[354] Pope.
[355] Luke xix. 20.
[356] “The Bulbul of Iran has a passion for the rose, and when he sees any person pull a rose from the tree he laments and cries” (“Persian Poem,” quoted in Ouseley’s Oriental Collections).
[357] Basnage, bk. iii. ch. xix. s. xix.
[358] That phenomenon in the heavens, called the “Southern Cross,” appears to me so associated with the mystery of redemption, in all ages, that I cannot forbear drawing attention to the sign. The following is Captain Basil Hall’s description of this curious constellation.
“Of all the antarctic constellations, the celebrated Southern Cross is by far the most remarkable; and must in every age continue to arrest the attention of all voyagers and travellers who are fortunate enough to see it. I think it would strike the imagination even of a person who had never heard of the Christian religion; but of this it is difficult to judge, seeing how inextricably our own ideas are mingled up with associations linking this sacred symbol with almost every thought, word, and deed of our lives.
“The three great stars which form the Cross, one at the top, one at the left arm, and one, which is the chief star, called Alpha, at the foot, are so placed as to suggest the idea of a crucifix, even without the help of a small star, which completes the horizontal beam. When on the meridian, it stands nearly upright; and as it sets, we observe it lean over to the westward. I am not sure whether, upon the whole, this is not more striking than its gradually becoming more and more erect, as it rises from the east. In every position, however, it is beautiful to look at, and well calculated, with a little prompting from the fancy, to stir up our thoughts to solemn purposes.
“I know not how others are affected by such things, but for myself I can say with truth, that during the many nights I have watched the Southern Cross, I remember on two occasions, when the spectacle interested me exactly in the same way, nor any one upon which I did not discover the result to be somewhat different, and always more impressive than what I had looked for. This constellation, being about thirty degrees from the South Pole, is seen in its whole revolution, and accordingly, when off the Cape of Good Hope, I have observed it in every stage; from its triumphant erect position, between sixty and seventy degrees above the horizon, to that of complete immersion, with the top beneath, and almost touching the water. This position, by the way, always reminded me of the death of St. Peter, who is said to have deemed it too great an honour to be crucified with his head upwards. In short, I defy the stupidest mortal that ever lived, to watch these changes in the aspect of this splendid constellation, and not to be, in some degree, struck by them” (Fragments of Voyages).
[359] Isa. liii. 4, 5.
[360] Isa. liii. 3.