To - day in Palestine. By H. W. Dunning, Ph.D. (T. Werner
Laurie. 10s. 6d. net.)—Dr. Dunning has "written," he tells us, "primarily for the traveller." He has been to the country twenty times, and has had the advantage of a "fair knowledge of colloquial Arabic." This opportunity of "learning directly from the people" is of the greatest value, if it be properly used Popular tradition must be rigorously sifted before it can furnish material for history or archaeology. Everything that Dr. Dunning tells us is interesting. If ever we are disposed to complain, it is on account of an omission. The description of the Lake of Galilee, for instance, might be more detailed. It was at one time almost deserted. Is it now anything like what it was in New Testament times, a busy centre of industry ? (We find opposite p. 284—far removed, as is too often the way with illustrations, from the appro- priate text—a representation of the sea with fishing-boats.) Not the least interesting part of the volume is that which refers to places outside the usual tourist's round. On p. 117 is a curious error. Ahab was not King when Benhailad besieged Samaria, but Jehoram. Ahab's death is commonly assigned to 897 B.C., and the siege to 892.
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