15 SEPTEMBER 1877, Page 21

Syrian Sunshine. By T. G. Appleton. (Roberts Brothers, Boston, U.S.)—Mr.

Appleton gives much more of his book to what he thought than to what he saw. The problems of belief, of revelation, of the relations between the Divine nature and man, occupied him much, amidst the scenes which, indeed, most naturally call theta to mind ; and ho expresses his views about them with much eloquence and force, though we must own to not feeling very clearly informed about them when we come to the end. Mingled with these, indeed, are impressions of travel, and these are always vivid. Perhaps the chapter on Damas- cus I8 the best, and in this, the most striking sketch is that of the dealer in curiosities, "the most famous man of Damascus," as Mr. Appleton calls him.