VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 9

VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

''The Cambridge Manuals." Happy is, or at least should be, tho i young student of to-day, catered for so » liberally, 'even'so generously, as he is . by tho publishers. Thirty, nay even \ ton years ago, tlioso who would fain make themsolves acquainted with tho results oT tiho'most recent and important research had to pay a high price for tiho much coveted volumes which \ contained tho, desired information. The student of to-day has no sucli obstablo in his path. On the contrary, such is tho multiplicity of handbooks, manuals, ; guides and ''introductions" of a scientific character, that tho chief 'difficulty is one of dioice. Prom tinio to time, as readers of-tiliis pago are aware, "Liber" V has directed their attention to various series of . cheap publications—the iiiter--1 est and valuo of' Which to students of \ science,- history,, economics, and sociology canuot well bo over estimated. ■ To-day it is'at once a pleasure and a duty to refer" to 0110 of the most' important and, best of theso cheap and -handy. introductions to scientific and other subjects. To the _courtesy_ of the syndics of the , Combridge- University Press,- I am indebted for tho receipt of a "batch" or .set of twoi]ty-five volumes, selected from tho soventy and odd issues i ( to date, of "Tlio .Cambridge Manuals of ' Science and Literature." !

/ The Universities and tho People.. ■Tho idea is prevalent,' I believe, in Australia and Now Zealand—it is a totally erroneous idea—tliat ; the two great historic Universities of Oxford and Cambridge aro simply the educational preserves, as it were, of tlio ncli, and that those responsible for tho control of these institutions have but scant regard for that thirst for knowledge with which, in theso days of a more i orvless .-"triumphant 'democracy"—-the , phrase is Mr. Carnegie's, not-my own '' -rthe million, and not . tho few, are imbued. Those, however, who know what a flood of tinielv and useful literature flows from the Clarendon Press at Oxford, and tho Cambridge University Press, will scornfully reject such a mistaken theory. As a matter of fact, tho two ancient seats of learning aro today gaining a splendid reputation for the enterprise the _ University _ authorities afo displaying ill the publication of good and useful literaure, and especially for the special consideration ex- . , liibited by the managers of the two ' University presses or publishing houses, for the needs and requirements of students who cannot afford costly books. The Series and Its Scope. As an earnest of this new spirit, this enlightened regard for the extension of knowledge beyond tho favoured' few to the almost limitloss field of an educated democracy, we have these won-

derfully cheap and completely admirable "Cambridge Manuals," a series of small volumee. ■—to quote the . prospectus issued by' the editors—"on scientific and literary ' subjects dealing with various aspects of thought and with tho results of : recent discoveries, in a form acceptable to educated readers in general." Bound in. art se-coloured art° cloth (New Zealand price,, fifteen pence) the volumes are beautifully, printed, and possess a quiet distinction in their appearanco Which decidedly agreeablo ■to lovers of neatness and taste in Look production.' As to the subjects dealt with - they cover practically, the.: whole field ot modern research and discovery in the fields of science, arcbaelogy, ethnology, and anthropology, philosophy, and religion, history—and literary history and industrial 'and mechanical science. The general editors of the series - aro Dr. Giles, ' 'Master of Emmanuel College (Camb.), and Professor A. C. Steward, F.R.S., Professor of Botany at Cambridge. "With the various contributors, most of whom are admittedly specialists and experts in the branches of knowledge with which they deal, the mot d'ordre has evidently been to eschew as far as possible the use of abstruse technicalities,, and to invest their'subjects with a popular interest, albeit at no

sacrifice of the essentials, a knowledge of which is all necessary if i the reader s grip of tho subject is to be real, as' opposed to a mere shallow and perfunctory' survey. Science for the Million. In the set before me, excluding somo five or six volume's; reference to which may bo more properly made under the heading "Religious Nows,'" scientific subjects call for first attention. "The Coming of Evolution," by_' Professor Judd; "Heredity in the • Light of Recent Research," by L. Doncaster, M.A.; "Beyond the Atom" (an up-to-date resumo of the marvels of radioactivity),

by John Cox, an ox-professor of M'Gill "University, and a friend and colleaguo of that now famous New Zealander, Professor Rutherford, are three volumes which should make strong appeal to readers' who are of a scientific bent. "Electricity in Locomotion," by Adams Gowans Whyte, editor of "Electrical Industries and Electrics"; "Wireless Telegraphy," by 0. L. .Fortescue, Professor of Physics at tlio Royal Naval College, Green-wich;-and "Tho Modern Warship," by E. L. Attwood, of the Royal Corps of Naval Instiuctor's, should interest a wider audience, dealing as theso works do, with applied science, tho marvels of -which arc to-day so'prominently before tho public eye.- In another section —Biology—"Spiders,", by C. Warburton, M.A.; "Bees and Wasps" (Lord Avebury's old friends), by 0. H. Latter, M.A.F.E.S.; and "House Flios, and How They Spread Disease," by C. G. Hewitt,'-the Canadian Dominion Entomologist aro notable' titles. ; Still, tho -field widens, for here,too, aro volumes -on "Tho Origin of Earthquakes" (a subject of intimate interest to all New Zcalanders), by C. Davison, F.G.S.; "Prehistoric Man" (a capital little book for those who cannot afford Lubbock's and other more costly works.on the subject of liuraau origins),' by W. L. Duckworth, M.A.; "Experimental P=ycliology," by Professor

Myers ; "The Psychology of Insanity," by that well-known authority on mental diseases, Dr. Bernard Hart; and "The Work of . Rain and Rivers," b.y T. G. Bonney, past president of the Geological Society and tho British Association. Economics and Sociology. One "of the earliest issues was Sir Robert ' Stout's . admirable little account of "New Zealand,"'and the recent ' happenings in _ China invest Professor Herbert A. Giles's' volumo, "China, and tlie Manchus," with a special and timely _ interest. Other volumes, copies of which I have received, are "Greek Tragedy," by J. T. Slmppard, 31.A.; "Tho Moral Life," by Dr. Soriey, Knightbridfio Professor of Moral Philosophy; a Loaf of Bread," by % B. Wood, Draper Professor of Agriculture at Cambridge; "The Theory of Money," by Mr. D. A. Barker, whose works on "The. Stock Exchange" and other financial subjects are well known; and last, but not least in interest to a community such as ours, in which labour problems are to-day «o specially, clamant for attention, a useful little summary of the principles and

practico of "Co-partnership in Industry," by C. R. Fay. Tho titles to wliich I havo specially, but, of necessity, so briefly alluded, aro but a few out of tho total of soventy and more comprised in tho list to date. They will servo to show, however, how wide is tho range of tho series, and how well equipped aro tho authors whose services have been enlisted by tho general editors. Tho "Cambridgo Manuals" should certainly not bo overlooked by our young New Zealanders. They aro wonderful valuo for tho modest price at which they can be purchased, and the moro widely they become known tho greater, if excellence counts for anything, should bo their popularity with tho more thoughtful and studious section of the reading public of tlio Dominion. George Eliot's Novels. Many of tho earlier George ' Eliot novels havo made tlioir appearand) ill various chcap editions, in this, that, or tho other "library" or series. But to got a complete George Eliot, to get tho copyright editions, editions which can be relied upon for their accuracy of text, 0110 must still go to that famous old firm, tho Blackwood?'of Edinburgh, to whoso generous encouragement tho author owed not ;i littlo of her success. Messrs. Blackwoods havo sent mo sample copies of tho first fiyo volumes of their new Cabinet Copyright Edition of Georgo Eliot's novels, which is now in course of publication,, fn seventeen volumes, at a shilling a volume (in New Zealand, liftceiipence). Tho sizo is tbo handy foolscap octavo, paper and print alike are satisfactory, and thero is a comely, inobtrusive grace about the blue cloth binding, with its tasteful' g'lt decoration. In outward garb the new edition is everything that could bo desired. The first five volumes in-

elude - "Adam Bede" (2 vols.), "The Mill on the Floss" (2 vols.), and ''SilasWarner." Later on will appear, in the following order: "Scenes from.Clerical life" (2 vols.), "Felix Holt" (2 vols.), "Middlemarch" (3 vols.), and "Daniel iDeronda" (3 vols.). Tlio whole set will be complete by the end of November, and should make an admirable Christmas gift. I — One of the Creat Victorians. In these days, when the bookshops are crowded every fortnight with fresh bi tchos of "the latest novels," when so much of this latter-day fiction is cither neurotic, morbid, and downright dirty, or. is inexpressibly banal and vulgar, it is good to 'turn, back to a Georgo Eliot revel. It has been said that her stories will not live, that the present generation finds them too prudish, too ethical, too philosophical. I can quite understand that thoso who can rejoico. in the literary catmag of Miss Corelli or tho "high-browed" Hall-Caine may find the Victorian writer, unsatisfactory, but I should be sorry to think that George Eliot's pictures of quiet English country life will ever lose their fascination for • tho well-educated reader. Of course, .wo all have our special favourites in tho Eliot novels. I confess to a distinct disinclination to re-read "Middlemarch," and "Daniel Deronda" —in which Mr. George Lewes's influence was'so great— leaves one equally cold. But "Adam Bede" and "Tho Mil]..qn,tho J select my prime favourites —m these are surely wit and wisdom and human charity enough to mako tho fortune of any novelist: 'Mrs. I'oyser, Maggio Tulliver, snuffy old Mr. Gilfil, Silas Marner, and so many other of tho characters in tho earlier novels, are still to me, at least, leal flesh and bloodno mere trumpery puppots, so badly constructed that one sees the sawdust escaping—as are all too frequently .the characters in so many present-day novels. Leslie Stephen, I believe, voted Dinah Mqrris a • prig, but Stephens's agnostic views very probably prompted and coloured his literary criticism at times. "Eomola" was a literary tour do force, but although tho : superior person may gird at its overstressed historical interest, it lias, in places, all the find human strength which, in so different forms/ wo find in tho earlier books. .No one can claim to have a knowledge of what is strongest and best, in English fiction who has

not read some at least Vaf Georg.e Eliot's stories, and I trust that this new edition, so handy in size, so tasteful in format, so astonishingly cheap, may find a welcome in many a _ New Zealand home, where there is still some regard for,really good literature. Deutschland Nocheinmal! Germany once again. Thero appears to be an unending demand in England for books on Germany, judging from tho exceedingly liberal supply of such publications of late. Within the last few weeks I have referred to a good half-dozen books dealing with Kaiser-

land, and yet here to-day is yet another, "Noble Pages from German History," by F. J. Gould (Williams and Norgato). It is with Germany of tlie past-moro than of to-day that Mr. Gould's well-written little volume mainly- deals. The author rightly praises the noble part played by tho Gormans in tlio evolution of sciencc, in the history of music, art,' and literature, and especially philosophy. In his final chapter, Mr." Gould appeals for a better, a more'friendly feeling, a permanent desire for peace and mutual goodwill between the English, and German peoples.. A liseful feature of this unpretentious but useful little book, which contains many interesting portraits and oilier illustrations, is a well-compiled chronological table of German history (Prico, is. 6d. net). Liber's Note Book. I ain glad to see that Mrs. Malcolm Ross, tho well-known ladv journalist, has collected and republished in book form, her very readable impressions do voyage which attracted, so much attention as they appeared last year in a local newspaper. Tlio title of the volume, to which I hope' to_ refor at greater length noxt week, is '"Round tho World With a Fountain Pen: The' Log of a Lady Journalist."

Macmillati's are adding a new vo - umo to their "English Men of Jitters" series. In this crtno the book, by F. Warre Cornish, of . Eton College, deals with the work of an English woman author, none other than the "fair and witty" Jano Austen.

Twelve new volumes of the famous "Everyman's Library" were published in 'London at the end of September, and a further forty are . due in January. The flew dozen, copies.of which I expect will soon bo on sale here —circumstances permitting!—include Dostoievsky's "Letters from the Underworld," '"Tho Fall of Constantinople," by J. M Neale; Baize's "Lost Illusioins"; Swcdenhorg's "Divine Pro+idence," another volumo of Ibsen's Plays; G. E. Russell's "Lifo of , Gladstone," etc. Already 664 volumes of "Everyman's Library" have been issued. It is a wonderful enterprise.

Mrs. Humphrey Ward's now story, "The Corvston Family," due hero shortly, is said to he, "a study of uncontrolled power —and power over men — acting on a woman's nature." The story is appearing sorially in Parisian and Viennese journals.