Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-12-18
A NEW BOOK.
ur6in's Observations an The Ea,i.

Those who have read DIR. Durbin's "Observa-
lions in Europe" will be delighted to get their
hands upon another work, from the same enter
tanning and instructive pen. The work, to which
we wish now to direct>;ho attention of the read
ing public, has Asen la,ehs added to the excellent
and well seectedrstock of our friend CowAN.-
We will not attempt an extended review of the
volumes now In hand; but few words, in re-
gard to their general character and STYLE will,
perhaps, be acceptable to those who feel an in
terest in books of this sort. DIR. Durbin's style
is admirably adapted to his great variety of sub
jects. There is delightful sweetness about it,
which gives an additional charm to the objects
brought before the mind OF his reader. When
he gets into the midst Of the fallen monuments
OF past greatness and glory, the reader may al
most imagine himself by the side of the learned
traveller, contrasting the melancholy condition
Of the East, as it now is, with the marni6cepce
and splendour, which once covered its proud eli.
ties.
As we pass with him along the Nile, that mos,
famous of rivers, what associations crowd upon
the Imagination! We visit Alexandria, and en-
claim with the traveller himself: "Here was the
glory OF Alexander, the capital Of Cleopatra, the
grave of Pompey; here Anthony lost the world
by the intrigues and destinations Of woman,
and Augustus, if the scandal of history be true,
well nigh fell into the same snare but he tri-
umphed over himself and won dominion. Here
too, science and literature fourished under the
patronage Of munifcent princes. Here, too, was
the emporium of the commerce of the East, ere
Al IL. III IL
Hope, and sealed the fate of Alexandria. In
this city rose the first great christian school of
theology, illustrated by the genius, but more by
the piety, Of Origen, who had the splendid mis-.
fortune to introduce the Platonic philosophy into
christianity, and thus perplex the christian world
for thousand years.
We visit Helopolis, "Cty of the Sum-
t'Here, according to tradition, Moses learned the
wisdom of the Egyptians. Here Thales and
Pythagoras, Plato and Ilerodotus resorted, to
draw from the wells Of ancient learning, which
were full long before the brute rock had been
struck in Greece" But where now are those
splendid temples where that ancient college OF
learned priests! The vast walls and towering
edlhces of that once magnificent cty-where are
they? Stand where they once stood, and ask,
"where are they?" You will hear no voice, but
echo responding, "where are they 2"
Sinai and Petra are described, with all the
GOODNESS and calmness of a deliberate judgment;
yet in style enlivened by the touches of fine
imagination, and rendered impressive by the out
flowing of feelings easily warmed to animati on,
by interesting and striking associations. We
are taken through Palestine. The reader feels
an interest in every object, which meets the view
of the traveller in that most interesting country
sacred to the Jew, as the land of his forefathers
TO the Christian as the place of his Saviour's
home and pilgrimage ;-memorable throughout
the civilized world, as the grand camp ground
and battlefield, on which have assembled "the
armies, which have contended for Palestine, from
the time of Gideon to that of the Crusaders
Here ''lhe Assyrian the Persian, the Egyptian,
the Saracen, the Turk, the Arab, the Bruce, the
CRUSADER, and the Frenchman, each in his turn
has drawn his sword, and bathed it in blood on
this battlefield of nations" Here Pagan idola-
try, religion, superstition and fana,cism, have
reigned in succession.
We are led TO Troy-the birthplace of Epic
poetry-the place whence originated lte splen-
did offspring of Homer's genius. Here the trav-
eler delights to inger around the spot, on which
the stamp of eternal fame has been set, by a
splendid record of all that is glorious in war, all
That is noble in heroic valour, and all that is
magnihcentIy absurd in heather mythology
But our traveller has not provided food for the
fancy alone. His chapters on the political con-
dltIon OF Egypt, and on the past and present
condition of the Turkish empire, contain much
valuable political and historical information. I
feel confident that no can read the volumes
OF this learned traveller, without recevipc an
ample reward Of both pleasure and profit.