The Growth and Administration of the British Colonies, 1837-1897. By
Rev. W. P. Greswell. (Blackie and Son.)—This is a volume of the " Victorian Era Series." Mr. Greswell gives his first chapter to "Oar Colonial System," criticising its inconsistency, and remarking with much force that it was well for us that the Continental Powers were not so much on the watch fifty years ago to take advantage of our mistakes as they are now. There was a time when the Little-Englanders were virtually dominant. He then proceeds to estimate the services of " Pioneers of Colonial Progress and Reform," and, after this, deals with tho growth of the Colonies under two aspects, material and social, and political The second of these is peculiarly interesting. We only wish that it could have been treated at greater length and in more detail. Mr. Greswell gives most of his space to the earlier history. Per- haps it would have been dangerous to attempt a criticism of the action of the Canadian and Australasian Parliaments. New- foundland, for instance, might be made the subject of an instructive discourse; but Mr. Greswell passes it over altogether. We hear nothing of the Labour Members in the Australasian Houses, and of New Zealand's remarkable course in later years it is considered enough to say that it is "a land of political and social experiments."
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