Now that both Germany and America have permanent
archaeological schools in Jerusalem for the training of future
archaeologists, who will begin their work with a knowledge
of the country and of its language, we may hope for a more
systematic investigation of the treasures of Syria — ^treasures
of so many races, so many cycles and so many creeds — ^than
has hitherto been in any degree possible.
371



INNER JERUSALEM

In Jerusalem, as may have been gathered, the main
interest of educated society centres round the past, a subject
upon which I might indefinitely enlarge if my initial under-
taking had not been that I would not worry my reader with
discussion on points such as where Absalom's tomb isn't,
a type of discussion which, even here, is in ninety-nine cases
out of a hundred absolutely unprofitable, because it is,
except among a few of the small number who possess any
archaeological knowledge, entirely unconnected with any
genuine antiquarian, historical, or even religious interest.
The dispassionate reader can have no conception of the
extent to which, in this connexion, a sane adult can
utterly refuse all inquiry into Mstory, archaeology, proba-
bility, testimony, to what degree he can abandon himself to
his feelings, lest he should be accused of being emotional ; to
hearsay evidence, lest he should be suspected of lending an
ear to tradition ; to the testimony of lus senses, lest he should
have to reproach himself with being too readily convinced.
