the work is intended to be an elementary survey text-book of a popular nature, the necessity of avoiding profundity is apparent. Regarding originality, Mr. Brawley continues to explain: "Quotations are frequent, especially where statements are so final in their precision as to leave no chance for me to improve upon them". In this remark the author frankly states what we regard as a fault in his work: by leaning so heavily on the researches of others, he gives an impression that he is not writing out of the fullness of his heart. Following his policy, in Chapter III, out of 586 lines, 159 are quoted, not from the plays themselves, but from the works of scholars, whether exhaustive works, text-books or recognized primers. These quotations form the most interesting reading in the chapter. Some of the quotations are a half-page in length. In the first two chapters, about one-sixth of the lines are verbal quotations from scholars, most of whom are alive. In later chapters, Mr. Brawley does not draw to such an extent on the words of others, although he is frank to admit that he has used many of the theories and ideas of experts on the drama. By these quotations, one learns to respect these authorities so highly that he is almost obliged to ask himself why a short popular history of the English Drama has not been attempted by any one of them. If one of the scholars, several

of whom are living to-day, who could write an exhaustive history of the drama, should produce a popular, elementary survey book of this kind, it would fill a real need. This need Mr. Brawley has recognized. By extracting the best thoughts of authorities on each period, he has compiled a fairly satisfactory survey book. By the hard standard that a new book should contain something new or something old said better, this book would suffer: but when one realizes that this is almost a pioneer work in its particular field, one must admit that as a compilation it is not without considerable value. L. W. F.

CONTEMPORARY BRITISH LITERATURE: BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND STUDY OUTLINES. By John Matthews Manly and Edith Rickert. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Company. 1921. Pp. xviii, 196.

This timely handbook provides brief biographical and bibliographical notes concerning more than two hundred contempo

rary British poets, dramatists, novelists, short-story writers, essayists and critics, and in many cases makes thoughtful suggestions intended to promote the reader's study of some particular author's style, interests, tendencies, or group affiliations. The arrangement is convenient and the format attractive, although there are rather too many misprints and some more serious errors. While appreciating the difficulty of including all the important names, we regret to find no mention of Laurence Housman, Winifred M. Letts, Frederic Manning, Sir Ronald Ross, "Rowland Thirlmere", Miss C. Fox Smith, and others, nor do we understand why no reference is made to the poetic work of Eden Phillpotts.

THE SACRAMENTS. By The Rev. Francis J. Hall, D. D., Professor of Dogmatic Theology in the General Theological Seminary. New York: Longmans, Green & Company. 1921. Pp. xv, 331.

This is the ninth in a series of ten volumes of what is announced as "The Long Desired Anglican Summa of Doctrine", by the distinguished Professor of Theology in the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

It is "dedicated to the Blessed Memory of Peter Lombard, whose work it was to crystallize the definition and enumeration of Sacraments in Catholic Theology". It is an admirable presentation of Anglo-Roman doctrine, based largely on the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. It treats fully of Baptism, Confirmation, The Holy Eucharist, Penance, Holy Order, Holy Matrimony, and Unction of the Sick.

The fact that the English and American Prayer Books do not provide any forms of service for the ministration of Penance and The Unction of the Sick is noted, but not very convincingly explained. Naturally, the author makes little or no reference to the Fathers of the English Church in the sixteenth century, although a few selections from Hooker would show very plainly the true Anglican position on the whole subject of the Sacraments. True to its own logic as the treatment is, it takes some positions that seem both historically questionable and psychologically reactionary. CHARLES L. WELLS.

THE CONTENTS of the New TESTAMENT. An Introductory Course. By Haven McClure, Secretary of the English Council, Indiana State Teachers' Association. New York: The Macmillan Company. 1921. Pp. ii, 219.

This may well be called a Bible-reading if not a Bible-studying age. Never before has the Bible been so carefully and so reverently studied in our high schools and colleges as now. More than two hundred colleges accept Bible study as credit for college entrance. There are over three hundred well-equipped departments of Biblical literature and religious education in the colleges themselves. Harvard requires an examination in Biblical literature of every candidate for the B.A. degree. The demand for religious instruction is greater than ever, and the work would proceed even faster if more qualified teachers were available.

There is quite as much interest shown in the Old Testament as in the New, possibly more. The history of Israel resembles in some respects the history of America and has a strong fascination for the American people. The Old Testament prophets were not visionary foretellers of a far-distant future. They were great statesmen and wise interpreters of history and of contemporary conditions, with a profoundly important message applicable to our own time and experience.

Furthermore, the Bible is now studied in ways very different from the old method; not only more fully, but more naturally, more historically, more rationally; indeed, as other literature is studied. It is continually yielding up richer treasures of religion, of the knowledge of God and of the spiritual life, as well as of social, historical and political principles, and of literature.

The

The book before us illustrates these facts in relation to the New Testament. It is the result of the author's classroom experience in teaching the New Testament, not in a Sunday school (unfortunately we do not have such teaching in Sunday Schools), but as an elective English course in a public high school. book furnishes a fine adaptation of the Gospel of Christianity to the young, and to the youthful virile element in anyone. There is a significant section on Christianity as a religion of the adventure of faith and hope and optimism in the service of man. author gives a conservative and reverential presentation of the

The

modern view of prayer and miracles, not overthrowing either but showing their real meaning and value.

In comparatively few pages, but in clear, distinct and scholarly style, the principal contents, significance and bearing of each book, with the latest researches of the best scholars, are presented in a way both helpful and inspiring, giving all that one would need for an appreciative reading of the New Testament. CHARLES L. WELLS.

A HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION PSYCHOLOGY. By Howard C. Warren. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1921. Pp. ix, 328.

In this book Professor Warren has performed a useful service, both to the professional psychologist and to the layman who takes an intelligent interest in psychology. Since the time of Plato the doctrine of association has occupied an important place in every systematic account of mind and its operations. For the older associationists the bits of meaningful stuff which go to constitute experience were bound together by associative ties which furnished both the continuity and the unity of mental effort and decisive action. It is an interesting story, which the author tells in a clear and graceful style, and if the volume does not aim to contribute largely to the elucidation of certain perplexities which arise when association is made to do all the work of mental synthesis, at least it furnishes a sympathetic account of the historical development of the doctrine, with a frank admission of its weaknesses. Since the writer acknowledges in his Preface that he is "personally quite sympathetic with the Association Psychology", one might suspect some bias of treatment. This happily is not in evidence. At most one could wish that Professor Warren had permitted himself some further elaborations in the way of constructive criticism in order to make amends for those defects of the doctrine which, as he says,

"have always seemed attributable to the imperfect knowledge of mental data and nervous processes in past generations, rather than to the analytic and empirical methods employed by the school."

Cornell University.

ROBERT M. OGDEN.

QUEEN VICTORIA. By Lytton Strachey. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Company. 1921. Pp. 434.

"History", said Napoleon, "is fiction agreed upon." To one who is in search of truth biography often appears to be much in the same case. To make a picture of a period around a character such as will please the æsthetically fastidious of a later age is a labor of love which appears to possess an especial appeal for many modern writers. It is as if literature were in revolt against the economic-sociological school of historians. Humanity insists upon its mythologies.

A few years ago it was the fashion to whitewash the villains of history; but a variation in their feeling of Selbstminderwürdigkeit has led more recent critics to shiver a lance against the heroic statues of the olden time. This attack upon the established myth is almost required of the writers who take criticism to be their province. In his Eminent Victorians Mr. Strachey slashed away so intently at some of our most cherished reverences as to repel us, interesting as his style unquestionably made that book. In his portrayal of Gordon and Arnold especially did he seem unfair.

In this study of Queen Victoria we have the same delightful style, the same vivid picturing, the same verisimilitude of atmosphere. There are paragraphs in this panorama of the Victorian age that read like epigrams writ large. In short, the entire work is so entertaining that one reads it through as if it were fiction, although the author has already stated in a prefatory note that "authority for every important statement of fact in the following pages will be found in the footnotes". One is reminded of Ben Jonson's anxiety about the unimpeachable classicism of his Catiline. Of unusual interest, however, is the strong presentation of the character and aspirations of Albert, who by the close of Peel's administration had become in effect the King of England, and the discussion of how the government of England might have developed had his life longer endured.

Something of the quality of this valuable study may be inferred from the following summary:—

".... Victoria was the Queen of England, the Empress of India, the quintessential pivot round which the whole.