for，afterdinner，hecametomeagainandrenewedtheconversationwithespecialcordiality。IalsohadalongtalkwiththerealRiaz，andfoundhimintelligentandbroad—minded。
Onethinghesaidamusedme。ItwasthatheespeciallylikedtowelcomeAmericans，becausetheywerenotseekingtoexploitthecountry。
InCairoandAlexandriaIenjoyedmeetingtheAmericanandEnglishmissionaries，——amongthemmyoldYalefriendDr。HenryJessup，whohasforsomanyyearsrenderedadmirableservicesatBeyrout;butthemostnoteworthythingwasalecturewhichI
heardfromDr。Grant，aneminentPresbyterianphysicianconnectedwiththemission。ItwasonthesubjectoftheEgyptianTrinities。Thedoctorexplainedthem，aswellastheTrimurtisofIndia，byexpressinghisbeliefthatwhentheAlmightycamedowninthecoolofthedaytorefreshhimselfbywalkingandtalkingwithAdaminthegardenofEden，herevealedtothemanhehadmadesomeofthegreatmysteriesofthedivineexistence，andthatthesehad"leakedout"tomenwhotookthemintoothercountries，andtheretaughtthem！
IalsofoundatCairoanotherespeciallyinterestingmanofaverydifferentsort，anArmenian，Mr。Nimr;and，onvisitinghim，wasamazedtofindinhislibraryalargecollectionofEnglishandFrenchbooks，scientificandliterary——amongthemthe"NewYorkScientificMonthly"containingmyownarticles，whichhehaddonemethehonortoread。Ifoundthathehadbeen，atanearlierperiod，aprofessoratthecollegeestablishedbytheAmericanProtestantmissionariesatBeyrout;butthatheandseveralotherswhohadcometoadopttheDarwinianhypothesiswereonthataccountturnedoutoftheirsituations，andthathehadtakenrefugeinCairowherehewaspublishing，inArabic，adailynewspaperaweeklyliterarymagazine，andamonthlyscientificjournal。Iwasmuchstruckbyoneremarkofhis——whichwas，thathewasdoinghisbesttopromotetheinterestsofFreemasonryintheEast，astheonlymeansofbringingChristiansandMohammedanstogetherunderthesameroofformutualhelp，withthefeelingthattheywerechildrenofthesameGod。HetoldmethattheworstoppositionhehadmetcamefromaveryexcellentProtestantmissionary，whohadpubliclyinsistedthattheGodworshipedbytheMohammedanswasnottheGodworshipedbyChristians。ThisremindedmeofasermonwhichoneofmyfriendsheardinStrasburgCathedralinwhichapriest，reprovinghisCatholichearersforenteringintoanyrelationswithProtestants，especiallyopposedtheideathattheyworshipedthesameGod，andinsistedthattheGodoftheCatholicsandtheGodoftheProtestantsaretwodifferentbeings。
Amongthethingswhichgavemearealenjoymentatthisperiod，andaidedtorevivemyinterestintheworldaboutme，wastheSaracenicarchitectureofCairoanditsneighborhood。Nothingcouldbe，initsway，morebeautiful。IhadneverbeforerealizedhowmuchbeautyisobtainableunderthelimitationsofMohammedanism;theexquisitetraceryandfretworkoftheSaracenicperiodwereaconstantjoytome，andhappily，astherehadbeenno"restorers，"everythingremainedasithadleftthehandsofthemenofgeniuswhocreatedit。
Inthisolderarchitectureathousandthingsinterestedme;butthegreatesteffectwasproducedbythetombsatBeniHassan，asshowingthehistoricallinkingtogetherofhumanideasbothinartandscience——thedevelopmentofoneperiodoutofanother。UptothetimeofmyseeingthemIhadsupposedthattheDoricarchitectureofGreece，andespeciallytheDoriccolumn，wasofGreekcreation;nowIsawtheproofthatitwasevolvedoutofanearlierformuponthelowerNile，whichhaditself，doubtless，beendevelopedoutofformsyetearlier。
AtonethingIwasespeciallysurprised。Ifoundthat，excellentasareourmissionariesinthoseregions，theirworkhasnotatallbeenwhatthosewhosendthemhavesupposed。NoMohammedanconvertsaremade。Indeed，shouldthegoodmissionariesatCairowakeupsomefinemorninginthespaciousquartersforwhichtheyaresolargelyindebtedtothelateKhediveIsmail，andfindthattheyhadconvertedaMohammedan，theywouldbefilledwithconsternation。Theywouldpossiblybedrivenfromthecountry。
TherealMohammedancannotbeconverted。Therewere，indeed，afewpersons，hereandthere，claimingtobeconvertedJewsorMohammedans;butwewerealwayswarnedagainstthem，evenbyChristians，asfarlesstrustworthythanthosewhoweretruetotheiroriginalfaith。Whatevergoodisdonebythemissionariesisdonethroughtheirschools，towhichcomemanychildrenoftheCopts，withperhapsacertainnumberofMohammedansdesirousoflearningEnglish;andthegreatestofAmericanmissionarysuccessesisdoubtlessRobertCollegeatConstantinople，whichhascertainlydoneaverynobleworkamongthemoregiftedyoungmenoftheChristianpopulationsintheTurkishEmpire。
SeveraltimesIattendedserviceintheUnitedPresbyterianchurchatCairo，andfoundithard，unattractive，andlittlelikelytoinfluenceanyconsiderablenumberofpersons，whetherMohammedanorChristian。Itwasevidentthatthepreachers，asarule，wereentirelyoutofthecurrentofmoderntheologicalandreligiousthought，andthateventhebestandnoblestofthemrepresentedideasnolongerheldbytheirleadingcoreligionistsinthecountriesfromwhichtheycame。
AfterastayofthreemonthsinEgypt，weleftAlexandriaforAthens，whereIenjoyed，duringaconsiderablestay，theadvantagesofthelibraryattheAmericanSchoolofArchaeology，andthecompanionshipofmyfriendProfessorWaldstein，nowofCambridgeUniversity。VerydelightfulalsowereexcursionswithmyoldYalecompanion，WalkerFearne，ourministerinGreece，andhischarmingfamily，totheAcropolis，theTheaterofDionysus，theBayofSalamis，Megara，andotherplacesofinterest。AnespecialadvantagewehadinthecompanionshipofProfessorMahaffyofTrinityCollege，Dublin，whosecommentsonalltheseplacesweremostsuggestive。
VeryinterestingtomewasaninterviewwithTricoupis，theprimeministerofthekingdom。HistalkontheconditionofthingsinGreecewasthatofabroad—mindedstatesman。SpeakingoftherelationsoftheGreekChurchtothestate，hesaidthatthechurchhadkeptthelanguageandthenationalityofthepeoplealiveduringtheTurkishoccupation，butthat，inspiteofitsservices，ithadneverbeenallowedtodomineeroverthecountrypolitically;hedweltontheimportanceofpushingrailwaycommunicationsintoEurope，andlamentedtheobstaclesthrownintheirwaybyTurkey。HisreminiscencesofMr。BuchananandMr。
Dallas，whomhehadformerlyknownattheCourtofSt。JamesduringhisstayasministerinLondon，wereespeciallyinteresting。
Themostimportant"function"Isawwasthesolemn"TeDeum"atthecathedralontheanniversaryofGreekindependence，theKing，Queen，andcourtbeingpresent，butIwaslessimpressedbytheirdevotionthanbytheirreverenceofaconsiderablepartoftheaudience，who，atthecloseoftheservice，walkedaboutinthechurchwiththeirhatsontheirheads。AstothepriestswhoswarmedaboutusintheirByzantinecostumesandlonghair，IwasremindedofasententiousMoslemremarkregardingthem:"Muchhair，littlebrains。"
OnGoodFridayIvisitedMarsHillandmusedforanhouroverwhathascomefromthesermononcepreachedthere。
TowardtheendofAprilweleftthePiraeus，and，afterpassingthroughtheaegeanonamostbeautifulday，arrivedinConstantinople，whereImadetheacquaintanceofMr。Straus，ourministeratthatcapital。ThusbeganafriendshipwhichIhaveeversincegreatlyprized。Mr。StrausintroducedmetotwoofthemostinterestingmenIhaveevermet;thefirstofthesebeingHamdiBey，directoroftheImperialMuseumatConstantinople。
MeetinghimatMr。Straus’stableandinhisownhouse，Iheardhimdiscusssundryquestionsrelatingtomodernart——better，insomerespects，thananyotherpersonIhaveeverknown。NeverhaveIheardmoreadmirablydiscriminatingjudgmentsuponvariousmodernschoolsofpaintingthanthosewhichhethengaveme。
TheotherpersontowhomMr。StrausintroducedmewastheBritishambassador，SirWilliamWhite，whowasveryhospitable，andrevealedtomemuchinlifeandliterature。Onethingespeciallysurprisedme——namely，thatthoughaRomanCatholic，hehadagreatadmirationforRenan’swritings，ofwhichhewasaconstantreader。Here，too，IrenewedmyacquaintancewithvariousmembersofthediplomaticcorpswhomIhadmetelsewhere。CuriouswasaneveningvisittotheRussianEmbassy，Mrs。Strausbeingcarriedinasedan—chair，herhusbandwalkingbesideherineveningdressatonedoor，Iattheother，andakavass，withdrawnsword，marchingattheheadoftheprocession。
WhiletheMohammedanhistoryrevealedinConstantinoplegavemefrequentsubjectsofthought，IwasmoreconstantlycarriedbacktotheByzantineperiod。FortherewastheChurchofSt。Sophia！
Noedificehaseverimpressedmemore;indeed，inmanyrespects，nonehaseverimpressedmesomuch。Bearinginminditsorigin，itshistory，anditsarchitecture，itisdoubtlessthemostinterestingchurchintheworld。ThoughsmallerthanSt。Peter’satRome，itisvastlymoreimpressive。Takingintoaccounttheviewasoneenters，embracingtheloftyvaultsretreatingonallsides，thearchesspringingaboveourheads，and，crowningall，thedome，whichopensfullyuponthesightimmediatelyuponpassingthedoorway，itiscertainlythemostoverpoweringofChristianchurches。Gibbon’spicturesthrongeduponme，andveryvividly，asIvisitedthegroundwhereformerlystoodtheGreatCircus，andnotedtheremainsofmonumentswherethe"Blues"and"Greens"convulsedthecitywiththeirbloodyfactionfights，andwheresquabblingChristiansectspreparedthewayforthatTurkishdominionwhichhasnowburdenedthiswearyearthformorethanfivehundredyears。
FromConstantinople，byBuda—Pesth，Vienna，Munich，Ulm，andFrankfort—on—the—Main，toParis，stoppingineachofthesecities，mainlyforbook—hunting。AtMunichIspentconsiderabletimeintheRoyalLibrary，wherevariousrareworksrelatingtothebearingoftheologyoncivilizationwereplacedatmydisposal;andatFrankfortaddedlargelytomylibrary——especiallymonographsonEgyptandilluminatedmanuscriptsofthemiddleages。
AtParistheExpositionof1889wasinfullblast。AstotheAmericanexhibit，thereweresomethingstobelamented。Our"commissionofexperts"wasinpartremarkablywellchosen;amongthembeinganumberofthebestmenintheirdepartmentsthatAmericahasproduced;but，ontheotherhand，thereweresomewhohadevidentlybeenfoisteduponthePresidentbypoliticiansinremoteStates——so—called"experts，"yetasunfitasitispossibletoconceiveanyhumanbeingstobe。Oneofthese，whowasresponsibleforoneofthemostimportantAmericandepartments，wasutterlyhelpless。Dayinanddayout，hesatinakindofdazeattheAmericanheadquarters，doingnothing——indeed，evidentlyincapableofdoinganything。Oneortwoofhisassociates，aswellassundryFrenchmen，askedmetoaidingettinghisdepartmentintosomeorder;andthis，thoughgreatlypressedfortime，Idid，——devotingtothetaskseveraldayswhichIcouldillafford。
VeryhappywasIoveroneimprovementwhichtheUnitedStateshadmadesincetheformerexposition，atwhichIhadmyselfbeenacommissioner。ThenalllamentedandapologizedfortheconditionoftheAmericanArtGallery;nowtherewasnoneedeitheroflamentationorapology，forthere，inalltheirbeauty，wereportraitsbySargent，andGariMelchers’spictureof"ACommunionDayinHolland...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：