Maurice Maeterlinck, and other Sketches of Foreign Writers. By W. L. Courtney. .. ...... . (Grant Richards. 3s. 6d. net.)-Somewhat more than a third of this volume is given...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK. tUnder this heading we notice such Books of the week as have not been Teservedfor review in other forms.] The New English Dictionary. (Clarendon...

At Scotland Yard. By John Sweeney. (Grant Richards. 6s. net.)-Mr. Sweeney was for twenty-seven years in the Metropolitan Police, and for nearly a score of these in the...

The NavaZ Pocket-Book. By Sir W. Laird Clowes. (W. I Thacker and Co. 7s. Gd.)- -A most complete and handy little duodecimo is the ninth issue of this useful book. It is...

The Fiscal Question in the United States. By G. Haven Putnam, I Litt.D. (P. S. King and Co.)-The question in general is I stated in this pamphlet, which was read before the...

The Christian Faith in Japan. s ~ ~ ~ ~ - , . . - - , I (S.P.G. Is. Gd.)-This little I * l . I . I volume contains a short description of Japanese society and life, of the...

Alien Immigration. By Frederick Bradshaw, M.A., and Charles I Emanuel, M.A. (Isbister and Co. 2s. 6d. net.)-This is the third _t. - - . .. _- . . . . volume of the " Pro and...

IThe Shaikhs of Morocco in the Sixteenth Century. By T. H. I Weir, B.D. (G. A. Morton. 6s. net.)-Mr. Weir gives us a glimpse into esoteric regions of Mahommedan thought. He...

A Russo-Chinese Empire. By Alexandre Ular. (A. Constable I and Co. 7s. 6d.) -The writer devotes the greater part of his book to an encomium on Chinese civilisation, which, if...

The Russian Prince Ukbtorsky in an intervie w published I in the Berliner Volkszeitung reports that the discontent in Russia is becoming acute. Every gathering, even for...

A deputation of British workmen on a visit to Paris were on Monday introduced to Jfresiclent ljouDet, wno tooK tue opportunity of making a speech full of friendliness towards...

NEWS OF THE WEEK. HE war news this week is singularly meagre, probably TI owing to the heavy rains in Manehuria, which, if they do not wholly arrest operations, impede them...

The secret history of the negotiations at Gyangtse must be a very curious one. It seems certain that the First Minister of the Grand Lama went there from Lhasa, and that the...

Nothing having been done when the armistice expired, General Macdonald on July 6th, after warning the enemy, made an attack in the early morning. The Ghoorkas carried all the...

I On Tuesday afternoon the debate was continued, and was rendered remarkable by the appeal of some distinguished Unionist Members to the Prime Minister to reconsider his...

The American Secretary of State, Mr. Hay, made a speech in Michigan on the 6th inst. intended to explain the entire foreign policy of the United States,-which, by the way, are...

I The first imposition of the "guillotine" took place on Wednesday night at 11 o'clock. 'The discussion on Clause 1, which preceded its fall, was of the unsatisfactory...

on Fridav week in the House of Commons Mr. Balfour moved his Resolution for the elosuriung in corn ratnments of the debate on the Licensing Bill. Tihere must be some limit, he...

The Convention for selecting the Democratic candidate for the Presidency has been assembling in St. Louis during the week, and on Friday it was expected that the nomination...

The Committee of Inquiry into the Carthusian affair have discovered a formula which acquits both X. UomiDes anc Tne Carthusians. They have unanimiously acquitted both the...

I Mr. Redmond having announced that his party would vote against the Resolution, since it was an attack on the rights of minorities, Mr. Balfour defended his conduct by...

On Friday week in the House of Lords the Duke of Norfolk moved a Resolution declaring that as adequate safeguards were already provided to secure the Protestant Succes. sion,...

I The week has been saddened by news of a terrible disaster. On June 28th the ship 'Norge,' laden with six hundred and fifty Danish emigrants for America, struck on a reef...

I At the Chertsev election, the result of which was declared on Thursday, Lord Bingham, the Conservative candidate, was returned by a majority of 549 votes. At the by-election...

Tm-Ic (Onrzon was last Saturday installed with great cere- mony as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and made at the subsequent banquet a speech of some mark. Recalling the...

I In any case, the result of the election must be regarded as showing the ruin caused in the Unionist party by the attitude of its leaders in regard to Free-trade. No more...

Indenendence Day was celebrated in London by the annual banquet of the American Society, at which a large and distinguished company was present. Speeches were delivered by Lord...

Mr. Asquith ended his powerful and restrained protest with I the declaration: " We are taking part in a parody of debate, and making ourselves accomplices in a caricature of...

PHYSICAL DETERIORATION.* " AN Empire is but little use without an Imperial race." In these words Lord Rosebery stated a truism which has been neglected for many years by our...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. IS MR. BALFOUR A "CHAMBERLAINITE" P [TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."' SIR,-May I venture to offer a few suggestions as to Mr. Balfour's position on...

BOOKS. CHRISTINA ROSSETTI'S POEMS.* BY an arrangement between Messrs. Macmillan and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge we have at last, within the compass of a...

POETRY. G. F. W. BEYOND a stricken world that bore The hot breath of the Minotaur, And naked piled at Mammon's knee The outcast slaves of luxury, He saw Hope touch her harp;...

NEw EDITIoN.-The History of the London Stage. By H. I Barton Baker. (George Routledge and Sons. 7s. 6d.)-Thisl book, though purporting to cover the wnoie nistory i LIOU...

In the series of " Black's Guide-Books " (A. and C. Black, 2s. 6d.) we have Black's Guide to Scotland: East Central, Edited by G. E. Mitton. "East Central" means the two...

Messrs. G. Bell and Sons publish in their " Pocket-Book I Classics" a delizlhtful little edition of Verses, Translations, and I Fly-Leaves, by C. S. Calverley (2s. net)....

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECrATOR."] SiN,-I have read with much interest your article in the Spectator of July 2nd on " The Idealism of War," and heartily agree with what you...

THE INDUSTRIAL LAW COMMITTEE. LTO THE EDITOR OF THS 'SPECTATOR."] SIR,-I think if Mr. Becker will read again my letter in the Spectator of June 25th he will see that it bad...

THE IDEALISM OF WAR. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECrATOP."] SIR,-I have no books here for reference, but I am sure of my . quotation. Some one said in the presence of Ruskin: "'...

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] I| Sip.,-Your article in the Spectator of July 2nd under the above heading, in which Count Tolstoi's ideals are subjected to the...

THE HOMERIC HYMNS.* THE so-called " Homeric hymns " bear little resemblance to a modern hymn. They are not congregational, or even choral, but, like the Homeric poems, which...

Andrew Halliday Douglas. Five Sermons. With a Memoir by I Charles Douglas, M.P. (Hodder and Stoughton. 6s.)-The Memoir depicts for us an interesting personality. As a young...

Angelo Bastiani. By Lionel Cust. (Constable and Co. Os.)- I Unless Mr. Cust had told his readers that the story of his novel was founded on fact, they would have had a...

ERASMUS ON EDUCATION. I Erasmus Concerning the Aim and Method of Education. By I W. H. Woodward. (Cambridge University Press. 4s. net.) -Professor Woodward has given us here...

C URRENT LITERAT URE. ELIZABETHAN SONNETS, Elizabethan Sonnets. With Introduction by Sidney Lee. 2 vols. I (A. Constable and Co. 8s. net.)-There were not many Elizabethan I...

The Givers. By Mary E. Wilkins Frceman. (Harper and - L_ I_ _ I!_ Brothers. 6s.)-Though she has added another name to her signature, "Miss Wilkins" (as we may still be allowed...

A Great Man. By Arnold Bennett. (Chatto and Windus. Os.) -Mr. Arnold Bennett most accurately describes his novel as " a Frolic," and it is not often that an author's frolic is...

SOLDIERS AND POLITICIANS. HE Dundonald episode in Canada, attended as it has T been, if we may judge from reports in the Canadian papers, by the resignation of several less...

NAVAL SUPREMACY. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.] SIR,-My friend Admiral Sir N. Bowden-Smith has certainly courage to state his fears so plainly as he does in his letter to...

THE SCOTTISH CHURCH CASE AND THE REFORMED CONFESSIONS. LTO THE EDITOR OF THE "SrECTATO.'"] SiB,-A much larger question has been raised by the Judges at Westminster than that...

COUNT TOLSTOI ON PEACE AND WAR. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,-I have little doubt that the writer of your article in the Spectator of July 2nd on Count Tolstoi's...

GEORGE FREDERICK WATTS. THE death of the great painter who has just passed away brings to an end a career of remarkable length and fulness of achievement. Mr. Watts exhibited...

MISCONCEPTIONS" OF ' TEE-' -CHIANCELLOR' OF THE 'EXCHEQUER 'ON THE TOBACCO-DUTY QUESTION. '' ' [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATORI"] SIR,-I desire to draw the attention of your...

THE GOVERNMENT ND) THE AEAUXMITARIES. I Lo TVX EDITOR Of TII "SPiECTATORL"] SIR,-I coi~dially vgibee with your alticle in the Speciator of July 2niiudid thead]o1e lieadTh g.-...

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] *SiR,-Having known for many years your usual fair and unprejudiced treatment of all questions and interests, allow me to say how grieved...

THE LICENSING BILL. [TO THE E DITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,-I have no wish to trouble you with a detailed reply to the letter of Messrs. Rowntree and Sherwell in the...

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DR. GUINNESS ROGERS.* - . I * *1 - T1- L- ONE feels no hesitation in applying the epithet ±'olitical Dissenter " to the author of this autobiography. He...

THE MAGAZINES. THE July Nineteecnth Century opens with a long and somewhat intemp-rn+at Thfence of conscription l)-- C ioJ. Lonsdale Hale. Bu~iy of his comments on the recent...

AIR. BALFOUR'S POSITION. FIIE that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his Li evil deeds." We wonder if the topical character and aptness of these words, which, curiously...

OUR FUTURE IN TIBET. T HE failure of the negotiations at Gyangtse is to be T greatly regretted, both for itself and for its reported cause. The country, to speak plainly, would...

REPRIEVE.! P.ROFESSOR METCHNIKOFF, of the Pasteur Institute, has recently given a lecture upon old age, which he declares to be merely a "' chronic disease," for which he...

NOISY BIRDS. IT is reported from Welbeck, where Mr. Chamberlain is to address a great meeting on August 4th, that the local sparrows have taken possession of the roof of the...

NOVELS. THE SONG OF THE FOREST.* A NOVELIST who writes of a world outside the common survey of the romancer deserves the gratitude of his readers. The old properties are so...

COMMON-SENSE AND THE LIQUOR TRADE. r HE oddest fact in all Parliamentarv discussions about 1 the liquor trade is that the average opinion of sensible Englishmen, which on all...

TOPICS OF THE DAY. SHALL THE MILITIA BE ABOLISHED? | CAN it be true that the Government, not content wilth C their scheme for reducing the Volunteers by some 80,000 men, also...