The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, MAY' 10th, 1020. EGYPT OLD AND NEW.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, MAY' 10th, 1020. EGYPT OLD AND NEW.

In - view of tho interest excited by the discoveries of Tutankhamen, “Egypt—Old and Now.” a recent publication, by Mr Percy F. Martin, says an exchange, makes an opportune appearance. In tho early part of the book Mr Martin describes the Egypt of antiquity with its great cities, and its stately monuments, its treasures, and its temples. A chapter is devoted to ancient Thebes (the wonderful “city of the hundred gates”), the site of which was the scene of the recent “find,” and there are three coloured plates depicting the identical valley of tho Tombs of the Kings, in. which the relics were brought to light. Tho survey of modern Egypt is no less engrossing. Napoleon once said that Egypt, the gateway between east and west is the most important country in tho world. Certainly it is one of the most picturesque—a country of vivid tones and violent contrasts. “New” Cairo resembles any well-built continental town, hut in the older quarters as in Alexandria, the past is intermingled with the present, and all manner of races and blends are to be found in the cosmopolitan crowd. In the streets the clanging tram warns the Egyptian flat car with its load of black-clad, ynshmaked women to make way. The up-to-date motor-lorry jostles tho stately if lumbering camel. Smartly uniformed British soldiers rubshoulders with shifty-eyed Levantines. There are Greeks, Turks, Armenians, Jews, Copts, Bedouins from the desert, coal-black Nubians from tho Sudan Babel seems to have been let loose in the ever-moving Pentecostal throng. However, Mr Martin is not exclusively concerned with the picturesque aspects of Egypt. He gives an account of the topography and resources of the country and of the characteristics of its people, noting incidentally that, although under the influence of ancient Greece the Egyptians became great athletes, excelling in foot-racing, chari-ot-racing, wrestling and boxing. The only sport which they cultivate now is horse-racing. He sketches the recent history of Egypt, and in this connection mentions a curious coincidence. The number “forty” has had a peculiar significance in the legends and history of Egypt and Western Asia. The rains of tho Flood lasted forty days. Moses was forty days on the mountain. For forty years the Isralites wandered in the wilderness. Elijah was fed by the ravens for forty days. Nineveh was given forty days wherein to repent and the Egyptians require forty days for the embalming of a body. Further examples can be found in the New Testament, and at a later period the alchemists credited this number with occult and mystic properties. And, to complete the chain, the British occupation of Egypt lasted exaftly forty years. It began in 1882; it ended in 1922, when Egypt was granted her independence, and Britain exchanged her role of tutor and trustee for that of patron and friend. Mr Martin cordially approves of the step Jaken, although he does not pretend 'that Egypt wi]l find (be tpsk of self-

government ns simple as some of her spokesmen imagine. His discussion of the prospects and problems of the new regime is not the least interesting feature of a thoroughly readable book, which is, moreover, sumptuously illustrated with plates in colour and monochrome.