MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND ART. 



TURKEY AND ITS RESOURCES. BY DAVID URQUIIART. LONDON : 

 SAUNDERS AND OTTLEY. 



WITH the exception of d' Ohsson's celebrated work on Turkey, we do not 

 recollect having ever met with one, that has afforded us so much valuable in- 

 formation on that interesting portion of the globe, as the book before us. 

 The press has teemed of late with notices, recollections, sketches, narratives, 

 and other mushroom productions on the Ottoman Empire ; but one and all 

 are cast in the same superficial mould, and convey to the reader but the faith- 

 ful description of such objects as struck the organ of vision of their authors 

 during a short sojourn in the land of the " Cypress and Vine." But Mr. 

 Urquhart's work is of another type, and appearing, as it does, at a moment 

 when the gaze of all Europe is fixed with deep intensity on the tottering em- 

 pire of Mahomet, it will be perused with the liveliest interest and attention. 



Even when the power and greatness of the Ottoman Empire were at their 

 meridian, those who attentively observed it, discovered that its predominating 

 principle was one of weakness ; and its dissolution was consequently fore- 

 told with mathematical confidence. Still the Tuikish Empire exists, while 

 this historical prediction, which has been handed down through so many 

 generations, as the unerring dictum of political wisdota, is, after all, but the 

 offspring of false estimates of the operation of institutions, dissimilar in every 

 respect to our own. 



It has been finely observed by a profound philosophical writer of the pre- 

 sent age, that where the general constitution of a state is sound and healthy, 

 there is a sort of " vis medicatrix," which is sufficient for the cure of political 

 disorders. Mr. Urquhart has discovered this in Turkey, in the effects of non- 

 interference in the local administration of the countries beneath the sway of 

 the Sultan. He has skilfully brought to light that portion of the Turkish 

 administration, which has hitherto been unfortunately neglected, and which 

 consists in the popular and elementary parts, through the intervention of 

 which, the revenue is collected; whence two principles of vast practical im- 

 portance have sprung, viz. perfect freedom of industry and commerce, by 

 the placing of taxation directly on property ; and a rural municipal organi- 

 zation, which has been the means of neutralizing the effects of Turkish 

 tyranny, and of replacing patriotism by the means of local affection and 

 common sympathies, which is after all a fundamental principle of Arabic 

 legislation. Mr. Urquhart proceeds to the consideration of the finances of 

 that empire : the simplicity of the system forms a striking contrast with the 

 more complicated combinations of Western Europe : it is based upon 

 a principle in force in all the great empires of antiquity direct taxation. He 

 has likewise triumphantly shown that elements of reorganization abundantly 

 exist in Turkey. 



" On the chances of reorganization of the Turkish empire," he says, " I 

 have but one concluding, but very important remark to make. A man who 

 would be considered in Europe perfectly ignorant, may be, in Turkey, if he is 

 only honest, an able and excellent administrator ; because he has no general 

 questions to grapple with, no party opinions to follow, no letter of the law to 

 consult; because he is never called on to decide on, and interfere in, questions of 

 administration and finance; therefore it is that Europeans form a false estimate 

 by an erroneous standard of the administrative capacity of theTurks,and add to 

 the real dangers that surround Turkey, others gratuitously suggested by their 

 European prejudices. A Turkish reformer requires no instruction in fund or 

 bank monopolies, none in bankruptcy cases, none in the mysteries of con- 

 veyancing, none in corporate rights, There are no laws of primogeniture or 

 entail to be discussed or amended. In fact, there are no systematic evils ; 



