Next to seeing a foreign land with one’s own eyes is seeing it through the eyes of an intelligent, appreciative countryman. The word is purposely chosen, because one wishes to know what is observed and thought by a person who has tastes, sympathies and views in common with himself. A thousand things in a strange country are interesting and in different degrees. One studies historically, another socially, another politically, another ecclesiastically, while unfortunately not a few rush pell-mell bringing back the most superficial and indistinct impressions. Some find most satisfaction in architecture, while others have their chiefest enjoyment in sculpture, in painting, in natural scenery, in costumes and customs. No two have precisely the same fancies, and yet an observant, cultivated countryman is more likely to please us by what he likes and describes than is a foreigner whose point of view and whose mental habitudes are so different from our own. What is most pleasing in a book of travels is wide and varied observation, is an account of several countries inhabited by different races and distinguished by marked peculiarities.

This volume embraces a wide extent of travel, and includes an account of visits to Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Palestine, Egypt, etc. The full table of contents is a little misleading, for the chapters pertaining to Europe are short, and Palestine takes up a considerable portion of the work. The author, avoiding what is dry or didactic, manages to compress into his pages much valuable and trustworthy information. His own religious denomination, naturally and properly, is not overlooked, and from eminent men he has succeeded in obtaining monographs which give interesting facts, drawn from most authentic sources. The portraitures of men, of whom everybody wishes to know more, constitute an interesting feature of the book.

The journey was not a mere vacation tour, a hasty gallop to points visited by circular tourists, but it comprised many months of patient toil, nor were the countries seen from the windows of the car of an express train. Lubboch, in his essay on the Pleasures of Travel, says that some think that every one should travel on foot “like Thales, Plato and Pythagoras.” Mr. Whittle is a pedestrian by choice, full of enterprise, activity, courage and enthusiasm, and on foot he deviated often from the beaten paths, and had opportunities for careful examination of objects of interest and for much pleasant and instructive intercourse with the “common people.” With an eye quick to discern what was peculiar, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, he combined a cheerful disposition, a ready appreciation of the humorous, and has succeeded in giving the public a volume, every page of which is interesting.

Travel, as a means of improvement, of education, of broadening horizon, of getting us out of narrow ruts, can hardly be overestimated. A visit to Europe, Africa and Asia makes objective what was subjective, and gives realism to what was before vaguely in our memories. Some acquaintance with geography, with history, literature, art, enhances the interest and the profit. A young student who had visited Jerusalem was much flattered by a request from Humboldt to call and see him. The savant soon showed that from reading and inquiry he had more knowledge of the city than the youth had acquired by his visit. With some mortification and a little petulance the young man said: “I understood, sir, that you had never visited the Holy City.” “True,” replied Humboldt, “I never have; but I once got ready to go.” Mr. Whittle, with wise forethought, had made preparation for his visit. He knew what he wanted to see, traveled with a purpose, and has so imparted to his readers what he learned and observed that one catches in part the enthusiasm of the traveler.

J. L. M. Curry.