The sun., 1881-01-30
SOME NEW hooks. 4.
Oi,phants La.a Of aiieaa.


with almost equal force 10 tho sympathics OF
Christian and Of jewish readers. and interests
at once the Archaeological. tho philanthropst
and tho politician. Nothing less. however. can
bo said OF the work entitled the Ldnd Of Giledd
by LAURENCE OLIPHANT NV. Blackwood X
Sons). This volume presents a definite and
practicable project for the repatriation OF tho
Jews and tho colonization OF Palestine. 1t dis
cusses In detail the economical conditions and
political bearings OF the enterprise, and by
way OF demonstrating its feasibility. sets forth
the observations OF the author in the course OF
n journey undertaken last year through tho
district lying east OF the Jordan. Parts Of tho
region visited had not been previously explored
by Europeans and thus. although the travellers
aim was agronomical rather than antiquarian.
no has thrown good deal OF light on obscure
questions connected with Old Testament his
tory and geography. Mr.. ollphant, however,
doea not assume to have entered on his tour In
Gilead with the technica requirements and ap-
pliances OF o professional archGologist. and
his suggestions made in that capacity are. as
we have said. merely incidental to his main OBJ
joct His business was to examine tho present
condition OF the country and Its inhabitants: /:
and his researches have vindicated the entire
practicability so far as local conditions are con-
cerncd. OF establishing n colony OF Jews in the
most fruitful section OF the land OF their fathers
Let no man dismiss the scheme for the repa-
trlation OF the Jews as visionary and senti-
mental before he has scrutinized the facts and
arguments submitted in this volume 1t will
not do to prejudge the soundness OF tho
authors data or the cogency Of his reasoning
merely because his conclusions recall the high
flown rhapsodies OF Tancred." or the majestic
aspirations announced by spokesmen Of the
Hebrew race in Daniel Deronda." Neither
are the intrinsic merits or shortcomings OF tho
plan one jot affected by the existence OF q wide-
spread tradition or belief. current not only
among the Jews. but among large sections of
the Christian community, that the chosen
people are destined to reoccupy Palestine. If.
nevertheless. q scheme OF Hebrew colonization
can be shown TO bo feasible. II thore Is evidence
forthcoming that It would be economically
profitable and politically desirable. then its
prompt and efficient execution might be not
little furthered by tho pressure OF sentimental
considerations. 1t would seem. however. that
Mr.. Oliphant has been In no degree mpolled by
religious or sentimental motives, and that the
colonzing project with which his name is now
identified is advocated by him exclusively on
grounds Of public policy and commercial ad-
vantage.
There are certain questions which every
practical man is sure to put regarding Mr..
Olphant's project. and which he Is at pains to
answer. Do the Jews want to return TO Pales-
tine If they did. would a people notoriously
averse to AGRICULTURAL pursui8 be able to sup
mort themselves by tillage2 Does not the Holy
Land. described as flowing with milk and
honey. prove to be upon inspection land OF
rocks and sand. unit Tor other than the thin
nest population? Suppose fertile district
could be found. what guarantees could the colo
iGfa tat1 neIA lat rota
tion against predatory inroad or official eNtor
tion2 To these pertinent queries Mr.. Oil
phant makes. 1t seems to US. a satisfactory
reply. and no one will disp ute the caution cir
cumspection and good faith with which his
statements are put forth, who remembers that
the journey recounted In this volume Was made
for no other purpose than to verify by personal
survey the alleged fertility OF Gilead.
As to the question whether jews desire to re-
turn to Palestine. the answer is that many do
not. while. on the other hand. many do. Just
such divergence Of sentiment has existed ever
sinoe tho Dabylonian captivity. for oven then
some OF the Jews preferred to remain in Meso-
potamia. and It is affirmed that their descend
ants dwell there unto this day. SO. too. after
the voluntary emigration Of Israelites for COM
mereial ends. which followed the establishment
OF the Selucid and Ptolemd monarchies. the
sense Of local attachment must have grown
faint among the rich Hellenized Jews who con-
trolled the commerce OF the Levant from An
t;och or Thessalonica. or prosecuted their re-
searches into science and philosophy at Alex
andria. Neither is 1t to be supposed that Jews
in our time would care to leave Paris London
or New York, whore they are prosperous and
influential. or even Berlin. where the very out
cry against them attests tho strength ami dig
nifty OF tho position they have won. But
let us sec how largo proportion OF the
Hebrew race is represented by these more
fortunate members. The total number of
lsraelltes is computed at between six and
seven millions; OF these about 100000
live in Germany, 10000 in Holland. 10000 In
England. almost as many in France, 10000 in
Italy. relatively few in Belgium. Switzerland.
spain. ana Portugal. and from 100000 to
l.5oo'oOo In America. These are the more hap
ply situated Hebrews. among whom we might
expect 10 ma some echoes TO remark a'trio-
uteo 10 a Jewisn banker IN the fFench capital:
IL inc meSsiah should come 10 restore us 10
faiesune' would peg MIN 10 give me the post
OF ms ouoaic MAJESTY Ampassauor AT farls'
fh's' says lhe 'e''Sh e'"ohtole. the ieaaihg
organ OF 'he heprew race IN EhGiahu'is Is the
olu s.or' OF inc lsraeli'es, returned from ex-
he 10 .neir hauVe iand longing ior the hanging
ga."ens' anu 'he so"' schsuous deiights OF