LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

"The Spirit of the Child.". . - "The.Spirit of .the Child,'!. By Tullio C; (Melbourne: T. - 'Lothian), is at once a' very original,-curious, and interesting book. .Primarily'.' intended for ciliildren-j it. consists' of a-number of letters .written by-a father who is on his' way to England in search.of .'liealthjletters 'which . 'deal with';subjec"ts : in somo instances at least' rather 'beyond -.the 'grasp .of"the ordinary child, ;is' hardlydikely to understand'the,author's contempt' . for/ .mere :creeds,'.,his horror of the. doctrine^.of' eternaL.puiiishment, and , other/. theological . points. Where, however,. the author is- quit* conspicuously . successful, where he. is much more likely to reach- and .profitably! awaken and develop yputhful.intelligenco, -is iii*; his very charming Nitur'e studies,.. -A, passionate lover, of.Nature, he takes .what, he declares to be ifour, unique .treasures flower, a bird, a',tree and a .precious makes them .symbolio: of. certain ! human yirtues and characteristics. _ The Boronia stands with him for Humility, the White Gum for; Aspiration;. the. Magpiejfor Praise, the Black' Opal for Hope.;! The letter in which the Black Opal and. its special symbolism are dealt with contains many beautifully,written passages. J. As for example:-— , 7 ■' V V: . ~' As for me, I cannot think of any ' ' symbol more quickening to the soul. ■ of man, panting here in our rough'- ' •world, than ' this lovely,, \bow-of- ■ • promise, bent into the black night of the tomb—love-in . th& !heart - of darkness—burning there < in. the , su- • pcrnal glory till its day of release, 1 > and if.no other, hear)- leaps to the' ' gracious' message, yet'. in profound . f.humility I ,say_ .it.',wis-wort' God's ; while to-bury • it there through the', •• --. long centuries, for, .the rapture it' - has kindled in one poor human soul. . The.book is full.of a sunny optimism, •replete with profound : love of'. Nature, >it 6 beauties and its .mysteries; arid-there its pages spirit •' of bright; interest. iiid living hu r mility and to raise and -ennoble' ;child thought generally. Interspersed iri the letters are sets of verses, the -spirit of which is in keeping with the'object of the-general narrative. The'author'has a gift of literary expression much above .the average. . The. devotional'spiritj of; some of .deeply religious;; but, r -'save Jh {heyntro-;" ,ductory .chapter, where he ; girds quite ,unriecessajily,'and. not a little unfairly;, at the churches, and at certain "pseudoscientists," he does '"not unduly obtrude his particular theological opinions.' The book is beautifully produced, a special word- of praise being -due to the really exquisite especially the colour plates. ' The . illustrations, in their natural colours, of the black opals, are quite notably beautiful. (Price, os.) Surtees's Sporting Stories; In the second half of; the last .century, especially between, say, 1840. and 1880, tho sporting stories *of R'.\.S.,:Siu'tees achieved tremendous popularity.' No country gentleman's library was reckon-' ed complete', when "Liber was a boy.' unless a. set .of "Bob Surtees"■ reposed on, its'shelves. Truth to .tell,'' the volumes' in which the'strange exploits and'stranger jokes of. the famous John Jorrocks,' that most indefatigable of fox-hunters, and his companions, male and female, were as;often oft the shelves as on them. For if the oldsters were hot reading them the 'youngsters had them .down to revel'in John Leech's famous drawings', -which were in the early editions hand-coloured plates. Surtees's books were published at high prices, and the original editions Have long been out of print, and are difficult to find. Thanks, ljowever.-to modern publishing enterprise and the marvels or presentday colour printing these amusing stories, of English .country, and especially sporting, life, are now available at a very reasonable price. Messrs. Methuen and Co. have just sent me a copy of "Plain and Kinglets," the latest-in a series of handy-sized, tastefully-produc-. Ed reprints of-Surtees's famous novels. The redoubtable Jorrocks does not appear in .this particular story, but it is' the same old Surtees's blend .of foxhunting,and love-making, and the character drawing is as strong and as good as ever. . If you want to know how the' English country-gentleman amused himself in the Victorian, and 'fifties, read'Surtees, beginning with' "Handley 'Crossi" the first, and perhaps the best,of the series, the other volumes of which are: "Mr. Sponge's' Sporting Tour," "Ask Mamma," "Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities," "Mr. Facey Itomford's Hounds," "Hawbuck Grange," and the volume .I have mentioned above. All save the Jorrocks book; the illustrations for which were by Henry ilken, were illustrated by .John Leech,, who is equally happy in his pictures, of the ringletted, pretty English girls ,of his time— with their dainty little- hats- and the crinolines our father's considered so fetching—their equally. ■ pretty, hut plump mammas, or the jolly, rubicund fox-huntors. As for. horses and dogs, no English artist.has ever-beaten Leech. In this new edition both coloured plates and woodcuts are admirably.reproduced. (Price, 4s. Gd.) ' ; - ' ' "The Nation's, Library." "The Nation's Library' 1 (Collins Bros, and Co.) is a series the special merits of . which, I am glad to learn from my friends, the booksellers, afo becoming more - widely recognised as tho new volumes appear. The feature of,this series is the.specialise^information which tho volumes contain, mformation emanating from the most-cap-able and competent authorities, material being thus provided for useful thought' on the leading questions of the day. Many of the earlier issues, such as Philip Snowden's : capital little book on "Socialism and Syndicalism," and Mr. W. V.. Osborne's "Sane Trades Unionism," are already in their third and fourth "editions. The volumes on "Eugenics," "The Feminist Movement, and i"Co-ojje.ration and Co-partnership have been almost equally popular .with journalists, politicians, and students or contemporary political Slid social movements. Two recent additions to this excellent series are "The Belations of Capital and Labour," by M. 1. Layton, M.A., and "The Nation's Werfltli, by that admitted expert oil State finance, Mr. L. G. Chiozza. Money. The first half of Mr. Layton's hook is devoted to an account of the wages system and tho various influences-which affect and determine the earnings of-.various classes in the community.-' This leads :

up to a chapter ou tho "Fair. Wage" question, wherein the author attempts to formulate- a conception , of tlio requirements of Equity in Distribution. Subsequent chapters arc concerned with the machinery of wage determination, and the intervention of the State, the book concluding with suggestions as to tho lines upon which an industrial policy may. bo developed. Mr. Layton proves himself thoroughly acquainted with, tho most recently formulated theories as to the dutiee and responsibilities of tho State with regard to labour, and even those who may not share his views as to the future will cordially admit the frankness and evident sincerity with which they are set forth. 1 Mr. Qhiozza Money's book etrikes me as exceptionally useful compendium of reliable information for the general, non-expert reader, on the subject ot national wealth, its creation, and employment. In the final chapter tho author makes a powerfully-worded plea for national economy, for. , the conservation of Britain's coal deposits against wasteful development, and for an alliound careful dealing by Biitish statesmen with; the nation's wealth and the sources whence it is derived. Each of the two books has an excellent index. To Mr.. Layton's volume is appended, a short but useful bibliography. The handy-sized ; red-backed volumes of "The Nation's Library" should be a perfect boon to students of contemporary questions. (Price,' Is., 3d.)

A Book' for Sheepfarmers. That industrious writer, Mr. James Collier, has' recounted in his book, "The Pastoral Industry in Austulasia," the leading historical facts.of tho start, 'development, and ;rowth to prosperous maturity, of the wool trad© of the Commonwealth anl this Dominion. In "The Sheep and Wool' Industry of- Australasia" (Whitcombe and Tombs), another writer, Mr. Henrj li. Smith, now provides . a well .'llustrated'and . practical handbook; explaining • ;n ' simple language'; 1 which are' the .most suitable sheep for the, various tvpes of'country-in. Australia,'and the best methods of marketing wool. After a preliminary review of the'leading facts as to the. introduction'and' growth of thewool industry in Australia, Mr. Smith plunges forthwith into the purely practical side of wool-growing, tte describes the chief points of-the Lading English types of. alieep, discusses the various niet'ho<£;of selecting or classing sheep, ■nfext proceeding to specify the most; suitable-breeds for fat lambs, and the best methods of ■ shearing. 'l'rom this w,e proceed to chapters dealing, successively/ with- the' moisture problem, with wool-sorting, and woollen' and worsted manufacturing. Wool-classing, pressing the clip, and Wool-scouring are uex:t" discussed, the concluding chapters being devoted to' an exposition of' .current methods 'of wool-selling—and wo<jl-buying—and fellmongermg, such subsidiary but important subjects as the' preparation of sheep-skins, calf, and even rabbit-skins,' and tho best and most expeditious ways of killing, skinning, and dressing a sheep, also receiving attention. The illustrations, of which there are : a large number, have been selected with a special view to their practical value as elucidating tho advice j*iven in -the"text. They include pictures of various breeds of sheep, positions in shearing, and other occupations on the sheep farm, textures of wool fibres, methods of handling the fleeceSj and of branding, scouring, pressang, and. baling the wool. A more practical and nsefuj book for the-working sheep-farmer, be'he. the owner of tens of thousands or merely hundred? of sheep, could not well -be imagined. Country '. readers of ' The Dominion should. make, a point of. seeing Mr. Smith's book. (Price, 7s. 6d.)