Anatolica. By the Rev. E. J. Davis. (Grant and Co.)—Mr.
Davis describes his journey as "a visit to some of the ancient ruined cities of Carla, Phrygia, Lyda, and Pisidia." And it is true that he gives 501110 noteworthy details of what he saw in the way of Greek, Asiatic, and Roman antiquities. Yet the chief interest of his volume is in the occa- sional remarks, which at this time have an especial significance, about- the social and economical condition of the country. Mr. Davis's expe- dition was made in 1872, and what he tells us of the misgovernment of the country as it made itself known to a casual traveller then, enables us to understand the disaster which has fallen upon it since. It would be too much to expect that the Turkish Government should do what Governments much more enlightened have only just begun to stir themselves about, and prevent the destruction of wood. This, of course, has taken place in Asia Minor, as it has in Greece and Syria, and brings about the same result,—a chronic recurrence of drought, and consequent famine. But the taxation need not be so cruelly heavy. "In most districts, the Government taxes, I was told, amounted to about sixty- five per cent, of the net profits of the cultivator ;" "of course, the writer goes on to add, "much of this is absorbed before it reaches the Sultan's treasury." Whatever may become of it, the margin left is so small as manifestly to forbid the idea of any reserve against scarcity. Surely, it is a deplorable neceesity, if it be a necessity, which supports this blighting dominion of the Turks. Mr. Davis's is a pleasantly written and lively book. It is illustrated with BOMB photographs, which, how- ever, we cannot praise. It is to be wished that they had been "inter- preted," so to speak, to us with the penciL
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