[p.584] the monks and Bedouins, in order that they may multiply the
objects of veneration and curiosity within the pilgrims tour round the
convent.
On my return to the convent I could not help expressing to several of
the monks my surprise at the metamorphosis of a calf into a cow, and of
an idol of gold into stone; but I found that they were too little read
in the books of Moses to understand even this simple question, and I
therefore did not press the subject. I believe there is not a single
individual amongst them, who has read the whole of the Old Testament;
nor do I think that among eastern Christians in general there is one in
a thousand, of those who can read, that has ever taken that trouble.
They content themselves, in general, with their prayer-books, liturgies,
and histories of saints; few of them read the gospels, though more do so
in Syria than in Egypt; the reading of the whole of the scripture is
discountenanced by the clergy; the wealthy seldom have the inclination
to prosecute the study of the Holy writings, and no others are able to
procure a manuscript copy of the Bible, or one printed in the two
establishments in Mount Libanus. The well meant endeavours of the Bible
Society in England to supply them with printed copies of the Scriptures
in Arabic, if not better directed than they have hitherto been, will
produce very little effect in these countries. The cost of such a copy,
trifling as it may seem in England, is a matter of importance to the
poor Christians of the east; the Society has, besides, chosen a version
which is not current in the east, where the Roman translation alone is
acknowledged by the Clergy, who easily make their flocks believe that
the Scriptures have been interpolated by the Protestants. It would,
perhaps, have been better if the Society, in the beginning at least, had
furnished the eastern Christians with cheap copies of the Gospels and
Psalms only, which being the books chiefly in use among them in
manuscript,
[p.585] would have been not only useful to them, but more approved of by
the directors of their consciences, than the entire Scripture. Upon
Mohammedans, it is vain to expect that the reading of the present Arabic
version of the Bible should make the slightest impression. If any of
them were brought to conquer their inherent aversion to the book, they
could not read a page in it without being tired and disgusted with its
style. In the Koran they possess the purest and most elegant composition
in their language, the rhythmical prose of which, exclusive of the
sacred light in which they hold it, is alone sufficient to make a strong
impression upon them. The Arabic of the greater part of the Bible, on
the contrary, and especially that of the Gospels, is in the very worst
style; the books of Moses and the Psalms are somewhat better.
Grammatical rules, it is true, are observed, and chosen terms are
sometimes employed; but the phraseology and whole construction is
generally contrary to the spirit of the language, and so uncouth, harsh,
affected, and full of foreign idioms, that no Musselman scholar would be
tempted to prosecute the study of it, and a few only would thoroughly
understand it. In style and phraseology it differs from the Koran more
than the monkish Latin from the orations of Cicero.
I will not take upon me to declare how far the Roman and the Societys
Arabic translation of the Old Testament are defective, being unable to
read the original Hebrew text; but I can affirm that they both disagree,
in many instances, from the English translation. The Christians of the
East, who will seldom read any book written by a Moslem, and to whom an
accurate knowledge of Arabic and of the best writers in that language
are consequently unknown, are perfectly satisfied with the style of the
Roman version which is in use among them; it is for the sake of perusing
it that they undertake a grammatical study of the Arabic language, and
their priests and
[p.586] learned men usually make it the model of their own style; they
would be unwilling therefore to admit any other translation; and there
is not, at present, either in Syria or in Egypt any Christian priest so
bold and so learned as Bishop Germanus Ferhat of Aleppo, who openly
expressed his dislike of this translation, and had declared his
intention of altering it himself, for which, and other reasons, he was
branded with the epithet of heretic. For Arab Christians, therefore, the
Roman translation will not easily be superseded, and if Mussulmans are
to be tempted to study the Scriptures, they must be clothed in more
agreeable language, than that which has lately been presented to them,
for they are the last people upon whom precepts conveyed in rude
language will have any effect.
In the present state of western Asia, however, the conversion of
Mohammedans is very difficult; I have heard only of one instance during
the last century, and the convert was immediately shipped off to Europe.
On the other hand, should an European power ever obtain a firm footing
in Egypt, it is probable that many years would not elapse before
thousands of Moslems would profess Christianity; not from the dictates
of their conscience or judgment, but from views of worldly interest.
I was cordially greeted on my return to the convent, by the monks and
the fatherly Ikonómos, one of the best-natured churchmen I have met with
in the East. The safe return of pilgrims from the holy mountains is
always a subject of gratulation, so great is their dread of the Arabs. I
rested the following day in the convent, where several Greeks from Tor
and Suez had arrived; being friends of the monks, they were invited in
the evening to the private apartments of the latter, where they were
plied so bountifully with brandy that they all retired tipsy to bed.
Several Bedouins had acquainted me that a thundering noise,