Palestine: the physical geography and natural history of the Holy Land / By John Kitto. Illustrated with one hundred and seventy-one woodcuts, by the most eminent artists.

  • John Kitto
Date:
1841
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Palestine: the physical geography and natural history of the Holy Land / By John Kitto. Illustrated with one hundred and seventy-one woodcuts, by the most eminent artists. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    By these qualities he is chiefly distinguished : yet he has some observations on the natural features and products of the country which are entitled to respect ; particularly as, to these, he has added a list of the plants which he found growing in Palestine. Clarke* (1801) spent but eighteen days in Palestine, and his account of it is unequal to his high reputation, and to some other portions of his extensive work. It is still, however, much above the common level, and furnishes many interesting notices of plants observed by the traveller on his way. Burckhardt» (1810—1812), though no naturalist, allowed nothing to escape his notice in the districts through which he passed; and hence he offers some very important contributions to the natural history of northern Palestine, and the countries beyond Jordan, and to the east and south of the Dead Sea, which were formerly occupied by the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and the nations of Moab, Ammon, and Edom. Indeed, Burckhardt, with Seetzen® (1805-7), Irby and Mangles? (1818), and Buck- ingham ® (1816), are entitled to the praise of having made known to our own age the Trans- Jordanic country, with which so many Scriptural and historical associations are connected, but which no former travellers ventured to visit, or undertook to describe. Among the travellers we have just named, it may be very safely said that Irby and Mangles furnish a larger number of new facts towards the physical history of the Holy Land than are to be found im any of the works, old or recent, which have passed under our notice, or in many of them put together ; and it is much to be regretted that theirs, which is in many respects the most informing book on the general subject, has never been properly offered to the public, and is difficult to procure, having only been printed for private distribution. Mr. Buckingham’s descriptions of the physical characteristics of the districts over which he travelled afford a more considerable number of useful facts, of the required class, than we expected to find. These are the most abundant and instructive in the work, which describes the countries east of the Jordan, which is, in other respects also, a more valuable performance than the same author’s previous work on Palestine.‘ We are happy that a few scattered notices of the natural characteristics of particular spots enable us to allow a place in our list to Dr. Richardson ® (1818), the Maundrell of the 19th century, and, unquestionably, the very best topographer which has yet appeared of Jerusalem and of those parts of Palestine which he visited. Madox (1824) has but very few observations available for the purpose we have in view ; but these few, which are chiefly mineralogical notices and allusions to the state of the weather, are good and useful. Mr. Madden‘ (1827) has much to say on various points of natural history before he reaches Palestine; but after he enters that country, the information we obtain from him is very small indeed. The Rev. Vere Monro * (1833) has some knowledge of botany, which induces him to take notice of plants, and to specify them with unusual clearness. The portion of his work which Dr. Hogg! (1833) allows to Palestine is but small; but that small portion is valuable, from its unusually numerous and distinct indications of the products, appearance, and physical character of the ground he passed over. From Mr. Robinson’s ™ (1830) two volumes some small pieces of useful information may be gleaned; but he makes so uncommonly free with the writings of his English predecessors, that it is difficult to distinguish the new information, if there be any, or to estimate the degree of honour to which he is himself entitled. Major Skinner” (1833), Mr. Stephens ° (1836), and Lord Lyndsay ? (1836), may be classed together as belonging to the personal-adventure class of travellers. They offer us agreeable books, readable, and instructive to the class of genera] readers for whose use they are intended. ® « Travels in various Countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Part ii. Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land.’ b * Travels in Syria and the Holy Land.’ Lond., 1822. © * Account of the Countries adjoining the Lake of Tiberias, the Jordan, and the Dead Sea.’ Bath, 1810. a * Travels in Egypt, Nubia, Syria, and Asia Minor, during the years 1817 and 1818.’ Lond., 1823. e «Travels among the Arab Tribes.’ 1825. f * Travels in Palestine,’ 1821. 8 * Travels along the Mediterranean.’ Lond., 1822. h * Excursions in the Holy Land, Syria, Egypt, &e.’ Lond., 1834. ‘ Travels in Turkey, Egypt, Nubia, and Palestine, in 1824, 25, 26, 27, and 29.’ k © Summer’s Ramble in Syria.’ Lond., 1835. 1 * Visit to Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Damascus.’ Lond., 1835. m *« Travels in Palestine and Syria.’ Lond., 1836. « Adventures in an Overland Journey to India, 1836.’ © * Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petreea, and the Holy Land.’ Lond., 1838. P ‘Letters on Egypt, Edom, and the Holy Land.’ 1838.
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