"The union of the acutest observation of topographic and local conditious, like tliat of Burckhardt, with nuicli preparatory study, particularly the erudite study of the Bible, and o( philological aud historical criticism as well as that of the language of the country by the author's trav- elling coini)anion, the Rev. Eli Smith (whom a residence of many yeurs in Syria as a missionary had made practi- cally ai home there), distinguish this work, which is car- ried through in the most conscientious manner and with great vigor of body and of mind, from all former ones of Us kind, whereby tlie scientific treatment of tlie subject has only now gained firm ground upon which the future will be able to build up with more success than the past. The competent Olshausen remarks that no previous work has brought to light a richer fund of new and important researches on Palestine. The admirable principles of in- vestiiraiiou developed and acted up to therein will remain a guiding-star for all future tr.'ivellers who would under- take to contribute to the iiivestiu'atinii of Biblical antiquity ill the Holy Laud itself, wherefore the work marks a new iera in Biblical geography."
The committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund, in its publication Our Work in Palestine (Lond. 1873), p. 7, expresses itself as follows:
"The first real impulse, because the first snccessful im- pulse, towards scienlitic exiimiinition of the Holy Land, is due to the American traveller Dr. Kobinson. lie it was who first conceived the idea of making a work on Biblical geography to be based not on the accounts of otlicrs, but on his own observatii>ns and discoveries. He tilted him- self for his ambitions mulertaUiiig by the special studies of fifteen years, mastering the whole literature of the sub- ject, and, Mbove all.cleanngthe way for his own research- es by noticing the deficiencies and weak points of his pred-
ecessors. . . . We shall not go into the question here of his theories and his reconstruction of the old city, on which he has had both followers and opponents. Let it, how- ever, be distinctly remembered that Dr. Robinson is the first of scientilic travellers. His travels took him over a very large extent of ground, cnveriug a large part of the whole country from Sinai north; and his books are still, after thirty years, the most valuable works which we pos- sess on the geography of Palestine."
Dean Stanlej' (.1 ddresses and Sei-mons delivered in the United States, October, 1878, p. 20) says:
"Dr. Robinson, I believe it is not too much to say, was the first person who ever saw Palestine with his eyes open as to what he ought to see. Hundieds and thousands of travellers had visited Palestine before— pilgrims, seekers after pleasure, even scientific travellers^but there was no person before his time who had come to visit that sacred country with all the appliances ready beforehand which were necessary to enable him to understand what he saw ; and he also was the first person who came there with an eye capable of observing, and a hand capable of recording, ail that with these appliances he brought before his vision."
The Royal Geographical Society of London awarded to the author, in 1842, their Patron's Gold Medal; in the same year the University of Halle conferred upon him the degree of D.D. ; and Yale College, in 1844, that of LL.D.
On his return to America, in 1840, Dr. Robinson de- voted him.sclf to his labors in the Union Theological Seminary, at the same time not neglecting his literary work. He wrote numerous articles end essays, revised his former works for new edition.s, and in 1845 published a new and independent Greek Harmony of the Gospels, with notes of his own, which, with other important changes, made it far superior to any former work of the kind and won it general acknowledgment. This was followed in 1846 by an En<jlish Ilarmoni/, wilh the notes adapted for popular use.
In 1851 Dr. Robinson made a second visit to Germany and Palestine, in which he included Damascus. The valuable results of his new investigations were laid down in an improved and enlarged edition o( his Biblical Re- searches, in 1856, which was at the same time published in (iermany with a translation of the additional matter by Mrs. Robinson. Nevertheless, this invaluable work was, in the eyes of Dr. Robinson, mereh' a preparation for a complete physical, historical, and topographical geography of the Holy Land, which he considered the chief labor of his life. Unfortunately, he was not per- mitted to finish it; only the first part, the Physical Ge- ography of Palestine, was fully prepared in manuscript, and his faithful helpmeet translated it into German after his death, and published it in both languages in 1865. Repeated attacks of illness undermined his constitution, and an incurable disease of the eyes obliged him, in the year 1861, to lay down his pen. It) INlaj', 1862, he set out on his fifth and last voyage to Europe, in order to consult the celebrated oculist Dr. von (Jriife, in Berlin, who, however, could promise him no permanent cure. Nevertheless, he greatly enjoyed the intercourse with his learned friends in Halle and Berlin, and refreshed his soul once more by a clouded view of the Swiss Alps. On his return in November of the same year, he re- sumed his usual duties at the Union Theological Semi- nary, but was forced to cease with the Christmas va- cation. After a short illness, he died in the bosom of his family, Jan. 27, 1863, universally esteemed and la- mented, most so b\' his wife, son, and daughter, his col- leagues, and a large number of students in the seminary, the learned ornament and crown of which he had been for a quarter of a century.