press we have another "Beacon" in Mr. Henry Childs Merwin's "Aaron Burr "-an excellent piece of work.

The Roberts family undoubtedly have the gift of song. The verses of Charles G. D. Roberts are well known; now we have in a pretty volume, "Northland Lyrics" (Small, Maynard & Co.), poems by William Carman Roberts, Theodore Roberts, and Elizabeth Roberts Macdonald. The better known brother contributes a prologue, and Bliss Carman an excellent epilogue. The songs that make up the body of the book naturally vary in merit, but all show the possession by the writers of a true poetic spirit and considerable technical knowledge. A few of them linger in the memory, such as "Andante" and "The Wind Cry," while the whole collection makes one dream of Canada, of its snows, its lakes and rivers, its flights of wild birds, and especially its hold upon the hearts of its children.

In his new novel, "A Confident To-Morrow" (Harpers), Mr. Brander Matthews continues his faithful, loving, and to us very interesting studies of the multiform life of the great city of New York. The story has enough plot to satisfy all readers save those who think merely of the interest and nothing of the art of a work of fiction. There is even a well-defined element of love in the book, an element which, if Mr. Matthews has not entirely slighted it hitherto, as careless critics may think, he certainly has not emphasized. The strength of the novel lies, however, in the realistic picture it gives of literary and artistic society in the great city. The hero is a young literary man from the provinces who achieves success in his calling, and, what is better, wins himself a very charming bride. The old engraver Dircks, the painter Adams, the celebrated novelist Vivian and his three daughters are all very well drawn and live in one's memory. Taken as a whole, therefore, the story should be pronounced a distinct success, and should add to Mr. Mat

thews's growing reputation as an artistic delineator of New York life.

Prof. Charles Waldstein's "The Surface of Things' (Small, Maynard & Co.) is not, as its title would imply, a collection of essays, but consists of three stories, showing how much actions which seem to lie only on the surface may influence not merely individuals but society also. The purpose of the book is given in a long introduction, which is really an essay-a form of composition into which the author is very prone to fall, as several of the pages of each of his stories will testify. We must confess, however, that we read his book with more interest than usually attends our reading of modern fiction, and we take pleasure in commending the taste which the publishers have displayed in making the volume such a pleasure to look at and hold.

A most scholarly series of monographs is the "Columbia University Studies in Literature" (The Macmillan Co.), now being issued under the editorship of Profs. Woodberry and Matthews. Three volumes have already appeared, to wit: "A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance," by Joel Elias Spingarn; "Romances of Roguery: an Episode in the History of the Novel," by Frank Wadleigh Chandler (of which Part I., dealing with the picaresque novel in Spain, is all that has yet been published); and Spanish Literature in the England of the Tudors: A Study of the Growth of the Peninsular Influence North of the Channel," by John Garrett Underhill. The remarkable strength of the Department of Literature at Columbia has long been known to us; the publication of these scholarly volumes will go far toward giving the institution primacy in this important study over all our other colleges. We shall recur to these monographs at no distant date.

66

Religion under the Barons of Baltimore," by C. Ernest Smith, D.D., Rector of the Church of St. Michael's and All

Angels, Baltimore (E. Allen Lycett), is a volume of considerable interest to historical students in general, as well as to specialists in ecclesiastical history. Although Dr. Smith travels a well-worn road, he goes with a lantern in his hand. All sorts of things have been written about Maryland's early beginnings, but not until the recent activity of the Historical Society of that State rescued many precious documents from imminent decay and loss was it possible to discover what was really true and what palpably false in the history of Lord Baltimore's colony. Dr. Smith now sets much aright. Starting with the founding of the colony in 1634, he brings his narrative down to the establishment of the Church of England in 1692. The burden of his thesis is a denial of the old claim that the Roman Church proclaimed religious toleration in Maryland. He disputes this version of the early history of the Calverts' Plantation most earnestly, and summons to his support an amount of evidence that is well calculated to convince the reader. His style is lucid, and, excepting a certain rancor that smacks of polemics, is exceedingly attractive. It is unfortunate that so noteworthy a contribution to American history should not have been printed in a more attractive form. The paper is rather cheap in appearance, and the binding far from creditable.

"A History of England" (Macmillan), the joint product of Profs. Katharine Conan and Elizabeth Kimball Kendall, comes to us from Wellesley College, and is one of the best text-books we have seen in many a day. The maps and illustrations are admirable, while copious bibliographies serve the purpose of guiding the student through one of the most fascinating fields of history. Of the many capital points of the book, we may mention several which will appeal with especial force to the teacher. In the first place, the facts are well connected. Then, again, the physical environment of the British Isles, the part each race has played in the development of English institutions, and the methods by which the people of England have attained to industrial freedom and self-government in their political life, are herein set forth

with unusual force and clearness. The volume, moreover, illustrates in a rather remarkable manner the high character of work that is now being done at some of our colleges for women. Altogether, it reflects great credit upon its authors and publishers, and we heartily commend it.

That excellent school library known as the "Riverside Literature Series" (Houghton, Mifflin & Co.) has recently received an addition in the shape of "Chaucer's Prologue, Knight's Tale, and Nun's Priest's Tale," edited by T. J. Mather, Jr., of Williams College. The introduction and the "Prologue" form one volume, the two tales a second, the glossary being given in both parts. This is a very sensible arrangement, as some teachers can find time only for the inimitable "Prologue." Only personal use in a class can determine the comparative value of this edition for school purposes. The high character of the series warrants us, however, in commending it, and we have been especially struck with the fullness and excellent arrangement of the introduction. Some of Mr. Mather's statements might conceivably be questioned, and we doubt the propriety of quoting Judge Robert Grant in connection with so great a classic, which needs no bringing "up to date." The notes, as usual in this series, are far from full-indeed, erring on this side almost as much as other editions err on the other. Occasionally more information should be given, as in the explanation of thescole of Stratford atte Bowe." The explanation of the lineal was fee symple to hym in effect," while substantially correct, suggests by its use of the word "will" the notion that that method of conveying land was common at the time that Chaucer wrote. This matter is not important, but indicates the difficulty under which any editor labors whose space for annotation is curtailed, especially when his text is an ancient one. On the whole, however, we feel that Mr. Mather has done his work with thoroughness and with a pleasant freshness of treatment that should commend his little volumes to teachers of English. May his labors increase

the study of Chaucer in our schools and improve it in our colleges!

Only an extreme optimist could attach any great significance to the fact that the Macmillans have this year brought out two books on Milton for popular reading. There is probably little increase in the number of Milton readers, but one cannot fail to be grateful to Prof. Corson ("An Introduction to the Works of John Milton") for his earnest endeavor to turn students' attention to Milton. It is praiseworthy to have collected into one volume the famous passages in Milton's prose and poetry which are of an autobiographic nature; anything, too, that brings the splendor of Milton's prose to the attention of even a few more readers deserves commendation. Yet one can never be fully satisfied with a book of selections, however judicious the choice may have been; and in this case we cannot clearly understand the method of procedure. How could "An Introduction to Milton's Works" omit "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso?" and how could it include "Samson," which is, of all Milton's works, the one the student comes last to? Again there is an annoying absence of dates at the heads of the selections; there is no short biography, list of works, or chronological table-all things manifestly needed in an "Introduction." The notes are not entirely satisfactory when one finds unexplained such. words as feasing (p. 42) and bordello (p. 72).

We wish to note two things which Prof. Corson recognizes as of the utmost importance-namely, the necessity for Milton's great self-sacrifice in the service of the state in order to render him the man who alone could write "Paradise Lost," and then his splendid love for right liberty. The former has been denied, though only by men who put literature above life; but no one has questioned the latter, for Milton never tired of insisting that man's outward liberty depends on his inward liberty. He would bring always to his readers the thought that, as Prof. Corson quotes, "he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city.” G. C. E.