Itisanevilgrowingoutofourrepublicaninstitutions，thathereamanoflargepursehasusuallyaverylittlesoulwhichhekeepsinit。
Thecorruptionoftasteisaportionorapendantofthedollar-manufacsure。Aswegrowrich，ourideasgrowrusty。Itis，therefore，notamong_our_aristocracythatwemustlookifatall，inAppallachia，forthespiritualityofaBritish_boudoir。_ButwehaveseenapartmentsinthetenureofAmericansofmoderns[possibly“modest“or“moderate“]means，which，innegativemeritatleast，mightviewithanyofthe_or-molu’d_cabinetsofourfriendsacrossthewater。Even_now_，thereispresenttoourmind’seyeasmallandnot，ostentatiouschamberwithwhosedecorationsnofaultcanbefound。Theproprietorliesasleeponasofa-
theweatheriscool-thetimeisnearmidnight：arcwillmakeasketchoftheroomduringhisslumber。
Itisoblong-somethirtyfeetinlengthandtwenty-fiveinbreadth-
ashapeaffordingthebestordinaryopportunitiesfortheadjustmentoffurniture。Ithasbutonedoor-bynomeansawideone-whichisatoneendoftheparallelogram，andbuttwowindows，whichareattheother。
Theselatterarelarge，reachingdowntothefloor-havedeeprecesses-
andopenonanItalian_veranda。_Theirpanesareofacrimson-tintedglass，setinrose-woodframings，moremassivethanusual。Theyarecurtainedwithintherecess，byathicksilvertissueadaptedtotheshapeofthewindow，andhanginglooselyinsmallvolumes。Withouttherecessarecurtainsofanexceedinglyrichcrimsonsilk，fringedwithadeepnetworkofgold，andlinedwithsilvertissue，whichisthematerialoftheexteriorblind。Therearenocornices；butthefoldsofthewholefabricwhicharesharpratherthanmassive，andhaveanairyappearance，issuefrombeneathabroadentablatureofrichgiltwork，whichencirclestheroomatthejunctionoftheceilingandwalls。Thedraperyisthrownopenalso，orclosed，bymeansofathickropeofgoldlooselyenvelopingit，andresolvingitselfreadilyintoaknot；nopinsorothersuchdevicesareapparent。Thecoloursofthecurtainsandtheirfringe-thetintsofcrimsonandgold-appeareverywhereinprofusion，anddeterminethe_character_oftheroom。Thecarpet-ofSaxonymaterial-isquitehalfaninchthick，andisofthesamecrimsonground，relievedsimplybytheappearanceofagoldcordlikethatfestooningthecurtainsslightlyrelievedabovethesurfaceofthe_ground，_andthrownuponitinsuchamannerastoformasuccessionofshortirregularcurves-oneoccasionallyoverlayingtheother。Thewallsarepreparedwithaglossypaperofasilvergraytint，spottedwithsmallArabesquedevicesofafainterhueoftheprevalentcrimson。Manypaintingsrelievetheexpanseofpaper。Thesearechieflylandscapesofanimaginativecast-suchasthefairygrottoesofStanfield，orthelakeoftheDismalSwampofChapman。
Thereare，nevertheless，threeorfourfemaleheads，ofanetherealbeauty-portraitsinthemannerofSully。Thetoneofeachpictureiswarm，butdark。Thereareno“brillianteffects。”_Repose_speaksinall。Notoneisofsmallsize。Diminutivepaintingsgivethat_spotty_looktoaroom，whichistheblemishofsomanyafineworkofArtovertouched。Theframesarebroadbutnotdeep，andrichlycarved，withoutbeing_dulled_orfilagreed。Theyhavethewholelustreofburnishedgold。Theylieflatonthewalls，anddonothangoffwithcords。Thedesignsthemselvesareoftenseentobetteradvantageinthislatterposition，butthegeneralappearanceofthechamberisinjured。Butonemirror-andthisnotaverylargeone-isvisible。Inshapeitisnearlycircular-anditishungsothatareflectionofthepersoncanbeobtainedfromitinnoneoftheordinarysitting-placesoftheroom。Twolargelowsofasofrosewoodandcrimsonsilk，gold-flowered，formtheonlyseats，withtheexceptionoftwolightconversationchairs，alsoofrose-wood。Thereisapianoforterose-wood，also，withoutcover，andthrownopen。Anoctagonaltable，formedaltogetheroftherichestgold-threadedmarble，isplacednearoneofthesofas。Thisisalsowithoutcover-thedraperyofthecurtainshasbeenthoughtsufficient……FourlargeandgorgeousSevresvases，inwhichbloomaprofusionofsweetandvividflowers，occupytheslightlyroundedanglesoftheroom。Atallcandelabrum，bearingasmallantiquelampwithhighlyperfumedoil，isstandingneartheheadofmysleepingfriend。Somelightandgracefulhangingshelves，withgoldenedgesandcrimsonsilkcordswithgoldtassels，sustaintwoorthreehundredmagnificentlyboundbooks。Beyondthesethings，thereisnofurniture，ifweexceptanArgandlamp，withaplaincrimson-tintedgroundglassshade，whichdependsfromHeloftyvaultedceilingbyasingleslendergoldchain，andthrowsatranquilbutmagicalradianceoverall。
IntensosrigidarninfronternascenderecanosPassuserat-
_-LucanDeCatone_-
abristly_bore。_
_Translation_
LETushurrytothewalls。”saidAbel-PhittimtoBuzi-Ben-LeviandSimeonthePharisee，onthetenthdayofthemonthThammuz，intheyearoftheworldthreethousandninehundredandfortyoneletushastentotherampartsadjoiningthegateofBenjamin，whichisinthecityofDavid，andoverlookingthecampoftheuncircumcised；foritisthelasthourofthefourthwatch，beingsunrise；andtheidolaters，infulfilmentofthepromiseofPompey，shouldbeawaitinguswiththelambsforthesacrifices。”
Simeon，Abel-Phittim，andDuzi-Ben-LeviweretheGizbarim，orsub-collectorsoftheoffering，intheholycityofJerusalem。
“Verily。”repliedthePharisee；“letushasten：forthisgenerosityintheheathenisunwonted；andfickle-mindednesshaseverbeenanattributeoftheworshippersofBaal。”
“’Thattheyarefickle-mindedandtreacherousisastrueasthePentateuch。”saidBuzi-Ben-Levi，“butthatisonlytowardthepeopleofAdonai。WhenwasiteverknownthattheAmmonitesprovedwantingtotheirowninterests？MethinksitisnogreatstretchofgenerositytoallowuslambsforthealtaroftheLord，receivinginlieuthereofthirtysilvershekelsperhead！”
“Thouforgettest，however，Ben-Levi。”repliedAbel-Phittim，“thattheRomanPompey，whoisnowimpiouslybesiegingthecityoftheMostHigh，hasnoassuritythatweapplynotthelambsthuspurchasedforthealtar，tothesustenanceofthebody，ratherthanofthespirit。”
“Now，bythefivecornersofmybeard！”shoutedthePharisee，whobelongedtothesectcalledTheDashersthatlittleknotofsaintswhosemannerof_dashing_andlaceratingthefeetagainstthepavementwaslongathornandareproachtolesszealousdevotees-astumbling-blocktolessgiftedperambulators“bythefivecornersofthatbeardwhich，asapriest，I
amforbiddentoshave！-havewelivedtoseethedaywhenablasphemingandidolatrousupstartofRomeshallaccuseusofappropriatingtotheappetitesofthefleshthemostholyandconsecratedelements？Havewelivedtoseethedaywhen-“’
“LetusnotquestionthemotivesofthePhilistine。”interruptedAbel-Phittim’“forto-dayweprofitforthefirsttimebyhisavariceorbyhisgenerosity；butratherletushurrytotheramparts，lestofferingsshouldbewantingforthataltarwhosefiretherainsofheavencannotextinguish，andwhosepillarsofsmokenotempestcanturnaside。”
ThatpartofthecitytowhichourworthyGizbarimnowhastened，andwhichborethenameofitsarchitect，KingDavid，wasesteemedthemoststronglyfortifieddistrictofJerusalem；beingsituateduponthesteepandloftyhillofZion。Here，abroad，deep，circumvallatorytrench，hewnfromthesolidrock，wasdefendedbyawallofgreatstrengtherecteduponitsinneredge。Thiswallwasadorned，atregularinterspaces，bysquaretowersofwhitemarble；thelowestsixty，andthehighestonehundredandtwentycubits-inheight。But，inthevicinityofthegateofBenjamin，thewallarosebynomeansfromthemarginofthefosse。Onthecontrary，betweentheleveloftheditchandthebasementoftherampartsprangupaperpendicularcliffoftwohundredandfiftycubits，formingpartoftheprecipitousMountMoriah。SothatwhenSimeonandhisassociatesarrivedonthesummitofthetowercalledAdoni-Bezek-theloftiestofalltheturretsaroundaboutJerusalem，andtheusualplaceofconferencewiththebesiegingarmy-theylookeddownuponthecampoftheenemyfromaneminenceexcellingbymanyfeetthatofthePyramidofCheops，and，byseveral，thatofthetempleofBelus。
“Verily。”sighedthePharisee，ashepeereddizzilyovertheprecipice，“theuncircumcisedareasthesandsbytheseashore-asthelocustsinthewilderness！ThevalleyoftheKinghathbecomethevalleyofAdommin。”
“Andyet。”addedBen-Levi，“thoucanstnotpointmeoutaPhilistine-no，notone-fromAlephtoTau-fromthewildernesstothebattlements-whoseemethanybiggerthantheletterJod！”
“Lowerawaythebasketwiththeshekelsofsilver！”hereshoutedaRomansoldierinahoarse，roughvoice，whichappearedtoissuefromtheregionsofPluto-“lowerawaythebasketwiththeaccursedcoinwhichithasbrokenthejawofanobleRomantopronounce！IsitthusyouevinceyourgratitudetoourmasterPompeius，who，inhiscondescension，hasthoughtfittolistentoyouridolatrousimportunities？ThegodPhoebus，whoisatruegod，hasbeenchariotedforanhour-andwereyounottobeontherampartsbysunrise？Aedepol！doyouthinkthatwe，theconquerorsoftheworld，havenothingbettertodothanstandwaitingbythewallsofeverykennel，totrafficwiththedogsoftheearth？Loweraway！Isayandseethatyourtrumperybebrightincolorandjustinweight！”
“ElElohim！”ejaculatedthePharisee，asthediscordanttonesofthecenturionrattledupthecragsoftheprecipice，andfaintedawayagainstthetemple-“ElElohim！whoisthegodPhoebus？whomdoththeblasphemerinvoke？Thou，Buzi-BenLevi！whoartreadinthelawsoftheGentiles，andhastsojournedamongthemwhodabblewiththeTeraphim！isitNergalofwhomtheidolaterspeaketh？orAshimah？orNibhaz，orTartak？orAdramalech？orAnamalech？orSuccoth-Benith？-orDagon？-orBelial？-orBaal-Perith？-orBaal-Peor？-orBaal-Zebub？”
“Verilyitisneither-butbewarehowthoulettesttheropesliptoorapidlythroughthyfingers；forshouldthewicker-workchancetohangontheprojectionofYondercrag，therewillbeawofuloutpouringoftheholythingsofthesanctuary。”
Bytheassistanceofsomerudelyconstructedmachinery，theheavilyladenbasketwasnowcarefullylowereddownamongthemultitude；and，fromthegiddypinnacle，theRomanswereseengatheringconfusedlyroundit；butowingtothevastheightandtheprevalenceofafog，nodistinctviewoftheiroperationscouldbeobtained。
Halfanhourhadalreadyelapsed。
“Weshallbetoolate！”sighedthePharisee，asattheexpirationofthisperiodhelookedoverintotheabyss-“weshallbetoolate！weshallbeturnedoutofofficebytheKatholim。”
“Nomore。”respondedAbel-Phittim-“nomoreshallwefeastuponthefatoftheland-nolongershallourbeardsbeodorouswithfrankincenseourloinsgirdedupwithfinelinenfromtheTemple。”
“Racal“sworeBen-Levi，“Racaldotheymeantodefraudusofthepurchasemoney？or，HolyMoses！aretheyweighingtheshekelsofthetabernacle？”
“Theyhavegiventhesignalatlast！”criedthePharisee-“theyhavegiventhesignalatlast！pullaway，Abel-Phittim！-andthou，Buzi-Ben-Levi，pullaway！-forverilythePhilistineshaveeitherstillholduponthebasket，ortheLordhathsoftenedtheirheartstoplacethereinabeastofgoodweight！”AndtheGizbarimpulledaway，whiletheirburdenswungheavilyupwardthroughthestillincreasingmist。
“Booshohhe！”-as，attheconclusionofanhour，someobjectattheextremityoftheropebecameindistinctlyvisible-“Booshohhe！”wastheexclamationwhichburstfromthelipsofBen-Levi。
“Booshohhe！forshame！-itisaramfromthethicketsofEngedi，andasruggedasthevalleyofjehosaphat！”
“Itisafirstlingoftheflock。”saidAbel-Phittim，“Iknowhimbythebleatingofhislips，andtheinnocentfoldingofhislimbs。HiseyesaremorebeautifulthanthejewelsofthePectoral，andhisfleshislikethehoneyofHebron。”
“ItisafattedcalffromthepasturesofBashan。”saidthePharisee，“theheathenhavedealtwonderfullywithusletusraiseupourvoicesinapsalmletusgivethanksontheshawmandonthepsaltery-ontheharpandonthehuggab-onthecythernandonthesackbut！”
ItwasnotuntilthebaskethadarrivedwithinafewfeetoftheGizbarimthatalowgruntbetrayedtotheirperceptionahogofnocommonsize。
“NowElEmanu！”slowlyandwithupturnedeyesejaculatedthetrio，as，lettinggotheirhold，theemancipatedporkertumbledheadlongamongthePhilistines，“ElEmanu！-Godbewithus-itis_theunutterableflesh！”_