THE GREAT TEMPLE OF DIANA

AT EPHESUS.

"THE mighty hunter,

lifting up

his eyes

Towards the crescent moon, with grateful heart
Call'd on the lovely wanderer who bestowed

That timely light, to share his joyous sport:
And hence a beaming goddess with her nymphs,
Across the lawn and through the darksome grove
(Not unaccompanied with tuneful notes

By echo multiplied from rock or cave)

Swept in the storm of chase, as moon and stars
Glance rapidly along the clouded heaven,
When winds are blowing strong."

WORDSWORTH.

"GREAT is Diana of the Ephesians," was the tumultuous exclamation of the people, when the inspired apostle of the gentiles first preached the Christian faith in the metropolis of Asia. The exclamation was a natural one; for this city held the pre-eminence over all others in which the worship of Diana was conducted.

Ephesus, a city of Asia Minor, thirty-eight miles south-south-east of Smyrna, was anciently one of the most splendid in the world, and, in later times, the seat of one of the " seven Churches" to whom St. John opened the awakening voice of the Apocalypse. When speaking of this renowned city, the Greek writers are

"PF GREAT TEMPLE OF DIANA

AT EPHESUS.

rallan er, lifting up nis eyes

3

nr, een moon, with a fal hart
the lovely war dere, who bestowed

That they i Lt, to share his joyous sport

And hence a ale.

dess with her nymphs,

Across the law, and through the Carksome gi
(Not empared with tinul notes

By chan it did in rok or cave)

sept stern of obas., as moon and stars
(esence i pidly sing the clouded heaven,
When winds are blowing strong."

WORDSWORT

"CRF is Dian of the Eplesias," v. exclamacion of the people, wwat

seat

opened n

tle of the gentiles first preached sne
to the metropolis of Asia. The axel at. 1
da: for this city held the pre-..
which the worship of Di..

peaking or