BRIEF MENTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19475, 9 May 1925, Page 4

BRIEF MENTION.

Encouraged by the reception accorded iq her previous booklet “The Wings of Life,” Miss Olivo Merber has now entered upon a second venture in “ The Life 'J ra-nscendent” (Chichester: The Science of ’.thought Press. Duncdih: NZ. Bible ana Tract Society. 2s). Miss Mercer is a resident of Dunedin, and both her booklets •■re in the nature of propaganda for what is commonly known as “The New Thought,” a method of influencing matter by mind which traces back to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and through him to the various schools of Transcendentalism. Whatever criticism may ho levelled against this cult, it is generally acknowledged that a great many people derive much help and comfort in their everyday life from its lee ing and exhortation. It says a great deal for Miss Mercer's advocacy that, her first booklet having found an Australian, publisher, her second should be issued from an English press. This success is largely duo to Miss Mercer’s undoubted literary gift. She writes clearly and with charm, and the choice language she invariably employs tips with'goid the shaft of her message. All those to whom the New Thought” makes appeal will find strength and solace in tbis delightfully produced little book. Next in importance to knowing bow to think, is learning how to behave; and this is inculcated in “Etiqueto Up-to-date,” bv Constance Burleigh (T. Werner Laurie: 3s 6d net). Within the 230 pages of this book are given practical everyday hints on such commonplace things as calling, card-leaving, at homes, bridge parties, visits, dinners, presentations, courtship and marriage, silver weddings, and broken engagements. Nor are such weighty matters forgotten us dancing, travelling, tipping, motoring, garden parties, christenings, and bereavements. A good index is a valuable adjunct to this book. In the days of long ago there were schools in which twopence extra was charged for “Manners.” fn these days of free and compulsory education manners are sometimes forgotten. “Etiquette Up-to-date” comes to remedy the defect. ■lt is not given to every child to visit other lands. the majority of the children born in New Zealand are not likely to leave its shores. As a compensation for this deprivaneo of travel the “Peeps for Little People” series should be of service. These books, written by Unde Robert,” and published by Messrs A. and C. Black (each Is 6d net) are attractively produced, and arc well illustrated in colour and in black-and-white. “Children of the Snow and lee” pictures the Eskimos, the Laplanders, the Samoyads. and the little folk of Iceland and Siberia. A contrasting picture is presented in “Children of the Sunshine” when stories are told of the boys and girls of the African tropical forests, the Zulus, tho Morocco little ones, and the children of India and Java. . The lives of these youngsters are so entirely, different frona anything that tho boys ana girls of Now Zealand can imagine that the books are sure to attract. To oat to live is the motto of the wise, afid not to live to eat. and this is the message ofi “Tho Gospel of Feeding. From Childhood to Old Age,” by Reddie Mallett (Watts and Co., la not). The author inveighs against “the meal habit,” and says: “So customary foods are consumed, though they may be spoiled by customary treatment, and he is one out of ton thousand who having punished himself enough by custom, or chancing to use his brains to escape punishment, turns from tho conventions of tho community to pursue a path which loaves him free if lonely.” Mr Mallott, who claims to have experimented with his own body for tho past 14 yours, enlarges upon tno small quantity of food sufficient to keep tho body in good working order; and he declares that “man s fittest fuel is fruit —raw fruit.” He quotes tho case of a friend who frequently takes the juice of nine lemons a day and lives in perfect health. ‘•Profitable Honey Plants of Australasia, by Tarlton Payment (Whitcombe and Tombs, 6s 6d) is a complementary volume to the same author’s "Money, in Bees in Australasia.” It is described os a handbook, tho first of its kind on Australasian plants that fill tho treasury of tne beehive and render possible the financial success of the modern boo farm. Obviously, if a beekeeper is to make his hives pay, ho must have tho most suitable pasture for his bees, and Mr Payment sots forth, by moans of pictures and letterpress, to describe tho remarkably rich honey resources of Australasia. A careful study of this ipanunl should have the effect of materially increasing tho production of honey in the dominion. “Backbone” (Angus and Robertson, 2s 6d) is an anthology of good things, chiefly of a humorous sort, collected from various spumes by Mr S. do Witt Clough. Of American origin, the book is described as “Hints for Prevention of Jelly-spine Curvature and Mental Squint. A Straightout Antidoto for tho Blues und & Straightahead cure for Grouch.” Tho variety of tho contents is seen in the fact that tho first item is Elbert Hubbard’s “Message to Garcia,” and tho final piece is headed "Billy’s Boaititoods,” by Will Reed Dunvoy, while Goethe, Washington Irving, anti Ralph Waldo Emerson frolic in between. It is a wonderful medley of \inerican fun and sound common sense. “When All is Well or the Flower of Ainsty,” by Douglas J. Boyle (Scarborough: D. Boyle, Is 2d) is a historical romance of tho 10th century, cast in the form of a poetical play, the scene of which is .sot in Yorkshire. Mr Doyle advertises himself as' author of four other “dramatic works,” which together with “When All Is Well,” are evidently designed for amateur presentation. Mining students and others will bo m tercsled in a couple of monographs published under tho auspices of the Imperial Institute, and designed to set forth the mineral resources of tho British Empire. The first is’ “Bismuth Ores,” bp Allen, and tho second is “Antimony Ores, by Edward liaise. They are published by John Murray, and the prices are 3s ,6d net and 5s net respectively. . The Melbourne University press has just issued a work, “Australian Constitutional Development,” which is certain to become the final text book on tho subject. The author, Dr E. Sweetmnn, is not widely known, yet amongst students of constitutional history in Australia it is admitted that his work is in the front rank. In this hook, for instance, he has settled once and for all problems which several authorities of eminence in constitutional history and law had declared to bo insoluble through lack of material. Ho has brought to light documents, despatches, and letters whose very existence was forgotten. To get his material ho has oven gone as far afield as the archives of British Guiana and New foundland. The documents which have been rescued from oblivion are printed in appendices to the work and thus offer valuable opportunities to the student of original sources. The university has conferred the degree of Litt. D on the author. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is the best bit of historical research work yet done in Australia. Students interested in the growth of self-government in tho British dominions will find every phase of its evolution in Australia given with minute fidelity. The book deals with tho period from 1788 to 1856. The rest of the story down to the establishment of the commonwealth in 1900 still awaits its investigator. All interested in mental tests will welcome “The Measurement of General Ability,” by Dr G. E. Phillips, of Sydnev. After tho testing of 3346 children Dr Phillips has published a very clear account of his work. In addition, he issues the actual tests,- —over so all told, —revised from Rich’s scale and extended to meet Australian conditions. The book is very simply written, as such a book should be. Perhaps its appearance will stimulate some investigator to bring out standard tests for New Zealand. Dr Phillips is lecturer in experimental education in tho Sydney University.