Library).
Platonic friendships and intrigue are, apparently, the staple subjects of the Anglo-Indian novelist. They m almost obsessed with scandal and small talk, and it must be presumed that they are only more or less faithfully interpreting the fashionable mode of making a wearisome existence on the hill stations tolerable. Without being startlingly ori the writer has] ig managed to make a fairly readable story. Itis alovotale and has a tra-gie ending in Egypt, but it is most probable the tragic finale will leave the reader cold and unmoved, not to say a trifle bored. A useful little list of native words might be compiled from these pages. A great! many used, and are carefully translated.
The authoress very' probably judged that it would increase the interest of the reader to know that a "tom tom" drum, and that a " Fakii man. assertion that simple as the whole book may seem to the reader it has caused him considerable trouble to compile it. The work was undertaken only after frequent requests had been made by merchants and others to teach them the Chinese system of handling numbers and book keeping. To merchants, government officials and students the book will be very acceptable. The explanations given will enable them to interpret rightly the most unintelligible, that isto the English ear, answers in regard to time and dates. The copies of account books are drafted from the account books prominent Chinese merchant, and they greatly enhance the value and usefulness of the book. Then, too, the subject of handling Chinese figures in the exact manner in which they are handled by the Chinese themselves has been carefully briefed. The pronuncistions given are in the Cantonese dialect, but as all the characters used do not alter their meaning by changing from one dialect to another the author has not deemed it advisable to give the pronunciation in any other dialect.
The price is $10,00 (mex.), but during the author's stay in Shanghai, for about a fortnight, subscrip-are copies may be obtained at half-ice. These may be had at the Oriental Press, Yangkingpang. The, book will be on sale afterwards at the principal book stores.
"The International Review of Visions." J. H, Oldham, aa.
No. 3 of Vol 1. of this excellent quarterly has just come to band. It maintains the high standard of the two previous numbers. The maga-me is decided advance on the periodicals of the missionary societies, whether in America or Europe. Solid articles, comprehensively elaborated, appear in fitting compar son to the great English periodicals like the "Contemporary" and "Quarterly Review." It is one outcome of the World Missionary Conference, held in Edinburgh in 1910.
The present number consists of ides, and best of all is the first, written by a Chinese pastor, the Rev. Cheng Ching-yi, of the London Chapel in Peking. His subject is, "Phe Chinese Church in Relation to Chinese Elementary Book-Keeping. By Dr. F. L. Clyde.
The Oriental Press, Shangh The writer of this unique work is well known as the author of several books which have to do with the Chinese and their language, and the present volume will not be found to ity the least useful of them.
The system of book keeping here set forth originated during the Chao Dynasty—1192-295 B.C.—and is considered to be an excellent one even at the present time. On glance ing through the volume we have no difficulty in accepting the author's Its Immediate Task." Mr. Cheng writes like a Christian statesman, but, being " pastor, he is to be excluded from the National Parlia ment, giving place to others of less character and ability. The style of the composition is elegant and forcible. The writer's judgement in keen and fair. His knowledge of present perplexing events is accurate, a safe guide to cthers who rush into print with all sorts of notions on China's condition. "A new China" he says with clear insight, "does not necessarily mean a better China. It depends upon the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.