Bible Lands, their Modern Customs and Manners, Illustrative of So
ipture. By Henry J. Van Lonnep, D.D. 2 vols. (Murray.)—The author says, in his introduction, that "the Biblical style is often rendered obscure to us Occidentals by the omission of details quite needless to the Oriental mind ;" and that " we may supply the omission from the living picture of Eastern manners," which the unchanging nature of life in those regions still presents to our gaze. This task Dr. Van Lennep has accomplished in a most satisfactory manner. Starting with some personal knowledge of the aubject, ho has collected a mass of in- formation scattered about in commentaries, dictionaries, books of travel, &c., and arranged it in an orderly way, making it not only more useful, but more attractive than it could otherwise have been. He divides his work Into two parts, which are respectively entitled, "Customs which have their Origin in the Physical Features of Bible Lands," and "Customs which have a Historical Origin." In Part I., we have a chapter on the "Physical Characteristics of the Lands of the Bible in general, and of Palestine in particular;" another dealing with wells, pools, lakes, and rivers, and then in succession sections devoted to what may be briefly called the flora and fauna of the countries in question. Among these we may notice, as possessing a special interest, the chapters on wild beasts, on the birds of passage, and on the domestic animals. As to wild beasts, the lion has, of course, long disappeared from the Holy Land, though he could be found in the thickets of Jordan as late as the twelfth century. The leopard, however, or more properly, panther, is still found, and indeed is not uncommon. The Palestine shepherds have still to defend their flocks as did David of old. The bear also exists, and in winter, when his herbaceous food falls short, becomes a formidable enemy. In Part IL, we have chapters dealing with the ethnology, the language, oral and written, the habitations, whether migratory or fixed, and on various other aspects of life. In one sense, this part is even more interesting than the first, though its matter is, for the most part, more easily accessible elsewhere. On the whole, we feel that we cannot recommend Dr. Van Lennep's book too strongly.
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