[Footnote 15: P. 156. _Apart—like fire-flies in Sicilian night._
I have often noticed a peculiar movement of the fire-flies;—they will
collect in a body and fly off, from a common centre, into innumerable
radii.]
[Footnote 16: P. 158. _Her way—but left not yet her Therasæan reign._
Therassea, or Therasea, the island mentioned by Seneca, which, in a
moment, arose from the sea to the eyes of astonished mariners.]
[Footnote 17: P. 160.
_Of molten stars their pavement, such as fall
Thro’ the ebon air._
Some star which, from the ruin’d roof
Of shaked Olympus, by mischance, did fall.—_Milton._]
[Footnote 18: P. 161. _Friezes from Tadmor and Persepolis._
Voltaire, in speaking of Persepolis, says, “Je connois bien
l’admiration qu’inspirent ces ruines—mais un palais érigé au pied d’une
chaine des rochers sterils—peut-il être un chef-d’œuvre des arts?”]
[Footnote 19: P. 161. _Of beautiful Gomorrah! O, the wave._
“Oh! the wave”—Ula Deguisi is the Turkish appellation; but, on its own
shores, it is called Bahar Loth, or Almotanah. There were undoubtedly
more than two cities engulfed in the “Dead Sea.” In the valley of
Siddim were five—Adrah, Zeboin, Zoar, Sodom and Gomorrah. Stephen of
Byzantium mentions eight, and Strabo thirteen (engulfed)—but the last
is out of all reason.
It is said, [Tacitus, Strabo, Josephus, Daniel of St. Saba, Nau,
Maundrell, Troilo, D’Arvieux] that after an excessive drought, the
vestiges of columns, walls, &c. are seen above the surface. At _any_
season, such remains may be discovered by looking down into the
transparent lake, and at such distances as would argue the existence of
many settlements in the space now usurped by the “Asphaltites.”]
[Footnote 20: P. 161. _That stole upon the ear, in
Eyraco._}—Eyraco—Chaldæa.]
[Footnote 21: P. 161. _Is not its form—its voice—most palpable and
loud?_
I have often thought I could distinctly hear the sound of the darkness
as it stole over the horizon.]
[Footnote 22: P. 162. _Young flowers were whispering in melody._