advances to instruction in three and four part songs, hymns, and anthems. The publishers have done their work well, as this firm always does. The book is cordially commended to all teachers of singing for examination.

AN ELEMENTARY TEXT-BOOK OF ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY. AND HYGIENE, including a special account of the effects of alcoholic liquors, stimulants, and narcoties upon the human system. By James K. Thacher, M.D., Professor of Physiology and Clinical Medicine in Yale College, and Arthur B. Morrill, Teacher of Physical Science in the Connecticut Normal School. Prepared and published by order of the General Assembly, Hartford, Conn. Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co. 1887.

This little book, done up with plain black cloth, in flexible binding, is an illustration of how not to do it. The book, if it can be called a book, is prepared and published by order of the General Assembly" of the State of Connecticut; and while the distinguished scholars who have prepared it have evidently done their work well, and the book properly made, as a private publisher would have done it, might have been an entire success, yet, being made by the State, like government books always, the mechanical execution both within and without is constantly saying to us, "Do not do so any more."

THE HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA. By Samuel H. Willey. D.D. San Francisco: Samuel Carson & Co. 1887. Pp. 432. $4.00.

This book gives us a chapter in the history of education in the great State of California, of rare interest and unique character. It shows how efforts were commenced as early as 1853, when San Francisco was but a small town, for the establishment of a college. This institution began its legal existence in the year 1855, and was called the "College of Califor

nia." In 1868 it was turned over to the State and merged in a new institution called the "University of California."

This institution is now doing a successful and great work for high education on the Pacific coast.

The entire history of the original college and the establishment of the university is here treated by Dr. Willey, who was from the beginning secretary of the board of trustees, and who was the president of the college for eight years. This history occupies two hundred and forty-seven pages. The remainder of the book is an appendix, which gives various addresses given at the Alumni meetings from 1858 to 1867, with a valuable list of names covering thirteen pages.

The book is of great value to the student of American education.

MEN AND LETTERS. Essays on Characterization and Criticism. By Horace E. Scudder. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 1887. Pp. 235. $1.25.

This book contains a series of articles by Mr. Scudder, most of which have heretofore appeared in print some of them in The Atlantic Monthly They are of varied interest, relating to history, biography, and literature. Some of these articles display rare traits of scholarship. The essay on The Shaping of Excelsior is intensely interesting.

The book will have a wide reading. SOBRIQUETS AND NICKNAMES.

By

Albert R. Frey. Boston: Ticknor & Co. 1888. Pp. 482. Double column, octavo.

In this new volume Mr. Frey, of the Astor Library, N. Y., has gathered an immense amount of useful and entertaining matter, not only for the general reader, but also for the professional student of literature.

The index by true names occupies one hundred and fourteen pages, and

to these true names are added the sobriquets; for example: Andrew Jackson is the "Gin'ral," "The Old Hero," "Old Hickory," and · Sharp Knife." Dr. Samuel Johnson is called "The Blaspheming Doctor," and twenty-five other names. Gladstone is Mr. Gresham" and "Grandævus." Goethe has eleven names. Gustavus Adolphus is called "The Anti-Christ," "The Lion of the North," "Savior of Protestantism," "Star of the North," and "Sweden's Glory." General Grant is "Old Three Stars," "Uncle Sam," "United States." "Unconditional Surrender," and United we Stand."

6.

66

of "Jim," of "Kate Oxford," of Dorothy," Margaret," and others, cannot fail to be interesting, and especially instructive and inspiring to our younger sisters and their cousins.

Several of these stories relate to the colonial and the Revolutionary period, and are of value as illustrating our earlier history, giving graphic pictures of the fashions, habits, and strong thought of the New England people a century ago.

The book is highly commended to the class for which it is designed.

In this interesting story of a boy's life at school, the author has related the incidents in such a natural way that the reader is led to the conclusion, which is a true one, that the story is in fact largely a record of the author's own experiences. Many of the descriptions of characters and incidents are wonderfully true to nature. The descriptions of Dr. Francis Gardner, "in his habit as he lived," will be of great interest to the future generations of Latin schoolboys.

COMPLETE GERMAN MANUAL FOR HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. By Wesley C. Sawyer, PH.D. Chicago: John C. Buckbee & Co. Pp. 317. $1.50.

This book is designed to teach the learner to read, write, and speak the German language with ease. It gives equal attention to all three of these arts. The student is made acquainted with the rich beauties of the writings of the great poets and prose writers, as the illustrations are taken from the most classic German literature. It is also a happy thought to introduce

letters from some of the eminent men of Germany. The vocabularies are large and complete, and the book has won for itself the merit of being "just what has long been desired: a practical German grammar, born in the school-room."

A PRIMARY GEOMETRY. By S. Edward Warren. C.E. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 15 Astor Place. Pp. 178.

The object of this volume is to contribute to an earlier beginning of the study of geometry, in the belief that without such beginning, elementary education is somewhat one-sided.

The subject is so treated as to be within the comprehension of younger pupils. The second object of the work is to lead to its graphical applications in manual and other elementary schools. The work gives simple and practical examples in plane and projection drawing.

CONSCIOUS MOTHERHOOD. By Emma Marwedel. Chicago and Boston: Interstate Publishing Co. Pp. 563. $1.65.

The author devotes much space (pp. 329-563) to an account of Professor Preyer's famous investigations as to the development of the soul in infants. Professor Preyer's classical work is purely deductive: that is, without any preconceived notions, the eminent physiologist resorted to observation, and discovered, besides much else, that a child reasons without the use of language, and that the latter, therefore, is an instrument, but not the source of mental activity. Accordingly, the present volume is a somewhat novel contribution to educational literature. Froebel and others concluded very properly that instruction and education must begin with the young child; Miss Marwedel concludes that it must begin with the new-born infant and its parents. The

real essence of her book lies in the educational light it throws upon infancy. The book will interest teachers, but deserves the special attention of physiologists, psychologists, and parents. The book makes a distinct step forward in educational art and cannot fail to do great good.

AN

OF

OUTLINE
ANGLO-SAXON
GRAMMAR, from the appendix of
Harrison and Baskervill's Anglo-
Saxon Dictionary, with a list of ir-
regular verbs. By Prof. James A.
Harrison. New York: A. S. Barnes
& Co. Pp. 66.

The title of this book is all that is needed to call the attention to it of all those scholars interested in the study of Anglo-Saxon.

EDUCATIONAL ENDS; OR, THE IDEAL OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. By Sophie Bryant, D.SC. Mathematical Mistress in the North London Collegiate Schools for Girls. London: Longmans, Green & Co. 1887. Pp. 292. Price, six shillings.

This new work has to do with ethical development and with logical development. It is a searching treatise upon the single subject implied in the title. As to the success of the argument, the modesty of the present writer respectfully refers that question to the Concord School of Philosophy.

The conclusion reached by the author is stated as follows: "The good man lives in duty, by moral law, and for the moral ideal of humanity. The wise man lives in knowledge, by logical law, and for the intellectual ideal of humanity or truth." "Goodness implies and requires wisdom. Wisdom also implies and requires goodness." If this is not quite clear to the average reader, the following will make it plain: "The life that is strong and conscious and true enough to produce goodness or wisdom is strong and true and conscious enough to produce goodness or wisdom, and

each SO far implies the other." "Goodness depends for its fulfilment on wisdom."

THE "HOW I WAS EDUCATED" PAPERS. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 30 cents.

The papers are taken from The Forum magazine, and are from the following authors: Edward E. Hale; Thomas Wentworth Higginson; F. A. P. Barnard, President of Columbia College; John H. Vincent, Chancellor of Chautauqua University; Prof. William T. Harris; S. C. Bartlett, President of Dartmouth College; J. R. Kendrick, formerly President of Vassar College; Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College; E. G. Robinson, President of Brown University; James B. Angell, President of University of Michigan; Andrew D. White, formerly President of Cornell University. These papers are of great value, and should be in the hands of every well-educated person.

INTRODUCTORY STEPS IN SCIENCE.

By Paul Bert, Member of the Institute and ex-minister of instruction of France. Translated by Marc F. Vallette. LL.D., Principal Grammar School, No. 31, Brooklyn. N. Y. Revised and enlarged by John Mickleborough. PH.D., Principal Grammar School, No. 9, Brooklyn, N. Y., and formerly Principal Normal School, Cincinnati, Ohio. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Pp. 363. Parts I, II, III (one volume). Introduction price. 48 cents. Parts IV, V, VI, VII (one volume). Introduction price, 48 cents. Seven parts (complete in one volume). Introduction price, 90 cents.

Over half a million copies of the original book, by M. Paul Bert, were sold in France within three years, and in the preparation of this volume such changes have been made as were required to adapt it to the wants of American schools.

The editors have evidently endeavored to make the text clear and in

telligible to the young mind, adhering to the language of the author when possible to do so. but making additions here and there to suit the age and country, and putting in the mouths of the pupils such questions as their long experience in the schoolroom has taught them would naturally be asked by the grade of children for whom the work is intended.

Where unfamiliar words or expressions occur, the meaning is annexed in brackets, to economize time for the

teacher. The style is simply conversational, nothing more.

care.

The illustrations are new and excellent, evidently prepared with great In the natural history, wherever possible, American species have been substituted for foreign ones; and in the chapter on Rock Formations. that portion which treats of the continental development of North America has been substituted for the author's geological history of France.

The book will prove of great value, and will doubtless be sold by the hundred thousands.

CASSELL'S NATIONAL LIBRARY. No. 95. THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS from November, 1666, to May, 1667. No. 96. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING JOHN. By William Shakespeare. No. 97. THE HISTORY OF THE CALIPH VATHEK. By William Beckford. No. 98. POEMS. By John Dryden. The volumes are 10 cents a number; $5.00 a year.

TICKNOR'S PAPER SERIES. Issued semi-monthly by Ticknor & Co., Boston. The last number of this series, No. 24, contains Mingo, and Other Sketches. By Joel Chandler Harris.

trasted. Mr. Harris's feeling for the negro character, beautifully exhibited in "Mingo," is shown again in the sketch of Blue Dave."

WAYS FOR BOYS TO MAKE AND DO THINGS. Illustrated. Boston: D. Lothrop Co. Price, 60 cents.

Here a half-dozen or more authors have combined to tell boys how to make kites, boats, tents, and snowshoes; how to get the most fun out of walking and skating, with a variety of information and suggestions about other things that the boys like to know.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY.

Authorized for use in the public schools, high schools, and college institutes of Ontario by the Department of Education. Toronto: Canada Publishing Co. Pp. 164. Small quarto.

Our neighbors across the border have struck out in a new path by the publication of this new geography. There is no doubt that geography is one of the most difficult branches of study in our common school curriculum. There have been many attempts to simplify the method of teaching, to improve the style of text-books, and to awaken a new and living interest in this important subject. Most of these attempts have, however, been attended with but partial success.

The book before us is entirely new and executed upon a novel plan. The author designs to have the whole of the matter presented to the pupils by the teacher, not in a series of categorical statements to be accepted by the pupils without explanation, but almost entirely in a series of conversations consisting largely of questions by the teacher and replies by the pupils. These questions are not, however, upon what the pupil has committed by rote from the text-book, but upon what he has obtained for

himself, he may not know how, from the use of his eyes and ears and brain ever since he began to observe and think.

These conversations the author intends should consist largely of voluntary statements which the pupils should be encouraged to offer, based on their own reading and research.

The book as a whole is designed to cover the entire range of geographical study. It begins with very simple matter connected with the schoolroom and its surroundings, the district and township, advancing then from the home and town to the surrounding country, and so outward. There are but few questions, indeed but few map questions, in the entire book, but the various topics treated, which are given with more or less brevity, are evidently designed to be read, discussed, thought out, and reflected upon.

The treatment of Ontario and Can ada is fuller by far than is to be found in the text-books of our schools. The study of this part of the book is of especial value to the teachers in the States, inasmuch as most of us have very erroneous ideas of that country.

These chapters are therefore commended to the careful examination of all teachers of geography who desire to be thoroughly posted and not to be teaching error.

It is safe to say that there is more new material of great importance in this book than has appeared in any text-book of geography for a long time. It seems to be carefully prepared, and the matter thoroughly thought out by the author before writing.

The maps, illustrations, and general mechanical execution of the book is far inferior to the best text-books of the kind recently published in our country. We recommend the mate