Mr. Alcott's "Conversations on the Gospels" is a very inadequate practice of this great and true method of education. But the book has a value on account of its very faults. It shows some paths that are to be avoided.

We will proceed to point out two of these, and we do so in no ill will to Mr. Alcott. We believe he will not be offended with us for so doing. The courage and manliness, and the confidence in his Idea, which led him to publish this first Practice with all its crudities, of which, it is plain from his Preface, he was in some degree aware, is a ground of our assurance that he is more anxious that justice should be done to THE METHOD, than for his own personal reputation. In the first place, we think the class was too large, and too mixed in age. So many children giving their impressions introduces too many subjects to be disposed of in one conversation, without making the conversation too long. Yet some variety of mind, upon the same subject, is very desirable. The size of a common Sunday-school class would be greatly preferable to a class of thirty. Then every aspect of the subject introduced might be taken up, and the result would be more satisfactory. Much of the imperfection of these Conversations arises from the answers not being examined, and the subjects introduced not being carried out as far as they might have been. We see no harm in bringing out the crudities of the children, but we should prefer to see these notions cleared up more, before the subjects were left. Perfectly exhausted the topics could not be, of course; because they are all of a nature to be susceptible of an almost infinite development.

Another and greater error, that we notice in reading these Conversations, arises from the peculiarity of Mr. Alcott's own mind. He is not able to keep practically to his idea of letting the instincts of his children's minds lead him. He invariably chooses, for his subject of farther questioning, those answers which touch upon the most speculative and least practical views. He even goes farther. He prefers abstraction to the natural form of ideas. He does not go into outward nature when the children would lead him thither. Thus the conversations sound wordy, and we constantly regret that so many beautiful opportunities for interesting the children in nature should be passed over. This imperfection in Mr. Alcott's practice arises from the onesidedness of his own culture, perhaps, more than from his idiosyncrasy. But however easy

may be its explication, and however unavoidable the cause may have been, in his particular case, it is no less a defect. We would not be supposed to speak disrespectfully of Mr. Alcott, when we allude to this circumstance. To his genius, as displayed in the conception of this method of education, we would pay due tribute. It is what no apparatus of education could give. But in order to do justice to the method, it is necessary to acknowledge that he is not accomplished in all points sufficiently to carry it out.

ART. VIII. DR. KIRKLAND'S LETTER ON THE HOLY LAND, AND MR. CATHERWOOD'S PANORAMA OF JERUSALEM.

WE insert with pleasure the following letter from Dr. Kirkland to Judge Davis, with the note of the latter by which it is introduced. We are also glad, on so good authority, to make honorable mention of Mr. Catherwood's Panorama of Jerusalem, and his efforts in other ways to diffuse a better understanding of the antiquities and topography of Egypt and the Holy Land.

Gentlemen,

BOSTON, October 2d, 1837.

A view of Mr. Catherwood's interesting Panorama of Jerusalem, to which I have been repeatedly a gratified visiter, led me to recur to a letter, received from our friend, the Rev. Dr. Kirkland, in 1832, giving an account of his travels in Palestine, and visit to the Holy City, in company with Mrs. Kirkland and Lady Franklin.

In concurrence with a suggestion, that a publication of the remarks of such an observer, extensively known in our community, and worthy of all our confidence, would be acceptable to many readers, especially in connexion with the Panorama, a copy of that letter is submitted to your inspection, and, if it should meet your approval, for insertion in the Christian Examiner.

Your Friend and Servant,

To the Editors of the Christian Examiner.

J. DAVIS.

CYPRUS, on our way to Rhodes, May 31, 1832. My Dear Sir,

We have visited Jerusalem. We came in view of the Holy City about sunset, on the 7th May, entering it by the Damascus gate on the north side.

You can conceive the interest we felt at such a moment; the thoughts and emotions that rushed on our minds when we suddenly burst upon the sight. From the approach on this quarter the city is seen to the greatest advantage. Its domes, mosques, churches, and monasteries, gilded by the declining sun, give it an imposing air, counteracted indeed afterwards by the ordinary aspect of the interior of the place. Jerusalem is surrounded by hills on three sides, and on the fourth there is a deep valley. These eminences are chiefly bare of foliage. The topography of Jerusalem without and within the walls. will be understood by noting some of the leading objects, in the order in which they were presented to us travellers. No doubt many of the localities pointed out by the guides, into whose hands you fall, are supposititious. But many of the holy places are indicated by nature or by circumstances; and the identity of others appears probable from a collation and comparison of acknowledged facts.

We begin with the exterior of Jerusalem, and find the city surrounded by an embattled wall with towers and a castle, composed of limestone; built by the Romans of the Lower Empire, repaired and altered at various periods afterward, to the time of the Turks; and extending two miles in length. Taking our survey on the north, about a quarter of a mile distant from the city, we see the tombs or sepulchres of the Kings; but of what kings, or by whom erected, is very uncertain. They consist of six or seven apartments excavated in the rock; several twenty feet by thirty, with empty sarcophagi, or stone coffins; the architraves and cornices sculptured with flowers, fruits, and garlands, evincing a hand of taste. Leaving the sepulchres, we come to the cave or grot of Jeremiah not far from the walls. Further on towards the east is a Mahometan cemetery; the monumental stones erect, and some of them carved with a degree of skill. On the east side, not far from St. Stephen's gate, we pass the bed of the brook Kedron, which is now dry, and is so nine months of the

year. Soon after this ravine, is the tomb of the Virgin, to which you go down by fifty steps. A little way on towards the Mount of Olives is the garden of Gethsemane, a plat of level ground said to be about sixty feet square. We ascend

to the top of the mount of Olives three or four hundred feet above the level of the earth at its base, by a slope of forty-five degrees, to about half a mile. Here is a mosque called also the Church of the Ascension, and to which Christians as well as Mahometans may resort, and in the building is a rock, whence our Savior ascended; and where is the reputed impression of his foot as he took his upward flight. About eighty rods further we have a view of the Dead Sea, and the direction of the Jordan entering into it supposed twenty miles distant. A bottle of the water of the Dead Sea was brought to us by Lady Franklin, who made an excursion thither, my health at that time obliging me to rest. The Jordan is about one hundred and eighty feet wide at its mouth, and from four to six feet deep. The water of the Dead Sea is transparent; very salt and bitter, and much heavier than common water; but there is nothing in the atmosphere around it hurtful to animal life.

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The mount of Olives exhibits a few patches and many single trees of Olive; and is covered at this season with grass somewhat faded. In leaving it about half way down, are the Sepulchres of the Patriarchs, so called, appropriated to Jehosaphat, Absalom, St. James, and Zechariah. architecture, so far as it is obvious, partakes of the Doric, with other features of the art peculiar to the Jews. The valley of Jehosaphat comes next in approaching the east side of the mosque of Omar. There the Jews are buried; their graves covered with flat stones, frequently with Hebrew incriptions. Next to the wall is a Turkish burial ground, marked by upright stones of various sculpture, generally rude. It is customary for the Turks to resort to their cemeteries on Friday, their sacred day, and occasionally at other times, dressed in their best, to honor and lament over their deceased friends. Proceeding, on the east side, towards the south is a large body of water, flowing under ground, called the fountain or pool of Siloam, to which we descend by twenty steps. It comes out in the brook of Siloa, about forty rods below, lending verdure, beauty, and fruitfulness to a few acres of ground. Here is the village of Siloam. On the south side is Mount Zion over which the wall runs. A great number of places

are pointed out here, as connected with events in sacred history; the Hill of Evil Council, the Field of Blood, Hinnom, the mosque and tomb of David, the house of Caiaphas the high priest, &c. The Catholic burial ground contains the remains of Cornelius Bradford, Esq., late Consul from the United States at Lyons in France, who died after a short illness at the Latin Convent, in August, 1830. It is recorded on his tomb stone, that in his last hours he renounced the errors of Luther and Calvin. The aqueduct from the pools of Solomon beyond Bethlehem, and the valley and brook of Gihon, are said to be on the west side; where also another Turkish burial ground is seen.

We enter Jerusalem by the Bethlehem orJaffa gate, on the west side, and survey the city within the walls. We are accommodated at the Latin Convent, situated near the Bethlehem gate, consisting of a number of Friars, chiefly Spanish or Italian. They find us bread and meat; the other articles we supply, having taken stores and mattresses on donkies. We presented them, when we parted, at the rate of a dollar a day for each of our company, with which they appeared to be satisfied.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is supposed to be on the place of our Savior's crucifixion. It is an irregular building, of different styles of architecture, the most ancient apparently of the time of the Crusades, abounding in marbles and mosaics. The nave is one hundred and fifty feet in one diameter, and fifty eight feet in another. At the entrance is a party of Turks, who exact a fee from all who enter, and to whom we paid a dollar. The church is occupied in different parts by the Greeks, who have the largest space, by the Roman Catholics, the Armenians, and the Copts, all having their respective chapels. Here we see the numerous objects and places which faith or tradition has consecrated; the stone of unction, which is a splendid slab of marble laid over the spot, where our Lord's body was washed and anointed; the place where the Cross stood under the altar; the rock which was rent, when he died; the tomb in which he was laid, hung round with lamps. A great number of Christian pilgrims, especially of the Greek Church, resort here to keep the Christian festivals, particularly Holy Week and Easter. In 1820 there were more than three thousand of the latter communion, who made their way here to pay their devotion, to partake of the sacred fire, and going to Jordan to dip their