The Press.
London, England, 1856-06-14 00:00:00

JUNE 14, 1856.

fittraturt.

Wanderings in North Africa. By James
Hamilton. London: Murray.

THE tourist need never despair. There is
always novelty in store for him, Mr. Hamil-
ton has opened to our view on the south shore
of the Mediterranean one of the most lovely
countries on the face of the earth, once the
site of a splendid and populous Grecian city,
but for centuries totally forgotten, and now
scarcely known to the crowl who by descrip-
tion are perfectly familiar with the site and
monuments of Nineveh.
The classical reader need not be reminded
of the fame once enjoyed by Cyrene.
Aristotle had a book—unfortunately lost—on
the politics of the Republic ; and Plato, as un•
fortunately, declined to embody his ideas in a
model constitution for its government. In the
most flourishing period of the Ureek States it
rivalled Carthage in prosperity. From its
proximity to Egypt it fell under the dominion
of Alexander and his successors, was swept by
the wave of Mahommedan conquest, and now
forms the eastern part of the Turkish pacha-
lik of Tripoli. It has been visited and
described by some modern travellers; but Mr.
Hamilton is the first who, in our own day, has
shown the ease with which it may be visited,
the charms of its scenery, and the rich
harvest its ruins present to the antiquary and
scholar. Though the city itself has almost
disappeared—the extent of tombs alone re-
maining to show how vast and magnificent it
must once have been—yet the beauty of its
site remains, and the fountain of Apollo still
pours forth its pure refreshing waters as
gratefully as when the band of Therieans,
searching for a home, clustered round the
perennial spring, and returned thanks to the
god who had conducted them to this lovely
site, with a fertile country around and "an
open heaven " above.
Mr Hamilton landed at Benghazi, the prin-
cipal town of the district, in the summer of
1852 There he made his preparations for a
journey by land to Cyrene, or as it is now
called Grennah. He took with him tents and
all requisites for a stay of some months, in-
tending to see what could be done by excava-
tion, but the means at his disposal were too
limited. Signal success will probably reward
the enterprising traveller who may be in a
condition to commence excavations on a
larger scale. The country of which Cyrene
was the capital consists of a succession of
hills and tablelands. In this undulating
district is to be found great variety of climate ;
it is watered by numerous streams issuing
from copious springs, and has an abundance
of shade. The region is not less healthy than
beautiful. The author writes :

I came to the country an invalid, and was exceedingly
unwell when I started for Grennah ; but its pure air and
lovely scenery restored me to perfect health. For those
who seek summer quarters in the Mediterranean, I again
repeat to them my former advice to choose the pleasant
solitudes of Cyrene in preference to the Syrian hills, where
so much sickness and mortality prevail.

The third chapter of the volume (pp. 33
—54) gives a general description of the ruins.
The author seems inclined to believe that
volcanic forces must have aided the destruc-
tive efforts of man in the utter devastation of
the city:—

The destruction is in fact so complete, and the muses
overthrown so gigantic, that one can hardly ascribe the
present havoc to the hand of man or the wasting decay of
ages. Though there are now no appearances of volcanic
action, we find mention of earthquakes in Synesius ; and
the whole of the seacoast as seen at Benghazi and Apol-
lonia has subsided—an evidence at least of the presence
of volcanic forces; and by this agency alone does it seem
possible that such utter destruction could have been
caused. The greater devourer of the cities of antiquity,
a modern town rising in the vicinity, has not here aided the
destroyer • for the seventh century is the very latest date
that can be ascribed to any single building in a very wide
circuit; and the nature of the country, cut up by ravines,
and for ages destitute of roads, renders the transport of
heavy blocks of stone impossible. If its present destruc-
tion be due to the nomad tribes (ot whose attacks Sync.
sins speaks), who feared that Cyrene might again become
a flourishing city, and their mistress, we cannot, after ad-
miring the laborious energy of her builders, but wonder at
the persevering fury of her destroyers.

The fountain of Apollo, probably from its
use, has been less injured than other portions
of Cyrene :

THE PRESS.

On arriving at Grennah, the first object which naturally
attracts the traveller's attention is the fountain of Cyre—
the cause which led to the choice of this site for building
the city, and in the days of its prosperity the spot round
which most of the public buildings were grouped. Though
the volume of water which it pours out has much di-
minished, eden in the memory of man, it is still the most
abundant spring in this neighbourhood, and flocks of
sheep and goats, and herds of cattle, daily cover the
ground, where once the sacred rites of Apollo, or the
affairs of their prosperous commerce, assembled the
citizens of Cyrene. The stream of water issues from a
natural passage artificially widened; it falls into a shallow,
square reservoir cut into the ground of the cave ; and
hence it was formerly distributed, through a series of stone
channels, of which many fragments still remain. The
external rock is smoothed to receive the addition of a
portico of that beautiful white limestone, closer grained
than marble, which acquires in time a warm golden hue.
The line of the fountain, deeply cut in the rock, shows the
outline of its architecture, and the three lower courses of
masonry its material. In the rock to the right is an in-
scription, beautifully cut, recording a restoration of the
fountain, which, from its position, as well as its clear sim-
ple characters, may well be of earlier date than the first
century which is generally assigned to it. In front of the
fountain two massive walls support narrow platforms,
the lower of which is covered with the foundations of
buildings, whose marble fragments indicate considerable
magnificence. Beneath these extend a broad terrace,
seven hundred feet in length, supported by a lofty and
very massive wall, which is still in great part entire.
As one stands in front of the fountain, looking to
the sea, this platform, covered with ruins, lies at one's
feet; while beyond, the long lines of the Eastern Necro-
polis wind round the curves of the hills, and the plain
beneath is seen dotted with ruins, or intersected by old
roads.

Mr. Hamilton then enters into details as to
particular edifices : the Temple of Apollo
seems to have been one of the most beautiful
buildings, but the Greek theatre is noted as
" the best preserved monument." He notes
that " the medals often found are both rare
" and beautiful, but the marbles are not of
" first-rate value." This remark is, however,
to he taken with some qualification :

I except the three dancing figures, a bas-relief on lime-
stone, near the fountain, now, alas! sadly mutilated. They
are even now worthy a place in a museum, as they are of
great artistic interest, showing the passage from the
archaic style of the Elgin marbles to the more graceful
execution of the classic school.

In one passage the author seems to regret
that some fresco pictures have been transferred
from the tombs of the Necropolis to the
Louvre. The sentiment is scarcely worthy
his manly mind. livery lover of art must
wish that the remains which are of value
should be preserved from that process of
destruction which is still going on. The
Arabs are the most filthy and brutal of their
race. Among the ruins was an altar of white
marble:—

When I first saw it there was on one side a votive in.
scription which it was difficult to decipher; unfortunately
I deferred copying it at the time, and on my return some
days afterw irds I found that it had been defaced by the
Arabs. They had probably seen me stopping before and
examining the inscription, which was, I fear, w►th them
sufficient reason for its destruction.

These degraded people, with their vermin and
rags, inhabit the beautiful excavations in
which once reposed the illustrious dead of
Cyreue. Their natural laziness seems to give
way to their love of destroying whatever yet
remains of painting and sculpture. The
whole description of the Necropolis is valuable.
We must refer for it to chap. v. Speaking
of the western valley, where the fig-tree, the
olive, and the myrtle flourish in extraordinary
luxuriance, the author writes :

Some of the tombs in this valley are the most elegant
in their proportions, and the most carefully executed of
any I have met with in this country ; two or three still
exhibit the polychromatic decoration of their architecture.

- -
But more engaging, even, than the descrip-
tion of the antiquities of Cvreue is the account
of the natural beauties of. this most favored
spot:—
In the neighbourhood of Grennah the hills abound with
beautiful scenes, and these I gradually discovered in my
rides ; some of them exceeded in richness of vegetation,
and equalled ►n grandeur, anything that is to be found in
the Apennines. About a mile from the town on the
south one comes upon extensive remains of a fortress
situated on the edge of one of these ravines, the Wady
Leboaitha, which runs nearly due east ; the valley is filled
with tombs, and frequented by countless flights of wood-
pigeons. Following the ravine, and turning to the left,
we enter the Wady Shelaleh, which presents a scene be-
yond my powers of description. The olive is here con-
trasted with the fig, the tall cypress and the dark juniper
with the arbutus and myrtle, and the pleasant breeze
which blows through the valley is laden with balmy per-
fumes, In the midst of this wonderful richness of nature
appear the grey rocks, hollowed with large and inaccessi-
ble caverns, or gently receding in wooded slopes, and

567

sometimes rising perpendicularly and meeting, so as to
leave but a narrow passage between them.

One cannot help wishing that in localities so
highly edvored by nature—and they are nume-
rous in the Turkish empire—some English
settlements could be made. Would the
scheme be out of the scope of commercial
enterprise ? We see no reason why it should
be. Here is this region of Cyrenica, for ex-
ample, of unsurpassed fertility and beauty,
stretching to the shore of the Mediterranean,
and most favorably situated for maintaining a
great commerce with Central Africa. In
ancient times the caravans from the interior
were numerous and of vast magnitude and
splendour; now the traffic in slaves is the
principal branch of trade :

The commerce is insignificant: Angila and Jalo have
only dates to send in exchange for corn and the few manu-
factured articles which the rude life of these people re-
quires. At uncertain and long intervals, however, when
the great caravan from Wady arrives, life is given to the
commerce of Benghazi. Thefi the old picture of
Cyrenean commerce is for a short time renewed. The
desert, for weeks, is alive with long files of camels, which
arrive laden with ivory and gum ; and with them, alas ! as
in old times, hundreds of unhappy creatures—the spoil of
war—condemned to slavery, who come halting in at the
end of this first hundred days' stage of their misery. How
many, happier than their fellows, have dropped exhausted
on the dreary road! Twentyone degrees they traverse,
on foot, exposed to the rays of a tropical sun, when for
twelve days at a time no water is found; without clothing,
and having a handful of meal for their daily food. Fatigue
and thirst iu vain lessen the numbers of the melancholy
caravan And to think that a single word from
England could arrest these horrors !

That word has yet to be spoken. The author
comments with just severity on the anomaly
of using vast efforts to suppress the traffic by
sea, while the overland traffic takes place with-
out even remonstrance. Mr Hamilton, like all
other travellers who have seen much of Turk-
ish rule in the provinces, condemns it as alto-
gether vicious and intolerable :

After seeing the fields of Roumelia lying waste to the
very gates of his residence, the cities of Asia Mino r
depopulated, its mineral wealth a sealed treasure, even the
Arab glories of Syria faded, the palaces of Damascus
crumbled, and its marts deAerted—the traveller cannot but
long to see a Government changed whose oppression is less
mischievous than its neglects, and which tacitly permits
wrongs greater than those which it sanctions.

We may be unwilling to receive truths like
this; but the testimony they rest on is far too
weighty to allow us to doubt them. Tho
system of Turkish government in the pro-
vinces is utterly, and we fear hopelessly,
corrupt.
After his exploration of Cyrene the author
travelled overland from Benghazi to Daman-
hour, and thence to Cairo. This desert
journey is spiritedly told, but had nearly
proved fatal to the author, through the
bigotry and violence of the Arabs at Siweh.
He was detained at this station for some
weeks, and narrowly escaped assassination.
He succeeded in despatching messengers to
Cairo, and was at last rescued from his
perilous position by a detachment of Egyptian
troops. His courage and firmness were
worthy of his blood ; the Arabs received a
lesson they are not likely to forget, as he
bravely redeemed the word he bravely pledged
them when his life was threatened, that he
would be the last European they
be suffered to ill-treat.

Mr. Hamilton's 'nook is one of __
every one should read. Its informati,
novelty, and its adventure are all
as they are attractive, and these meri,
off by great intellectual intelligence.
small literary accomplishment.

Lectures on the History of Ancient
By William Archer Butler, M.A.
from the Author's MSS., with
William Hepworth Thompson, M.
Vols. Cambridge : Macmillan and
THIS brilliant work merits the special
tion of all scholars conversant wi.4.
philosophy, and more particularly
can appreciate the value of an ela,
position of Plato. The religious cor
of our own time which most in
divines of the Church of England
which have reference to patristic
and without close acquaintance
character of the Greek philosophers,
cially Plato and Aristotle, it is -

I

. „ • . .._ ~ . . .•
..._..• . . .
JUNE 14, 1856. THE PRESS. 567
fittraturt. On arriving at Grennah, the first object which naturally sometimes rising perpendicularly and meeting, so as to
attracts the traveller's attention is the fountain of Cyre— leave but a narrow passage between them.
-- the cause which led to the choice of this site for building One cannot help wishing that in localities so
the city, and in the days of its prosperity the spot round
Wanderings in North Africa. By James which most of the public buildings were grouped. Though highly edvored by nature—and they are nume-
Hamilton. London: Murray. the volume of water which it pours out has much di•
minished, even in the memory of man, it is still the most roue in the Turkish empire—some English
settlements could be made. Would the
THE tourist need never despair. There is abundant spring in this neighbourhood,
eattl'edaainlyd
cover
or
theof scheme be out of the scope of commercial
always novelty in store for him, Mr. Hamil- sheep and goats, and herds ofenterprise' We see no reason why it should
ton has opened to our view on the south shore ground, where once the sacred rites of Apollo, or the
affairs of their prosperous commerce, aesembled the be. Here is this region of Cyrenica, for ex-
of the Mediterranean one of the most lovely
citizensl of Cyrene. The stream of water issues from a ample, of unsurpassed fertility and beauty,
countries on the face of the earth, once the passagerveirarteiafircialinlryowrihdeened; iidialtsf intoh a shallow, stretching to the shore of the Mediterranean,
site of a splendid and populous Grecian city, squarenatura
re s e ground
aeries
eiecsavoef
stone; d and most favorably situated for maintaining a
but for centuries totally forgotten, and now hence it was formerly distributed, through great commerce with Central Africa. In
scarcely known to the crowl who by descrip-
channels, of which many fragments still remain. The
external rock is smoothed to receive the addition of a ancient times the caravans from the interior
tion are perfectly familiar with the site and
portico of that beautiful white limestone, closer grained were numerous and of vast magnitude and
monuments of Nineveh. than marble, which acquires in time a warm f,
courses golden hue. splendour; now the traffic in slaves is the
The classical reader need not be reminded The line of the
fountain, deeply
of the fame once enjoyed by Cyrene. outline of its architecture, and the
three lowerme
The commerce is insignificant: Angila and Jalo have
masonry its material. In the rock to the right is an in-
Aristotle had a book—unfortunately lost—on
factoredonly datesarrtoi
articles
hin ehxclhiange for corn and the few menu-
the politics of the Republic ; and Plato, as un- scription, beautifully cut, recording a restoration of the
foieunetaiha' from iltlshpositfion,
las. well as its clear aim-
fortunately, quires. At uncertainceswic
andt elohrgudehalofrvale osf thesehowe
fortunately, declined to embody his ideas in aTpeeropwlehreer;
urScwtehrsieh'
model constitution for its government. In the centuryp which' ilasagyenweerally assigned°earietro
it.d date
In
nhafron
htthoeffitrshet the great caravan from Wady arrives, life is given to the
most flourishing period of the Ureek States it fountain two massive walls support narrow platforms, commerce of Benghazi. Thed the old picture of
desert,
commerce is for a short time renewed. The
rivalled Carthage in prosperity. From its the lower of which is covered with the foundations of
proximity to Egypt it fell under the dominion buildings, whose marble fragments indicate considerable areriseTret,lafoareii weeks,with.is alive
and
long files
.ohf camels, which
of Alexander and his successors, was swept by magnificence. Beneath these extend a broad terrace, in old times, hundredsl or ivory
ofo
hghuamp
p; and
creatures—the
with
them, aslatid!
0f66
feet in
.length, supported by a lofty and
the wave of Mahommedan conquest, and now hundredsveevryeamassive
war—condemned to slavery, whoycome halting in Paul, the
wall, which is still in great part entire. end of this brat hundred days' stage of their misery. How
forms the eastern part of the Turkish pacha-
lik of Tripoli. It has been visited and the sea, this platform, covered with ruins, lies at one's many, happier than their fellows, have dropped exhausted
described by some modern travellers; but Mr. feet; while beyond, the long lines of the Eastern Necro- 0o
nn
foot,th e dreary
exposedroadto!
the raysTwenty.ofne
tropical
sun,
they traverse,hu fo
polio wind
round the curves of the hills, and the plain
Hamilton is the first who, in our own day, has twelve days at a time no water uterisafound; withouts nwhen
cloethingr
shown the ease with which it may be visited, n, beneath. is seen dotted with ruins, or intersected by old and having a handful of meal for their daily food. Fatigue
the charms of its scenery, and the rich and thirst in vain lessen the numbers of the melancholy
harvest its ruins present to the antiquary and
Mr. Hamilton then enters into details as to caravan And to think that a single word from particular edifices : the Temple of Apollo England could arrest these horrors !
scholar. Though the city itself has almost seems to have been one of the most beautiful That word has yet to be spoken. The author
disappeared—the extent of tombs alone re- buildings, but the Greek theatre is noted as comments with just severity on the anomaly
maining to show how vast and magnificent it " the best preserved monument." He notes of using vast efforts to suppress the traffic by
must once have been—yet the beauty of its o
that the medals often found are both rare sea, while the overland traffic takes place with-
site remains, and the fountain of Apollo still o d
an beautiful, but the marbles are not of out even remonstrance. Mr Hamilton, like all
pours forth its pure refreshing waters as ~ first-rate value." This remark is, however, other travellers who have seen much of Turk-
gratefully as when the band of Therieans, to he taken with some qualification : ish rule in the provinces, condemns it as alto-
searching for a home, clustered round the gether vicious and intolerable :
perennial spring, and returned thanks to the I except the three dancing figures, a bas-relief on lime-
stone, near the fountain, now, alas! sadly mutilated. They After seeing the fields of Roumelia lying waste to the
god who had conducted them to this lovely are even now worthy a place in a museum, as they are of very gates of his residence, the cities of Asia Mino r
site, with a fertile country around and "an great artistic interest,
showing
the passage from the depopulated, its mineral wealth a sealed treasure, even the
open heaven " above. archaic style of the Elgin marbles to the more graceful Arab glories of Syria faded, the palaces of Damascus
Mr Hamilton landed at Benghazi, the prin- execution of the classic school. crumbled, and its marts deserted—the traveller cannot but
cipal town of the district, in the summer of In one passage the author seems to regret long to see a Government changed whose oppression is less
mischievous than its neglects, and which tacitly permits
1852 There he made his preparations for a that some fresco pictures have been transferred wrongs greater than those which it sanctions.
journey by land to Cyrene, or as it is now from the tombs of the Necropolis to the
We may be unwilling to receive truths like
called Grennah. He took with him tents and Louvre. The sentiment is scarcely worthy this; but the testimony they rest on is far too
all requisites for a stay of some months, in- his manly mind. Every lover of art must weighty to allow us to doubt them. Tho
tending to see what could be done by excava- wish that the remains which are of value system of Turkish government in the pro-
tion, but the means at his disposal were too should be preserved from that process of vinces is utterly, and we fear hopelessly,
limited. Signal success will probably reward destruction which is still going on. The
corrupt.
the enterprising traveller who may be in a Arabs are the most filthy and brutal of their After his exploration of Cyrene the author
condition to commence excavations on a race. Among the ruins was an altar of white
travelled overland from Benghazi to Daman-
larger scale. The country of which Cyrene marble:— hour, and thence to Cairo. This desert
was the capital consists of a succession of When I first saw it there was on one side a votive in- journey is spiritedly told, but had nearly
hills and tablelands. In this undulating scription which it was difficult to decipher; unfortunately proved fatal to the author, through the
district is to be found great variety of climate ; I deferred copying it at the time, and on my return some
days afterw srds I found that it had been defaced by the bigotry and violence of the Arabs at Siweh.
it is watered by numerous streams issuing
Arabs. They had probably seen me stopping before and He was detained at this station for some
examining inscription, which
from copious springs, and has an abundance the
of shade. The region is not less healthy than sufficient reason for its destruction. He succeeded in despatching messengers to
beautiful. The author writes : These degraded people, with their vermin and Cairo, and was at last rescued from his
I came to the country an invalid, and was exceedingly rags, inhabit the beautiful excavations in perilous position by a detachment of Egyptian
unwell when I started for Grennah; but its pure air and which once reposed the illustrious dead of troops. His courage and firmness were
lovely scenery restored me to perfect health. For those r,
reue. Their natural laziness seems to give worthy of his blood ; the. Arabs received a
who seek summer quarters in the Mediterranean, I again '-'Y
repeat to them my former advice to choose the pleasant way to their love of destroying whatever yet lesson they are not likely to forget, as he
solitudes of Cyrene in preference to the Syrian hills, where remains of painting and sculpture. The bravely redeemed the word he bravely pledged
so much sickness and mortality prevail. whole description of the Necropolis is valuable. them when his life was threatened, that he
The third chapter of the volume (pp. 33 We must refer for it to chap. v. Speaking would be the last European they would ever
—54) gives a general description of the ruins. of the western valley, where the fig-tree, the be suffered to ill-treat.
The author seems inclined to believe that olive, and the myrtle flourish in extraordinary Mr. Hamilton's book is one of those that
volcanic forces must have aided the destruc- luxuriance, the author writes : every one should read. Its information, its
tive efforts of man in the utter devastation of Some of the tombs in this valley are the most elegant novelty, and its adventure are all as genuine
the city : in their proportions, and the most carefully executed of as they are attractive, and these merits are set
any I have met with in this country; two or three still
The destruction is in fact so complete, and the masses off by great intellectual intelligence, and no
exhibit the polychromatic architecture. decoration of their
overthrown so gigantic, that one can hardly ascribe thesmall literary accomplishment.
present havoc to the hand of man or the wasting decay of But more engaging, even, than the descrip- _
ages. Though there are now no appearances of volcanic tion of the antiquities of Cvreue is the account
action, we find mention of earthquakes in Synesius ; and of '
the natural beauties of this most favored Lectures on the History of Ancient Philosophy:
the whole of the seacoast as seen at Benghazi and Apol-
lonia has subsided—an evidence at least of the presence spot:— By William Archer Butler, M.A. Edited
of volcanic forces; and by this agency alone does it seem In the neighbourhood of Grennah the hills abound with from the Author's MSS., with Notes, by
possible that such utter destruction could have been beautiful scenes, and these I gradually discovered in my
caused. The greater devourer of the cities of antiquity, rides ; some of them exceeded in richness of vegetation, William Hepworth Thompson, M.A. Two
a modern town rising in the vicinity, has not here aided the and equalled in grandeur, anything that is to be found in Vols. Cambridge : Macmillan and Co.
destroyer; for the seventh century is the very latest date the Apennines. About a mile from the town on the
that can be ascribed to any single building in a very wide south one comes upon extensive remains of a fortress Tiffs brilliant work merits the special atten-
circuit ; and the nature of the country, cut up by ravines, situated on the edge of one of these ravines, the Wady tion of all scholars conversant with Greek
and for ages destitute of roads, renders the transport of Leboaitha, which runs nearly due east; the valley is filled h•I
p i osophy, and more particularly all who
heavy blocks of stone impossible. If its present destruc- with tombs, and frequented by countless flights of wood. ,-
can appreciate the value of an elaborate ex-
tion be due to the nomad tribes (ot whose attacks Syne- pigeons. Following the ravine, and turning to the left,
sins speaks), who feared that Cyrene might again become we enter the Wady Shelaleb, which presents a scene be- Position of Plato. The religious controversies
a flourishing city, and their mistress, we cannot, after ad- yond my powers of description. The olive is here con- of our own time which most i*terest the
miring the laborious energy of her builders, but wonder at trasted with the fig, the tall cypress and the dark juniper divines of the Church of England are those
the persevering fury of her destroyers. with the arbutus and myrtle, and the pleasant breeze which have reference t•f ie o patristic learning;
The fountain of Apollo, probably from its fwahmicehs,blolwnsththermouisdhathefethvidislizmisdelrfaduelnriewhintleisbalmy
nature per'
and without close acquaintance with the
use, has been less injured than other portions appear the grey rocks, hollowed with large and inaccestsi- character of the Greek philosophers, espe-
of Cyrene : ble caverns, or gently receding in wooded slopes, and dally Plato and Aristotle, it is scarcely

ed, that he
would ever
' those that
mation, its
as genuine
.rits are set
ace, and no
Philosophy:
.A. Edited
Notes, by
M.A. Two
nd Co.
ecial atten-
with Greek
.ly all who
aborate ex-
•ntroversies
kterest the
are those
c learning;
with the
hers, espe-
Ls scarcely