The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-26
SOME NEW hooks.
A Tourist In Morocco.

by inquisitive Giaours. since Samarcand. the
long invoate shrine OF Islam In Central Asia.
has been thrown open TO the traveller by the
Russian arms and since Kairouan. the holy
city Of North Africa has been occupied by
French soldiers. no part OF the Mosem world
excites so much interest and curiosity as the
empire OF Morocco. OF tho wide domnions
moro or less loosely held together under the
rn,c Of the present Grand Shereef. our knowl-
oi.e has been practically limited to the reports
OF foreign diplomatic agents residing in Tan
glors, to such cursory glimpses Of the country
a. could DO obtained by the embassies which at
long intervals have been permitted TO penetrate
the interior. or to the fraRmentary descriptions
Of the seaports on the Atlantic transmitted to
us by the Portuguese. who still maintain some
communication with the coast on which
they once had foothold. But how moagre
and unsatisfactory must such data seem to
those persons who are at oil conversant with
the large and splendid place long occupied by
tho regions now governed by tho Schereef In
the history 81 Arabic conquest and civilization.
Anything new about Morocco. therefore. is sure
To be seized with avidity; and If the authorlis a
keon observer whose rowing eyes miss nothing
within their ken. and whose lively fancy and
literary experiences enables him to portray
acatly and wildly what he secs. he can hardly
Tail to lay us under considerable obligations.
II is certain that Mr.. EDMoNpo DE AMIcIs pos
scsses the qualifications named. and that he
has rendered us a service by making the book
on Morocco. a translation Of which is published
BY the Putnams-notwithstandi his range of
observation was confined to the cities OF Fez
Tangiers. and Mequinez and to such minor
towns and rural districts IA he passed through
on his journey to. and return from. the capital
OF the famous Christie dynasty.
II must also be admitted that even within the
oircumscribed field traversed by Mr.. De Ami
els. the reader who is duly acquainted with the
history OF the region should discern in its re-
ported aspects more copious and varied matter
OF interest than the genial and viyacious
traveller was himself able to discern. There il
no country In the world where thorough
historical equipment is more indispensable for
the directing and instructing of the tourist =
eye and for assisting him to interpret tho
present By the past because nowhere does the
present situation Of people represent more
abject and melancholy decadence from n once
high level OF enlightenment and refinement
than is the case with the land visited by the
Italian traveller Who would care for descrip
ton Of the Parthenon and the other vestiges Of
Attic glory in the Acrorolis from man
who knew nothing at first hand, and worry little
at second hand. of the Athens Of Periclcs /?
OF the tourist who should publish his
impressions Of the Roman Forum while
at the same time evincing total ignorance Of
the orators whose accents rang out in that
memorable place. or Of the political and social
life there centred twenty centuries ago.
Scarcely less disappointing is the discovery
that Mr.. De Amicis knows next to nothing
about the interesting history Of northwest
Africa. and that his narrative is as destitute
OF the poetry and instruction OF Renaissance
as II the men and scenes described were stu
alto in New Guinea, or some savage land which,
for the student Of civilization. has no past. The
same regrettable neglect OF the proper histori-
cal requirement which we found ourselves
constrained to point out in noticing the au-
thor's book on Spain is far more conspicuous
in the present volume. and we think more in
excusahlc, because in this case the writer's
audience would in all likelihood be less quail
fed to make good his deficiencies from their
own stores OF information. The really desid-
Grated book about Morocco will not be written
till the country is visited by n traveller who. il
not himself an Arabic scholar. has at least mas
tered the contents of such Arabic histories re-
lating 70 northwest Africa ms have been trans
lated into the modern European languages.
Meanwhile let us be grateful for all the new
light We obtain upon this interesting country.
and note with proper appreciation how dis
tinct a picture Of its outward aspect and pros
ent forms Of life is given us by Mr.. De Amicis.
The author can always trust his eye. if he can
not trust his memory; and although it may be
we'll to advert to some Of the blunders he per-
petrates on the rare occasions when he dips into
history and ethnology. We shall prefer 10 con-
vince the reader that the book is upon the
whole right worthy OF mis- attention by offering
him some glimpses Of the animated narrative.
Among the curious distortions Of fact which no
ono could commit who came to this task with
an adequate historical equipment may be cited
the following: The Moors of Fee. TanGiers.
and so forthl corrupted and crossed by
Arab blood are in great part de-
scended from the Moors OF Spain"
This is much as II we should speak
Of the Spanards az corrupted and crossed by
Visigothic blood or OF the English as tainted
by traces OF the Anglo-Saxons. The civilized
Moslems on both sides Of the Straits Of G ID
raltar prided themselves. we need not say.
on their descent from the Arab invaders. al
though the stock was undoubtedly corrupted
and crossed in Spain by intermarriaGe with
tho subject population, and in northwest
Africa by a Berbcr admix,ure. There is also q
curious oversight OF pertinent aud important
facts in the following sentence; " The Jews iof
Morocco descend for the most part from those
who were eXiled from Europe in the Middle
Ages. and are oppressed, hated, degraded. and
prosecuted here more than in any other country
in the world" The truth is that spain and
Tingitana both of which at the time OF the Mos
lem invasion were under VisiGothic rule. had
q large Jewish element in their seaport towns
and chief interior cities and that ii was the re-
sentiment OF its Jewish subjects for the cruel
prosecutions they had suffered at tho hands
OF their Christian masters which had much
to do with the swift and rrcm"dabe over
throw Of the Visigothc monarchy Up to
the sixteenth century Jews were tar more gen
erousy treated BY the Moslcms Of North Africa
than in any part Of Chrlstcndom. and their
present oppressed condition in the Shcreefs
dominions is ono Of the most striking signs Of
the national decadencc. Under the Culiphatc
OF Cordova, under the Emirs Of Saracossa Sc
willie. and Grenada-under the dynastes Of the
Edristes. Almoravde~. Ahmohades and the
Benz merines at Fcz and Mororco-thc Israel
ito handicrattsmen, merchants. scientists
artists, and men Of letters enjoyed degree OF
a,,.N Il,