THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS, OR ROMANCE ATM

REALITIES OF EASTERN TRAVEL. NOTWITHSTANDING this rhetorical title, Mr. Eliot Warburton's volumes are merely a book of Egyptian and Syrian travels, deriving their -colour and -character from his vivacity of mind. There is no greater exhibition of the present state or theoretical character of 'Christianity and Maho- metaniam—" the Crescent and the Cross"—in Egypt and Syria, than in some other books that have lately been published, if so much. ttlii there are but few Oriental tales introduced lute the work, the "Romance and Realities of Eastern Travel" seem to be without a meaning; unless the author would have it inferred that in seine of his personal narratives he is romancing. Mr. Warburton had read all the best writers on "the East," -(by which he means Egypt and the Turkish empire,) but found "mats&

novelty as well as interest in his personal experience, and hoped to be fortanate enough to convey some of that novelty, if not of that interest, to his pages." Where he found this novelty for himself was in a steam- Toyage from Southampton to Alexandria, a residence at Cairo, and an ascent of the Nile beyond the second cataracts. To this journey was added a Voyage to Beyront, a visit to Jerusalem, the Jordan, and the Dead Sea, divergencies to Damascus, Baalbec, and Constantinople, with a passing call at Athens and Corfu on the return.

The literary cast of Mr. Warburton's mind has a strong resemblance to that displayed in the book called Eothen. He has not perhaps so much brilliancy or force of style; but he has equal vivacity, rather more sentiment, with a similar dash of a half-scoffing half-flippant manner. His method of composition is somewhat similar ; a selection of such subjects as strike or please him, rather than a regular narrative. But, more am- bitious or less judicious than the author of Eothen Mr. Warburton has overdone his prototype. Rejection appears to have been a leading maxim in the production of Eothen: Mr. Warburton has no conception of "the last and greatest art, the art to blot." He even goes out of his way to bring in topics. The Knights of Malta, the geographical character of the Nile, the history of the antiquities and worships of Egypt, the battles of the Nile and Aboukir, with the bombardment of Acre, and many other matters, are introduced into his manifold pages. Some of these excres- .cences, the battle of the Nile especially, are vivid and striking in them- .selves; but the antiquarian and historical subjects being often very little -else than the matter of school-books turned into rhetoric, they impede the progress of the reader' if not of the narrative. Mr. Warburton's mind, too, seems deficient in that power of grasping the whole which leads to the production of a good structure. When the voyages which confine him to h is theme are at an end, his desultory method rather confuses the reader, -without giving him the distinct idea that the book is only a series of sketches, which Eothen so well conveyed. The main fault of The Crescent and the Cross, however, is a length disproportioned to the MI- ,portance or novelty of its matter. Striking prospects, beautiful objects, flowers and perfume, with a path ever varying but always adapted to the tread, may carry us further with less fatigue than when the road is dull or repulsive; but the most easily pleased tire at last, and require the stimulus of profit to keep them at it day after day. "Unhappy he who says all that he can say on any thing " ; and Mr. Warburton .realizes this infelicity, till towards the close, when he seems to get tired of his own saying.

It is rather curious that the sketches on board the steam-packet are among the most interesting things in the book. Perhaps the reader is fresher at starting; or the vessel's necessary limit to the author's theme prevents divergence ; or, as we have a general knowledge of the original .subjeets, we draw the distinction between that which is fact, that which is artistical, and that which is sentiment or romance.

Though the book as a whole has that slowness which great length ge- nerally imparts, there is some information, with innumerable passages of force, vivacity, or humour, to be found in the volumes. Nothing, in .short, but the elaborate overdoing of already overdone topics, prevented Mr. Warburton's Eastern sketches from rivalling Eothen. In variety, in the mixture of story with anecdote, information, and impression, it perhaps surpasses it, as well as in less personal obtrusiveness. The conse- quence is an embarras des richesses in the way of quotation ; but we will give as good an example of Mr. Warburton's style and topics as we -can in moderate compass. USE OF HONOUR.

Bieber had accepted, and was preparing to act upon terms of capitulation from the Turks; which Lord Keith had, however, refused to ratify. The moment Sir Sydney Smith learned the English Admiral's determination, he took upon him- -self to inform Kleber of the fact, and to advise him to hold his position. The Turks exclaimed against this chivalrous notice as a treachery, and there were not a few found in England to echo the same cry ; but the spirit which dictated the British sailor's act was understood in the deserts: a voice went forth among the tents of the Bedouin and the palaces of the despot, that England preferre ho arour to advantage. Battles since then have been fought, and been forgotten; nations have come and gone, and left no trace behind them; but the memory of that noble truthfulness remained, and expanded into a national characteristic; and our countrymen may at this hour, in the streets of Cairo, hear the Arab swear" by the honour of an Englishman."

MAHOMETAN LITERATURE AND ART.

The Koran is a library in itself to the Moslem. With respect to pictures, they take literally the injunction against "making a likeness of any thing in heaven or earth." Moreover, they suppose that every painter or sculptor will be bound -at the resurrection to provide all his human creations with souls.

ANTIQUITY OF MESMERISM.

Magnetism appears to have been well understood by the Egyptian hierarchy; not only from some of the effects we find recorded, but in one of the chambers, whose hieroglyphics are devoted to medical subjects, we find a priest in the very act of that mesmerism which is pretended to have been discovered a few years ago. The patient is seated in a chair while the operator describes the mesmeric passes, and an attendant waits behind to support the head when it has bowed in -the -mysterious sleep.

EXPECTATION OF ENGLAND.

There is an evident expectation in the public mind of Cairo, that England must sooner or later take a leading part in Egyptian politics: and not only here, but all over the East, every traveller at all capable of conversing with the natives con- stantly meets the question, "When are the English coming ? " It would be diffi- cult to trace the origin of this popular impression; which certainly has not arisen from any vapouring, politically or privately, on the part of the English. There are, moreover, no Englishmen in the Pasha's service, except the superintendents of the gardens at Rhoda and of the sugar-plantations in the Said; but Frenchmen abound in every department, from Suleiman Pasha to the apothecaries' apprentices in the female surgery. It was Frenchmen who made Egypt a naval power; it was a Frenchman who organized the army that all but overthrew the empire of Con- stantinople; it was a Frenchman who made the magnificent docks at Alexandria; and the celebrated engineer, who controls the destinies of Egypt by means of act- ing upon the inundations of the Nile, is M. Linant. So it is, however; as every traveller will bear witness. England is expected in the East, where, hitherto, she has never planted a standard, except in defence of the Crescent and the integrity of its dominions. That she will ever come forward ,t0 vindicate the Cams, where her beat and bravest blood was shed in its defence six hundred years ago, is very problematical: however, ," Gold Wine its way where angels might despair"; and the interests of India may obtabijvhat the sepulchre of Chrod has been• denied.

- A GREEK OTHELLO.

My boat was moored in the little harbour of Assouan, the old. Syene,- the boundary between Egypt and Ethiopia : opposite lies Elephantine, the" isle of flowers," strewed with ruins, and Shaded by magnificent palm-trees: the last eddies of the cataract of the Nile foam round dark red granite cliffs,which rise precipitously from the river, and are piled into a mountain, crowned bya ruined &raceme castle. A forest of palm-trees divides the village froth the quiet shore, on whose silvery sands my tent was pitched. A man in an Egyptian drew; saluted me in Italian, and in a few moments was smoking my chibouque and sipping coffee by my side. He was very handsome; but his faded cheek and sunken eye showed hardship and suffering, and he spoke in a low and humble voice. In reply to my question as to how a person of his appearance came into this remote region, he told me that he had been lately practising as a surgeon in Alexandria; be had married a Levantine girl, whose beauty was to him as " Ia faccia del cielo." He had been absent from his home, and she had betrayed him. On his return, he had met her with a smiling countenance; in the evening, he accompanied her to a deep well, whither she went to draw water, and as she leant over it he threw her in. As he said this, he paused, and placed his hands upon his ears, as if he still heard her dying shriek. Ile then continued—" I have fled from Alexandria till the affair is blown over. I was robbed near Shout; and have supported myself miserably ever since, by giving medical advice to the poor country people. I shall soon return, and all will be forgotten. If I had not avenged myself, her own family must have done so, you know." And so this woman-murderer smoked on, and continued talking in a low and gentle voice till the moon was high; then he went his way, and I saw him no more.

JEWS AT JERUSALEM.

The Jews frequenting the Holy City at present amount in number to about 4,500 souls; and perhaps since the days of Titus their race has never enjoyed such privileges within its walls. This tolerance was not obtained from the libe- rality of the Turks or the conciliating spirit of the Christian sectaries; charity never would have effected in this sordid city what the mere policy of Mehemet Ali brought about. He nee:prized this people simply as industrious agents; he knew that the population of Jerusalem was declining, and that they were the only people who were homeless enough in other cities and interested enough in this to swell its population. The Jew obtained perfect immunity under the Pasha's rule. Nevertheless, though comprising nearly one-third of the number of inhabitants the Jews carry on but little business partly for want of material, and partly because they are supported by plentiful alms from their European brethren. The contributions of the Jews, who are anxious to preserve a remnant of Israel in the city of their fathers, are received by the chiefs of the Synagogue, and distributed by them among their poorer brethren. Thus enabled to live a life of idleness, they devote themselves to the study of their Scriptures and the Tal • mud: they are the most bigoted, fanatical, and controversial of their obstinate race.

SYRIA.N SUPPLIES ON THE ROAD.

The muleteer declared it was certain destruction to encamp near the highway under the circumstances; and we wandered considerably out of our track in search of a village where we could get food for our horses. At lengthtwe came to a lone farm-house just at nightfall; round which was a sort of fortification, consist- ing of a wall twenty feet high. Within this enclosure numerous flocks and herds were collected, as we could gather from the bleating and lowing that had attracted us to the spot. The tent was won pitched and the horses picketed; when the muleteer proceeded to the farm, to make search for barley, straw, and milk. There was no answer to his repeated applications at the gate, though we could hear voices whispering within, and he announced liberal offers in a loud voice. Our horses had had nothing to eat since morning, however, and it became abso- lutely necessary to feed them; so my servant and I added through the keyhole our solicitations, which were equally ineffectual. Only one method of admission remained: I sent a bullet through the lock of a wicket, which instantly flew open; and my servant and I entered with as angry countenances as if it had been our door that was broken open. We were met by an old man and two or three women; whose words were instantly overborne by a torrent of abuse from my ser- vant; telling them that the bearer of the Sultan's fnman had been insulted by their inhospitality, and that, instead of receiving pay for their vile goods, they ought to have their house burned over their heads, their beards shaved off to adorn jackasses. The old man very meekly observed, that they had neither milk nor eggs, and only a very little straw. "Dog of an unbeliever!" shouted the dragoman, gaining courage as he saw he had produced an effect; " dost thou keep 10,000 bulls, that we are deafened by all this lowing? and does all thy poultry consist only of cocks, that thou mayest starve the Sultan's friends?" While this conversation was going on, an Arab stole forward to listen, as he thought unper- ceived; but, seizing him by his belt, I dragged him into the middle of the room. "Behold," I observed to him, "this is an old man and these are women, but you must ,give us barley and milk: this money or—this kurbash shall be your pay- ment.' Instantly, a large jar of milk and an earthen bowl of barley were eagerly presented to us by the women; all the blessings of Allah invoked upon our heads; and we departed with our prize through files of some seven or eight men, who now appeared in all directions.

Our horses were fed, our supper eaten; and inhalf an hour I was seated quietly in the lately hostile farm-house, smoking in the centre of a friendly circle, as if I had been acquainted with them for years. A little powder for priming to the men, and a few trinkets to the women, raised me to the summit of popularity: when I retired to my tent for the night my hand was covered with kisses, and Allah was entreated to take care that my shadow never should grow less.

ARAB HORSES.

These are noble animals; and are no less remarkable for their chivalrous dis- positions than for their strength and endurance: gallant, yet docile; fiery, yet gentle; full of mettle, yet patient as a camel. They are very ferocious to each other, but suffer little children to pull about and play with them. Their beauty is not remarkable, at least to an English eye. They seldom ex- ceed fourteen and a half, or at most fifteen hands in height; they have not good barrels, their chest is narrow, the pastern too much bent, and their quarters are seldom well turned. I only speak of these as defects in what would be considered symmetry in Europe; experience has proved to me that they argue no defect in Asia. The head is beautiful; the expansive forehead, the brilliant,. prominent eye, and the delicately-shaped ear, would testify to nobleness in any animal; the high withers, and the shoulder well thrown back, the fine clean limbs, with thew bunches of starting muscle and the silken skin, beneath which all the veins are visible, show proofs of blood that never can deceive. The choicest horses come from the remoter parts of the desert; and cannot be said to have a price, as nothing but the direst necessity will induce their owners to part with them. There are three great classes recognized—the Kochlaei, _the Karlischi, and the Atteschi. The first are said to derive their blood from Solo- mon's stables the second are of a mixed race, and the third have no claim to gentle breeding. The Koehlani are, as may be suppwed, extremely scarce; but a great deal of their blood is distributed among the nameless breeds; and I never saw an ex- ception to docility, high spirit, and endurance, even among the hacks of Beyrout and Jerusalem. A friend of mine rode his horse from Cairo to Suez eighty-te miles, in. twelve hours, and; resting for twelve More, returned within the follow-

ing.twelve: daring these journies the horse had no refreshment, except a gulp ofwater once to cool the bit. I have been on the same horse for twenty-four hours on one occasion, and for upwards of thirty on another, without any rest or refreshment, except once, for half an hour, when a few handfuls of barley were the only food. In both these instances the horses never tasted water throughout their journies.

An appendix of "Hints to Travellers" contains a good deal of practi- cal and useful advice to the intending tourist : from which we extract Mr. Warburton's last admonition.

"The English traveller should always remember that he is considered by the Orientals as a representative of his country; and that according to his liberality, courage, and temper, impressions are formed of the nation he belongs to, from which the East is now expecting great things. The people of the West are known to the people of Egypt and Syria only as Frangee, or Franks, and Ingeeleez, or English; and I think I may venture to say that they make a wide difference in favour of the latter, which it behoves every traveller to maintain."