SPENCER'S TRAVELS IN EGYPT AND THE HOLY LAND. * Ma. SPENCER
is an American Episcopal clergyman, who started for Europe in the spring of 1848, intending to visit England and the Continent of Europe. A friend, bound for the Holy Land and other Eastern parts, induced him to proceed to Egypt, ascend the Nile, make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and visit the common show places of Palestine—the Jordan, the Dead Sea, Nazareth, Mount Carmel, Acre, Tyre, and Sidon. Of what he saw in his Old World explora- tions, the traveller wrote a regular account " to one at home, dearer to him than all else in the wide world"; and the large volume before us consists of a revised and annotated edition of these letters, so far as they refer to the East.
It is possible that Fnghsh books of travels may not be reprinted
in America so frequently as works of imagination by popular authors. In that case, an account of Alexandria, Cairo, the Nile, • the antiquities of Egypt, with descriptions of the Desert and the Holy Land, may have more freshness for American than Eng- lish readers. Unless it be so, these letters might as well have re- mained in manuscript ; Mr. Spencer's style not being adapted to make the most of a new theme, and still less to impart freshness to an exhausted field. Often he does not directly describe things as they stand, but generalizes his own impressions ; and though this avoids minuteness of detail and the weariness that arises from journalizing, it does not convey the lifelike picture which direct presentation reaches. The mode of composition is, however, a re- flex of Mr. Spencer's mind; as, indeed, is generally the case with a style. A training for the pulpit and its subsequent practice have aggravated a natural bias, and induced that habit of dwelling mi- nutely on the individual's ideas, which we call sermonizing. Neither is Mr. Spencer adapted by previous study, or by having some pursuit akin to his subjects, to travel with advantage in Egypt and Pales- tine. In common with his countrymen in general, he has a superficial knowledge of many things, and can speak glibly enough about them. All that can be done for him by lectures, popular compendi- ums, and works it is the fashion to look at—such as Lane and. Wil- kinson—has been done, with probably some specific reading as a pre- paration for his tour.. But he has none of that deep and thorough fami- liarity with a subject which arises from long and patient study, and which, though it may be said to be all derived from other men's knowledge, is yet original, from having been examined, tested, and made one's own. Hence, Mr. Spencer can throw no new light on any of the continually described and discussed subjects in con- nexion with Egypt and Palestine. He is so far independent that he gives his own impressions of the scene before him, whatever it may be ; and this occasionally imparts some interest to topics that are usually spoken of differently. Such passages, however, are not numerous enough to outweigh the commonplace character of the bulk of the book.
Mr. Spencer's profession furnished him with one subject of in- vestigation, that now and then gives a species of living interest to his volume; and that is the present condition of religion in the East, or rather of the native clergy. The following is an account of his interview with the Coptic Patriarch.
"I have been privileged to have an interview with the Patriarch of the Coptic Church, who, though residing in Cairo, is styled 'Patriarch of Alex- andria,' and occupies the chair of St. Mark. He is chosen generally by lot from the monks of the convent of St. Anthony, in the Eastern desert, near the Red Sea ; and his jurisdiction extends over all Egypt and Abyssinia. In Nubia the people are nearly all Mahommedans. The present Patriarch is said to be well learned in ecclesiastical matters, particularly those relating to the controversies and disputes in which the East has always been rife ; but in respect to general information, I am sorry to say that his Holiness knows no more than the bishops and clergy under him. The daily habits in which he is obliged to indulge, the listlessness, languor, idleness, and, as
i we should esteem it, inefficiency of his life, are such as to cause one pain and deep regret that the duties of a bishop are not better understood and more earnestly performed in Egypt. While I mint h • myself to believe that
the informant of Mr. Lane is, correct iniit4gpg striarch is guilty of manifest tyranny, cortinitan, and lust feki ni fey,. inferior
clergy the nferior clergy are little better than robbers and wolves to their 116"eks, and both ig- norant and vicious to a lamentable degree ; I must confess to you, that so
• The East. Sketches of navels in Egypt and the Holy Land. By the Reverend J. A. Spencer, 15.1. With Illustrations. Published by Murray. far as appearances go, I have seen very little to impress me favourably with either clergy or people. The Patriarch does not much else than sit and smoke, hour after hour, sleeping a portion of the day, and being obliged' to be awake and watch all night. Excepting such duties as fall upon him in connexion with his metropolitan jurisdiction, and some few of a civil character, none of which are to be considered onerous, he passes his time in the manner to which I have alluded, going out only one day in the weet, and never leaving his house save when he takes part in the services in church. Sermons, or expositions of Holy Scripture, neither he nor any one ever composes; and the thousand ways in which our bishops labour are un- known and unimagined by the dignitaries of that church which boasts of Athanasius as one of her great lights in other days, and claims St. Mark as her founder. When I had the honour of seeing the Patriarch, some days ago, he received me very kindly, and invited me to a place near himself, on the elevated diwan or raised seat in the court of his residence. His per- sonal appearance is not prepossemang : he is a man of perhaps sixty years of age • his face is heavy, dull, and, except when lighted up by excitement, rather stupid and unmeaning, and, so far as I could gather from the con- versation carried on by Mr. Lieder, and occasionally made dear to me, his. Holiness had no idea of America, Lked no questions, and felt no interest is regard to its spiritual condition ; and had confined his mind to an extremely limited range of subjects."
Of Abbas Pasha, the present ruler of Egypt, Mr. Spencer gives an indifferent account ; in part from hearsay, and partly from per:- sonal inspection at a public audience of a new American Consul.
"Mr. lfeeaulay was desirous of making the presentation as imposing as possible; and for this purpose, had invited Captain Gwynne and the officers of the U. S. frigate Constitution, lying at Alexandria, as well as all the Americans in Cairo, to be present and go inproeession to the citadel Quite a goodly number assembled : the Consuls of other powers paid Mr. M. their respects, the troops took up the line of march, and the Consul-General and, his countrymen, in carriages, followed slowly on. This was about eleven.' o'clock; but so crowded was the Mooskee, the main thoroughfare, and so much curiosity was there manifested to get sight of the strangers, that it took us more than an hour to reach the citadel : occasionally, too, on the road some bright eyes and pretty faces would be seen from the half open hart= windows, their curiosity getting the better of their prudence. On arriving at the palace, there was a strange scene of confusion, crowding, and jostling, to get into the reception-room • and for a time, I was not sure but that the Consul-General and his countrymen would be completely excluded from the presence of the Pasha. By pushing and knocking about for a while' how- ever, we all succeeded in getting in. The room is large, of oblong shape, has a beautifully painted ceiling, and high dfwans upon three sides. In the centre of the dfwan, opposite the entrance, was perched a short obese figure, with not a bad though rather brutified face, and apparently about thirty-five years old. As I looked at him, I felt that it would be a sorry matter to be within his power if one should have happened to come across his path of lust and sensuality. Mr. Macaulay was conducted to the right of the Pasha ; who got down from his seat, and made an awkward sort of bow on his entrance. Both the Pasha and all present remained standing while he received the firman of the Sultan, touched it with his lips, raised it reverentially to his forehead, and then handed it over to an attendant officer. Mr. Todd, the Consul, Captain Gwynne, and others of less note, occupied positions near Mr. Macaulay, on the same side : poor I got off on the left among a number of persons as insignificant and unnoticed as myself. Immediately after we were seated, a number of eunuchs and slaves, dressed for a wonder in coats and pantaloons, brought in pipes with jewelled mouth- pieces and coffee, presenting the Pasha with his on bended knee. The honour of a pipe and cup of coffee, however, was confined to a few even of the dignitaries present ; which I thought rather queer hospitality. Mr. Macaulay made a short speech in French; which was translated to the Pasha. by his interpreter, a fine-lookinttufjellow. Abbas succeeded in getting out a compliment or two ; but an • g like the tact and skill of Mohammed Ali in conversation was too deep for him. So, after a rather ridiculous. silence for some little time, he sent for the present he intended to bestow' on the tensul-General. It was a handsome sword or sabre ; which was put On. Mr. M. in presence of the Pasha ; and, together with the horse outaide, was be- stowed on the representative of America in a pretty little speech made by the- interpreter. Another half French bow was graciously given to Mr. M. and party ; after which we took our leave, partly vexed, but more inclined to be- amused, at the way in which the thing had gone off. Altogether, it was an insipid affair, and did not tend to raise Abbas Pasha in our estimation. Nor do I think that he would have felt particularly complaisant to our country- men and others could he have heard the free and not altogether compli- mentary remarks which were made about him at Mr. Macaulay's levee that afternoon."
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