20 FEBRUARY 1864, Page 21

Horeb and Jerusalem. By the Rev. George Sandie. (Edmonston and

Douglas.)—Those who take up this volume under the idea that they are about to reed an ordinary book of travels will be disappointed. The author and his companions are but little seen, and the work is substan- tially an argument in favour of the accuracy of the Mosaic narrative of the Exodus, followed by another argument in favour of the hypothesis of Mr. Fergnason, which identifies the Dome of the Rook at Jerusalem with the site of the Holy Sepulchre. Indeed, after a hurried visit to the Sinaitic peninsula, the author proceeded, by sea to Joppa, whence he made an excursion to Jerusalem, and it does not appear that his travels in Palestine extended beyond this. With respect to the site of the Holy Sepulchre we must admit that Mr. Sandie has almost persuaded us to be of his opinion. The assertion of Mr. Fergusson, that the Mosque of Omar, or Dome of the Rock, is, with the exception of the dome itself, unquestionably an octagonal Byzantine church of tho date of Constantine, has never yet been challenged by any compe-

tent architect, and this alone goes far to decide the question. And if there was formerly a cross ravine separating the Mosque of Omar from the site of the Temple, as Mr. Sandie contends, the principal topographical difficulties would be removed.