the brook Eshcol, by the men who were sent from Kadesh to spy the land: and thus literally, do we find this country to be "a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil-olive, and honey;" an "exceeding good land.” In consequence of the size and peculiar excellence of the fruit of the vine in this country, it has been supposed to be the aboriginal habitation of that plant. However this may be, (and it is a question very difficult to solve,) the vine is now found flourishing without cultivation in Judea, though by no means solely in that territory; for it will be remembered, we have already met with it in other regions. These vines which grow wild, are, however, totally distinct from the "wild vines," and "wild grapes," spoken of in various parts of Scripture; and the latter are supposed to be a species of nightshade, the Solanum sodomæum, producing fruit, probably of tempting appearance, but of poisonous nature. This plant, at the present day, grows on the shores of the Dead Sea, and its fruit is subject to be internally destroyed by an insect; so that, though it retains its form and colour, |