airo is at present, with the single
exception perhaps of Damascus, the most purely Arab city in the East; but
the ruthless reforms of the Pasha, and the constant passage of the Franks
on this new high-road to India, will erelong divest it of its
distinguishing characteristics, and give it as hybrid an aspect as that of
the Frank intruders into the Pasha's chamber. An English hotel has already
started up; and Mrs Poole informs us, that "by a proclamation of the
Pasha, the houses are to be whitewashed within and without; those who
inhabit ruined houses are to repair or sell them; and uninhabited
dwellings are to be pulled down, for the purpose of forming squares and
gardens; _meshreebeyehs_ (projecting first-floor windows) are forbidden;
and _mastabahs_ (the seats in front of shops) are to be removed. Cairo,
therefore, will no longer be an Arab city, and will no longer possess
those peculiarities which render it so picturesque and attractive. The
deep shade in the narrow streets, increased by the projecting windows; the
picturesque tradesmen, sitting with one friend or more before his shop,
enjoying the space afforded by his mastabah--these will be no more; and
while I cannot but acknowledge the great necessity for repairing the city,
and removing the ruins which threaten the destruction of passengers, I
should have liked these features retained which are essentially
characteristic--which help, as it were, to group the people, and which
form such admirable accessories to pictures."

PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE--STEPHENS' BOOK OF THE FARM, &c.

The growing demand for information among the agricultural classes, makes
the appearance of new books of a really trustworthy kind of greater
national value at the present time than at any former period. Besides, as
our knowledge is rapidly advancing, good books upon practical agriculture
are becoming more difficult to write. They require from their authors a
larger acquaintance with the newer branches of elementary science than
many practical men can be expected as yet to possess. These considerations
induce us to advert for the second time to the work now before us. We drew
the attention of our readers to the first volume when it made its
appearance; two other volumes completing the work having since been
published, we feel ourselves under a kind of obligation to follow the
author cursorily through the remainder of his book.

_The Book of the Farm_ might be called _The Practical