PROFESSOR ANDREWS'S INSTITUTES OF HISTORY.*-The author of this able work describes it as a summary view of "the rationale of History," as "a precipitate rather than an outline." After an introductory chapter on "The Study of History," (which includes a discussion of the nature of historical studies and the philosophy of History,) the great eras, the main topics-such as "The Old East," "The Classical Period," "The Demolition of Rome," "The Medieval Roman Empire of the West," etc.-are taken up consecutively. A kind of "spinal cord" is run though the whole framework of universal history, by presenting condensed observations, with selected facts of capital importance. It is like a series of electric lamps placed at intervals on a long street, the right points being chosen for illumination, so that the traveler need not err or stumble. Excellent bibliographical pages are interspersed. The book is designed as a guide and assistant for both teachers and students. The remarks of the Author are a fresh and vigorous commentary on the progress of events. His learn ing is ample; and, altogether, the work is one of remarkable merit. GEORGE P. FISHER. THE ART AMATEUR for December contains a colored plate of "Pansies," studies of "Holly and Mistletoe," and "China Asters," and a page of timely and useful suggestions for Christmas decoration. The other designs include an extra size classic figure (Hero) the third of a series of six panels for painting or outline embroidery; an arrangement of "Orange Lillies" for a vase or embroidery, a fish-plate decoration-one of a set of six; a large and bold design of blackberry (vines and fruit) for wood carving; three musical cupids for tapestry painting, a fine pomegranate altar-frontal design and superfrontal design with full directions for treatment, and some pleasing diaper motives for curtain embroidery. Specially notable features are an excellent drawing of Knaus's "Holy Family" in the Catharine Wolfe collection, four studies of children by Lobrichon, and two pages of studies of furniture and interior decoration for the ordinary home. There are valuable practical articles on still-life painting (dead game) and flower painting in oils, tapestry painting and artistic picture framing. The collector receives particular attention in a new department called "The Cabinet," which includes a fully illus * Brief Institutes of General History. By E. BENJAMIN ANDREWS, D.D., LL.D., Professor of History in Brown University. trated article on Japanese "Snuff Bottles," a curious account of "Collecting in China," and numerous interesting notes. The Metropolitan Museum Exhibition, art in Boston, Mrs. Wheeler's show of embroideries, and other current topics receive notice. A special illustrated series of articles on the furnishing and decoration of the average country house is announced to begin with the January number. Price 35 cents. Montague Marks, publisher, 23 Union Square, New York. NATURAL LAW IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.*-To those who are getting tired of the noisy rant of the labor reformers a word of sense from a practical and benevolent business man upon some of the questions in discussion can not fail to be welcome. Such a word comes to us in this little volume and such a man we may judge is the author. In a life of practical observation and experience he has been profoundly impressed by the prevalence of law in the business world. It is not a mere theory with him. It is matter of observation. He undertakes no careful statement of the nature or the limitations of this law. He calls it natural, but by this he would probably be understood as suggesting nothing more than that it is practically invariable, and that it is impossible in the long run to evade its working by any artificial contrivances. It is not a law, however, which excludes the ethical freedom of men in their social and industrial relations. He recognizes the fact that there is abundant opportunity in the working of economic laws for application of the law of love. But he very wisely objects to the substitution of sentiment for business sense. It is this sort of talk that misguided workmen need to hear. It is no unfriendly utterance. It is that of an honest friend who would show them that they will never win prosperity in defiance of economic laws. He shows the workman that he must rely more upon himself. One of the great evils of the labor combinations is that they result in forming in a workman a habit of dependence on others. He brings to the workman's remembrance that very old but perpetually forgotten fact that it is the training of the man that is needed, not change of financial condition. merely. He forcibly reminds us that what is called in the cant parlance of modern agitators "labor" is something more than muscular effort. The man who works with his brain is worthy of * Natural Law in the Business World. By HENRY WOOD. Shepard, Publishers. New York: Chas. T. Dillingham. 1887. Boston: Lee & just as much sympathy as the man who uses his muscle. He dignifies and honors labor, while the agitators in fact dishonor and despise it. There are sensible words on the natural and necessary inequalities of life, on the unequal distribution of wealth, on economic legislation, and other practical questions. There are also words of counsel to men of wealth and employers of labor. If the contents of these sixteen too short chapters could be expanded and presented illustratively and simply to all the workingmen's associations of this country, and they would have the good sense to heed their wisdom, a new and brighter day would open before them. We are re-impressed with the necessity that some practical measure be set on foot to secure to workingmen this sort of instruction. LEWIS O. BRASTOW. PARISH PROBLEMS.*-The conception of this work was a happy hit, and the execution of it is eminently successful. We have here a collection of essays upon some of the most important and practical problems of church life. They are short and are written in simple and popular style. They cover a great variety of topics, many of which are not discussed in the most comprehensive treatises on practical or pastoral theology. Dr. Washington Gladden is the editor and he himself furnishes a larger number of the essays than any one of the twenty-four contributors whose coöperation he has secured. These essays of his are upon topics with which he is very familiar and in connection with which he has had large experience and he discusses them with his usual breadth of view, discriminating judgment and clearness and felicity of statement. The work is an enlargement upon and modification of a work planned by Mrs. Professor Lawrence some years ago, and some of the most interesting papers are from her hand. All who have furnished contributions to the volume are persous well known in our churches and all of them are in a sort recognized authorities in the subjects on which they speak, and many of them are specialists and experts. The papers upon Parish Business, Parish Buildings, the People at Work, the Sunday School and Worship, may be mentioned as of special value for the reason that all or most of them are from the hands of those who are generally recognized as thoroughly familiar with the subjects of * Parish Problems. Hints and Helps for the People of the Church. Edited by WASHINGTON GLADDEN. New York: The Century Company. which they treat. In fact they may be called specialists. It is rare that so much valuable material of this sort and in so attractive form is found within such limits. The good sense, the largemindedness and large-heartedness manifested here are worthy of all praise. Topics are here discussed which especially demand the attention of the churches. If copies of this work could be sent in large numbers into all our parishes they would prove a blessing. If men of wealth would devote a small surplus to the sending of it to missionary churches they would be doing good missionary service. Every parish library, every Sunday school library, every young pastor's library especially, and every theological student's library might well find a place for it. Dr. Gladden has made the church, the parish, and the pastor his debtors, and merits the reward of successful enterprise. LEWIS O. BRASTOW. BOOKS ON PSYCHOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY. LIFE OF COLERIDGE.*-This short biography makes no attempt to trace the development of Coleridge's philosophical opinions, or to state the influences under which they were formed. Much less does it aim to vindicate his place in the ranks of the poets and philosophers of his generation. It is more of the nature of a memoir, giving the domestic life of the man, his relations with his friends, his struggles to earn a livelihood, his personal successes and defeats. It is compiled from "table-talk, letters, diaries, memoirs, reminiscences, magazine articles, newspaper reports, and a few documents which have not hitherto been employed by any biographer of Coleridge." Its aim is to vindicate him against the gravest charges to which his character has been subjected, such as the charges of gross self-indulgence, ingratitude, inexcusable neglect of his family and friends, complete waste of time and opportunity, etc. In this aim it succeeds, measurably. More and more, as we thoroughly know this man, we incline to pity and excuse him; and in this we agree with the author of this memoir. But to a certain extent we disagree; because we pity the family and friends of Coleridge for what they had to endure through him, and excuse them for their * Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. By HALL CAINE, London. Walter Scott, 1887. frequent misunderstanding of his feelings and conduct. The book is certainly a very readable one, and affords a distinct though not large contribution to the literature of the subject. KANTS' PHILOSOPHY OF LAW, translated from the German by W. Hastie, B.D., has been published by T. & T. Clark, of Edin burgh, 1887. The Rechtslehre of the immortal philosopher was his last great work in the field of pure philosophy. It is translated for the first time-strange as this may seem-into English; and so far as appears from an hasty examination, the translation is well done. It is offered to readers of English as a response to the saying of Sir Henry Sumner Maine: "But next to a new History of Law, what we most require is a new Philosophy of Law." It is to be hoped that the translation will help toward some such recognition of the importance and value of this work of Kant in this country and in England, as it long since obtained in Germany and France. FLEMING'S VOCABULARY OF PHILOSOPHY has just been issued in a fourth edition "revised and largely reconstructed," by Professor CALDERWOOD. It will be found much improved as compared with the earlier editions, and a valuable help to beginners in the study of philosophy. New York: Scribner & Welford, 1887. 1 |