W. Wells; •' Beauty in Illustration," by Rev. Wal ter Baxendale; " Bismarck's Table Talk," by Charles Lowe; a page of Love Poems selected by Fanny Mack Lothrop, the popular compiler; and "The Conquest of Obstacles," by Orison Swett Marden. So carefully planned and edited is Current Litera ture that it seems each month not only to keep one thoroughly abreast of all current thought, but to run the gamut of all the emotions and to have something for every member of the family and for every taste.
Mr. David A. Wells continues his account of "Taxation in Literature and History" in Appleton's Popular Science Monthly for March, giving methods employed for raising revenue in ancient Greece and Rome. Under the title " The Failure of Scientific Materialism " this doctrine is sharply at tacked by Prof. Wilhelm Ostwald, of Leipsic, who affirms that it should be replaced by a theory based on energy. Herbert Spencer contributes to this number a chapter on the Painter in his series on "Professional Institutions," Prof. E. W. Hilgard shows that the salts in our alkali lands consist largely of plant-food, and tells what means may be used to neutralize the harmful constituents. " Exercise as a Remedy " is discussed by Henry Ling Taylor, M. D., who shows how potent a curative agent exercise may be when carefully prescribed, and how injurious it may be in some cases.
During these months of extraordinary unrest in foreign politics, the Review of Reviews devotes its attention in large measure to international affairs. Its editorial department discusses matters in South Africa, the attitude of the great European powers, and the most recent phases of the movement among the nations for the arbitration of disputes; the March number also contains a most timely article on "The Government of France and Its Recent Changes," by Baron Pierre de Coubertin; "A Re view of Canadian Affairs " by J. W. Russell, and a character sketch of "Cecil Rhodes of Africa," by W. T. Stead. The Century continues to expend the full re sources of its art upon the illustration of the " Life of Napoleon," and the March installment presents a particularly beautiful array of artistic illustrations carefully studied from historical data, costumes, uni forms, etc. These include sketches of " The Favorite Occupation of the Empress" by Grivaz, " Napoleon Dictating to His Secretaries" by Grolleron, " Meet ing of Napoleon and Tolstoi in Paris " by Boutigny, "The Arrest of Ferdinand" by Rossi, and three by
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Orange, "The French Army, under Junot, in the Mountains of Portugal," " Godoy Taken into Custody by the Spanish Troops," and " The Burning of a Palace of Godoy by the Populace at Madrid." All of these are made specially for this work. In addi tion there are reproductions of Regnault's " Marriage of Prince Jerome Bonaparte and Princess Frederica Catherine of Wurtemberg," a portrait of the Princess from the painting by Gerard, a portrait of Caulaincourt by Gerard, and a portrait of Junot, beautifully engraved by Johnson. BOOK NOTICES. LAW.
The Works of James Wilson, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and Professor of Law in the College of Philadel phia. Being his Public Discourse upon Juris prudence and the Political Science, including Lectures as Professor of Law, 1790-2. Edited by James DeWitt Andrews. Callaghan & Co., Chicago, 1896. Two vols. Cloth, $7.00. Sheep, S8.00. It is strange that no reprint has ever before been made of this admirable work, the first edition of which appeared in 1804. Messrs. Callaghan & Co. deserve the sincere thanks of the legal profession and all students of political science for rescuing from unmerited oblivion this treatise, which is certainly one of the ablest and most scientific ever written upon the subject of law and government. Mr. Wilson's work is, in fact, a legal classic; one which will be read with delight and with profound admira tion for the thorough and logical manner with which the distinguished author goes to the very root of the questions considered. Our forefathers, indeed, were, as a rule, profounder thinkers and more logical reasoners than the men of the present day, and their works stand the test of years. The first volume is made up of a scientific treatment of general principles historically considered, and also applied to our law, or strictly jurisprudence, the sci ence of law. Municipal law, or the law of a particular country, viz, the United States, is the theme of Volume II. This volume opens the scientific treatment of our Consti tution, beginning with the legislative department, which is minutely examined. The subjects, as noted in the Table of Contents, are each examined with a care and minuteness which characterizes all the writ ings of this eminent man. The Appendix to each of the volumes deserves particular attention. "The Considerations upon the Bank of North America " is certainly one of the greatest constitutional arguments extant. The Appendix to Volume II has, first, an
