ABSTRACT
Egypt's policy toward the passage to India is a matter which concerns all who travel' in the region. Martineau's eastern journals record a period prior to the Scramble for northern Africa that resulted in the opening of the Suez Canal and British occupation of Egypt. Harriet Martineau claimed that Christian ideology was corrupted by organized religions, economics, and political factioning. A striking departure from her experience in the East, where she was confronted with a wide range of religions, races, classes, sexual proclivities, and human rights issues. On French influence in Egypt during the Peninsular War see History of the Peace (HP). The Suez Canal opened in 1869, a thoroughly French enterprise that continued to provoke British concerns that the region would consequently be under French control. Finally, though she resists promoting political agendas, the notoriety surrounding Eastern Life, Present and Past proves once again that when Harriet Martineau spoke, prominent and influential people listened.
