a high mountain of Palestine, standing on the skirts of the sea, and forming the most remarkable head-land on all that coast. It extends eastward from the sea as far as the plain of Jezreel, and from the city of that name quite to Cesarea on the south. It seems to have had the name of Carmel from its great fertility; this word, according to the Hebrew import, signifying the vine of God, and is used in scripture to denote any fruitful spot, or any place planted with fruit-trees. This mountain, we are assured, was very fertile. Mr Sandys acquaints us, that, when well cultivated, it abounds with olives, vines, and variety of fruits and herbs both medicinal and aromatic. Others, however, represent it as rather dry and barren; which perhaps may have happened from the neglect of agriculture so common in all parts of the Turkish empire, especially where they are exposed to the incursions of the Arabs.

Carmel is the name of the mountain, and of a city built on it; as well as of a heathen deity worshipped in it, but without either temple or statue: tho' anciently there must have been a temple, as we are told that this mountain was a favourite retreat of Pythagoras, who spent a good deal of time in the temple, without any person with him. But what hath rendered mount Carmel most celebrated and revered both by Jews and Christians, is its having been the residence of the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to have lived there in a cave, (which is there shown), before he was taken up into heaven.