brick, or Flemish wall, daubed over in a coarse manner. From this way of building, they have this inconvenience, that upon any violent rain, the whole city becomes as it were a quagmire. It may be wondered what fhould induce the people to build in this bafe manner, when they have, in the adjacent mountains, fuch plenty of fione. Perhaps thofe who first planted here, finding fo delicious a fituation, were in bafe to come to the enjoyment of it; and therefore nimbly fet up thofe temporary habitations, which primitive example their fucceffors have followed ever fince. But however, in thefe mud walls you find the gates and doors adorned with marble portals, carved and inlaid with great beauty and variety. In the infide, the houfes difcover a very different face. Here you find generally a large fquare court, beautified with variety of fragrant trees, and marble fountains, and compaffed round with fplendid apartments and duans. The duans are floored and adorned on the fides, with variety of marble mixt in Mofaic knots and mazes. The cielings and traves are after the Turkish manner, richly painted and gilded. They have generally artificial fountains fpringing up before them in marble bafons; and, as for carpets and cushions, these are furnished out to the height of luxury. In the next place we went to fee the church of St. John Baptift, now converted into a mofque, and held too facred for Chriftians to enter, or almoft to look into. However, we had three short views of it, looking in at three feveral gates. Its gates are vafly large, and covered with brafs, ftampt all over with Arab characters. On the North-fide of the church is a fpacious court, which I could not conje&ure to be less than one hundred and fifty yards long, and eighty or a hundred broad, The court is paved all over, and enclosed on the South-fide by the church; on the other three fides by a double cloifter, fupported by two rows of granite pillars of the Corinthian Order, exceeding lofty and beautiful. Oa On the South-fide, the Church joins to the Bazars, and there we had an opportunity juft to peep into it. It is within, fpacious and lofty, built with three aifles, between which are rows of polished pillars of a surprising beauty. Thursday, April 29. This morning we went to see the yearly pomp of the Hadgees fetting out on their pilgrimage to Mecca. In this famous cavalcade there came firft forty-fix Dellees, that is, religious madmen, carrying each a filk ftreamer, mixt either with red and green, or with yellow and green. After these came three troops of Segmen, an order of foldiers amongst the Turks; and next to them, fome troops of Spahees, another order of foldiery. Thefe were followed by eight companies of Mugrubines on foot: thefe were fellows of a very formidable afpect. In the midst of the Mugrubines, there passed fix fmall pieces of Ordnance. In the next place came on foot the foldiers of the caftle of Damafcus, fantaftically armed with coats of mail, gauntlets, and other pieces of old armour. Thefe were followed by two troops of Janizaries, and their Aga, all mounted. Next were brought the Baffa's two horfe tails, ufhered by his Aga of the Court; and next after the tails followed fix led horfes, all of excellent fhape, and nobly furnished. Over the faddle there was a girt upon each led horse, and a large filver target gilded with gold. After these horfes came the Mahmal. This is a large pavilion of black filk, pitched upon the back of a very great camel, and spreading its curtains all round about the beafl down to the ground. The pavilion is adorned at top with a gold ball, and with gold fringes round about. The camel that carries it wants not also his ornaments of large ropes of beads, fifh-fhells, foxtails, and other fuch fantastical finery hanged upon his head, neck, and legs. All this is defigned for the flate of the Alcoran, which is placed with great reverence under this pavilion, where it rides in flate bo h to and from Mecca. The Alcoran is accompanied with a rich new carpet, which the Grand Signior fends every year for the covering of Mahomet's VOL. IX. 4 L tomb, tomb, having the old one brought back in return for it, which is efteemed of an ineftimable value, after having been fo long next neighbour to the Prophet's rotten bones. The beaft which carries this facred load, has the privilege to be exempted from all other burdens ever after. After the Mahimal, came another troop, and with them the Baffa himself; and last of all, twenty loaded camels, with which the train ended, having been three quarters of an hour in paffing. Being returned to the city, we were fhown the gate at which St. Paul was let down in a basket, Acts ix. 25. This gate is at prefent walled up, by reafon of its vicinity to the Eaft-gate, which renders it of little use. Friday, April 30. The next day we went to vifit the gardens. The place where we difpofed of ourselves was about a mile out of town. It afforded us a very pleasant fummer-house, having a plentiful stream of water running through it. The garden was thick fet with fruit trees; but without any art or order. Such as this, are all the gardens hereabouts; only with this odds, that fome of them have their fummer-houses more fplendid than others, and their waters improved into greater variety of fountains. [To be continued.] An Extract from A SURVEY of the WISDOM of GOD in the CREATION. THE HE fruitfulness of Plants, in producing feeds, tranfcends all imagination. An Elm living a hundred years, ordinarily produces thirty-three millions of feeds. Add, that if its head be cut off, it puts forth as many branches, within half an inch of the place where it was cut, as it had before. And at whatever height it is cut off, the effect will be the fame. Hence it appears, that the whole trunk, from the ground to the rife of the branches, is full of embryo-branches, each of which will actually fpring forth, if the head be lopped off juft over it. Now if these had fprung out they would have born an equal number of feeds, with thofe that did. These feeds therefore are already contained in them: and if so, the tree really contains 15840000000 feeds, wherewith to multiply itself as many times. But what fhall we fay, if each feed contains another tree, containing the fame number of feeds? and if we can never come, either at a feed which does not contain trees, or a tree which does not contain feed? Timber-trees of any kind, might certainly be planted to more advantage than they generally are. There is a forest two miles from St. Loe in Normandy, planted chiefly with oaks, many of which are but of a moderate height, though of a large circumference. But near its entrance from St. Loe there is a plantation, about twenty-five years old, wherein none of the oaks. are under feventy, and fome a hundred feet high. They are fet fo clofe, that they almoft feem to touch one another, and are no more than four or five inches in diameter. This timber is of great ufe, both for making charcoal, and many other purposes. And the owners may reap four crops of them in a hundred years. This foreft belongs to the king of France, who ordered the plantation to be made by way of trial. And his minifters have caufed feveral of the trees, a hundred feet high, to be tranfplanted, to leave ftanding proofs of the wonderful effects of the experiment. As to fowing, the perfection of agriculture confifts in fetting plants at due diftances, and giving a fufficient depth to the roots, that they may fpread and receive due nourishment. Yet this is little regarded but all forts of grain are fown by handfuls caft at random. By this means four parts in five of the 4 L 2 feed feed is utterly loft. To remedy this, a Spanish gentleman contrived an engine (defcribed in the Philofophical Tranfactions, under the name of the Spanish Simbrador) which being faftened to the plow, the whole bufinefs of plowing, fowing, and harrowing, is performed at once; and the grain is fpread at equal diftances, and equally deep in the furrow. An experiment being made, land which ufually produced five-fold, by this means produced fixty-fold. One stalk is all that springs immediately from one grain: but on the fides of this, near, if not within the ground, iffue feveral lateral stalks. And fome of these send forth roots, whence one or several other stalks spring, if they are early formed, the foil good, and the weather favourable. By this means one grain of wheat planted in a garden has produced ninety, yea, a hundred ears. If then each ear, taking one with another, contain fifty grains, a fingle grain may prodece five thousand. Nay, a gentleman in Yorkshire, who made the experiment in his garden fome years ago, counted upwards of eight thousand grains, which sprung from a single one. [To be continued.] 1. Strange OCCURRENCES at Newry in Ireland. RANCES and Elizabeth Dixon are two fifters (one FRAS about forty, the other thirty years of age) who have lived together in a little houfe of their own, ever fince their mother died, and have always maintained a fair character, both for Honefly and Piety. Seven weeks before Eafter, 1779, they began to be difturbed in various ways; and the disturbances have continued day and night, to the prefent time, June 17, 1785. One time a little do appeared, uining to and fro in the house. At another time, a littl old man': hea appeared. Their own dog was often extremely frighted, and leaped as high as the table, After |