PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 53

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

In the Monthly Review for August (Loodon : John Murray, 2s 6d net), Mr L. Cope Cornford's article, "The Government, the Army, and the Nation," occupies the premier" position. "It is," ihe says, "a fact of some significance that, in the newspapers and in tlie weekly press and in the magazines, articles suggesting that the Brltiaii army should be reformed are perpetually appearing." Reformers and would-be reformers, however much they differ among themselves are agreed upon the ono point uhat there is> something inherently wrong in ciux military system. However vasw

tbe impression may bo in most minds, yet almost all entertain it, and this unanimity, as the writer says, is impressive. The idea, of adding 1 to a confusion of mind already great by advancing a new theory is disclaimed, Mr Cornford's modest purpose being rather "to endeavour to discover fche points at which the national interest and the military interest touch and interfuse. ' The army, he opines, exists not merely the purpose of repelling oppression, but for upholding the national policy. As the welfare of every individual depends ui-on the national policy being effectively upheld, it follows that everyone should be ready to defend that policy. That nob being convenient in practice, we resort to paying a class of fighting men to do Uie duty for us. Somehow this class — ouv soldiery — is nod esteemed as it ought to be, and in consequence tends to deteriorate. At the same time the notion of civic duty has become uartly, if not largely, lost by civilians. The power that should bo in the hands of a oommander-in-chief como?, in these circumstances, to be nominally in the hands of a member or members of the Cabinet, whose minds, as recent events have shown, may be a very minus quantity. That this state of matters should end .md supreme command be vested in the '.nilitary head of the forces, with responsibility to the Cabinet, but with perfect freedom of action, is the plea here enforced. VV rhino- about "The Soldiers of the Sirkrr," Colonel H. C. Wylly, C.8., lurnishes a great deal of interesting information concerning the beginnings o? the Indian army. Mr A? St. Legcr Weetall, in "Nelson and the Trafalgar Centenary," follows that hero's life at saa with critical acumen, and corrects a very prevalent error which ascribes a liberal measure of good luok to the most renowned naval warrior the world has ever seen. As a matter of fact, Nelson was the victim of constant ill-luck, as anyone reading his letters and despatches must " perceive. Perusal of this articie makes that matter quite clear, and we are quite at one with the writer in his state ment that "neither the lapse of a century, nor the modern critical spirits powerful solvents of popular hero-worship, have affected the pride and love that the nation has always felt for the victor of Trafalgar." Were Nelson to reappear crowds of Britons would again do as did "those crowds, kneeling with arms outstretched towards him on Southsea beach on that memorable September morning when 'ie bade England "his last farewell." Among other articles cf importance may be mentioned those entitled "Russia's Dominion and Policy in Asia," by Mr A. Kinloch; 'The Criminal Liability of Directors," by Mr E. Manson ; "Cordova and Seville," by Mr Edward Hutton ; "Richard Straurs and Programme Music,*' by Mr E. A. Baughan ; and "Imperial Co-operation in Education," by Miss C. A Barnicoat. Mr W. H. Hudson contributes one ' of his pleasant literary excursions under the title of "The Serpent in Literature," and MiMichael MacDonagh has a very amusing and at the samo time thoughtful and informative paper on "The Craft of Newspaper Advertising." "The Land Setttement in Canada" is described and criticised by Mr R. J: Shrimpton, and under the title- "Some of My Visitors" a few striking reminiscences from the pen of the late Professor F. Max Mutler are given. "Cricket in the Year 2005' a.d.,". by Harold ; Maefarlane, if somewhat beyond the* average • person, gwill no doubf appeal to the •humorous faculty tot the duly initiated. The usual instalment of Mr H". ,C. Bailey V! serial, "Be&ujeu " and a couple of book notices by the editor are the final items of this solid monthly budget. East and West is a compact, book-form : monthly published in Bombay,' whemee the April issue has just reached us. The varied contents of literary, philosophical, and scientific kind exhibit a high degree of j excellence in quality. We are ashamed to j admit it, but it comes as a shock to our i insular narrowness to find articles upon tho finer and more isubt.le, aspects of vncdei-n thought, as these bear upon the most intimate problems of the human mind and its eolation to the universe, contributed by writers with unpronounceable Indian names. Among the contributors of European nationality first place is given to Dr A. H. Koane, greatest of living' ethnologists, several of whoso works ("Man : Past and Present," "Tho Gold of Ophir, ' etc.) have bean reviewed in these columns. With his usual lucidity and vigour 1 pr Keane treats of "Re.cc and Speech" in conlroversion of the position' held by a noted Indian authority (Mr R. P. Clianda) as to the "essential unity of the Indian race." Dr Keane has no difficulty in conclusively demonstrating that at least four ♦distinct varietal -groups <j£ the human family arc blended in the vast population of the giVat Indian Peninsula. One cf these groups." and undoubtedly the earliest of all, is of negro stock, and has peopled India since the Stone Age. This black substratum has disappeared as an ethnical clement, but exisls still in a diffused' state over a large portion of, the peninsula. The later primary groups reached India at widely separated periods -in time, the Aryans last of all, about 4000 years ago. Suffused' by the writer's wonderful grasp and knowledge of a highly complex prol^em, this paper finely exemplifies Dr Keane's faculty of logical presentation. Another striking paper is by "Sachchidananda," who writes over the title-text, "All Things Work Together for Good to Those Who Love the Good." He seeks to disbipate "che pessimistic tone which pervades most of the writing in the native press and &c utterances of some of our public orator*," 'calculated as it is to depress the hopes and paralyse the energies of their readers and hearers. An eloquent and powerful plea for increasing optimism is made by this essayist, to whom the writings of Herbert Spencer, Darwin, and other Western celebrities ajc as familiar as those of his own land', many quotations from both sources being used by him with skill and effectiveness. Mr U. Balakrishnan Nair, in an article entitled "Wellington and the Pyehe Rajah," describes an early episode in the Indian career of the Iron Duke, then Colonel Aithur Wellesley. Prolab Chunder Mozoomdar writes briefly upon the decadence of the Brahmo Somaj, tha Theistic Church of the late famous religious reformer, „ Keshub Chunder Sen. Keikhosihroo P. M. Mohta writes of "The Poets and tho Poetry of Provence," and writes very finely too, introducing some beautifttl examples of translations of troubadour songs. "Leaves from the Diary of a" Hindu Devotee," "Isis and Her Mysteries," and several choice, short poems can only be mentioned, but all of them arc such as might readily find place in the pages of the best English or American magazines. In "Autour Dv Monde" Mr J. D. Anderson gives a' capital re-

sume, with running criticism, of the experiences as published of 13 young professors of tho University of Pr.ris who toured the world a few yeais «ince. There arc quite a number of allusions to NewZealand in this paper, all pointed and well informed, while tho passages descriptive of British, French, and Dutch colonising are both acute and valuable. In everyway this magazine shows such excellence of contents and management that we wculdi be very pleased to see more of it, but the pity is that Australasia, has" nothing approaching it to offer in exchange. \Easf; and West Office. Whireaway Laidlaw Building, Bombay.) The Pall M#ll Magazine for August open 9 with a story by William Waldorf Astor. Tli9 theme is psychical— its development? anjid English country scenes; but the tenor l is. the tenor of a story by the same author* * which appeared in the December number, and the two tales are linked 1 together by, the personality of Professor Vaissi ; tha illustrations, by Abbey Alston, arc very fine. In sharp contrast to the opening story i£ one by an anonymous author — "On tha Bel&iza Rher" — as lurid a study of a, human brute as ever was penned. One wonders why any writer should clothe such horrible fancies in words, aaid send them cait to assume tangible chape. Mr Wells's serial "Kipps,"' and the month's instalmenfc of Mr Hornung"s "Thief in the- Night" series constitute some features in a not very attractive programme of fiction. "Demetnos Contos,*' by Jack London,, ia flung into artistic prominence by the fine illustrations drawn by Russell Flint, ancli "His Ta'e <>i Bricks," by Arthur Morrison, is a story of average merit. The articles and sketches of the August number easily^ — take precedence of the stories — that of "Dover and Calais," by right of its fine pictures, comes first, and is closely rivalled by Commander Peary's "Fighting the Arctic Ice," while it is possible some readers may find "The Punch Pocket Books" as attractive as either. Our Alma Mater, the excellent school magazine issued by -the students of St. Ignatius' College, Riverview, Sydney, is one of which any colonial college, may feel justlyproud — we heartily congratulate professors ond students alike on the ability and enthusiasm necessary to "run" «jich a biannual magazine. The silver jubilee of the college is commemorated in this issue of Our Alma Mater, and is responsible for some little unusual luxury and daintiness of apparel in a publication which is, however, always noticeable for its excellent technical details. Numberless capital ilhistrationis, consisting of views of the beauti-

; fill and spacious college grounds, groups ot" i football, cricket, and hockey players; and! individual' portraits of "'old boys" and pre- , cent students who have won foremost places j in the greater school of life, and within tho i collego precincts, pleasantly illumine tho i pages, and one can well comprehend the ■ pride and pleasure of those parents whp 1 claim a son or two in these bright groups. 1 The Review of Review* for August ia without doubt an extremely" interesting number, partly owing to its own articles,, and partly to the interesting nature of- the.- } articles in, contemporary magazines dealt j with in the pages devoted to review. Tlie< evolution of the /-modern w'omanT her de.- - velopment socially and industrially-, and ita influence^ on the existing state of things;, appears lo be a strong feature in curr<mt__^ ; . literature on the social side : the balance of power among the "nations, and .the "un- . earned increment," , represented by Germany's power and prestige increasing in exact proportion as> Russia's has decreased, represents the new rallying cry of that jingo journalism of which we surely possess more than onr share. The original articles include the second part of the sketch entitled ".British New Guinpa-/' by the Hon. Stainforth Smith ; a reply by Max Huch to the Rev Mr Collins' s article, entitled "Tha Church and Social problems" ; the Iwc character sketches cf the month, con- ■ tributed by. Mr W. J. f?i.pad. and devoted respectively to General Booth and Commission ar H. Rider Haggard. Then we haAe tbe "Interviews on Topics of the Month," which comprise a wide field o£ interest, from the "Inter-State Labour Con-^ gress" to "Round the World After Mis-* sionaries." "The Book of the Month" ia a notice of the volumes of '"Pictures From, the London. Punch," iiow being issued, and for the colonial publication of which the Review of Reviews has completed arrangements. The synopsis of "Leading Articles in the Reviews " contains, as we have al*ready said, an unusually interesting and . informative list of topics.