Geoffrey Chaucer would find it impossible today to recognize the Righway which he traversed with his jolly band of pilgrims. But up to comparatively recent times he would have felt himself at home. It was well after the beginning of the 19t% century that any effort was made {o ameliorate the deplorable condition of the highway. The reason, according to T. W. Wilkinson, author of "From. Track to By-Pass: A History of the English Road," was entirely economic: the means for much-needed improvements could not be collected. It was not until the passing of the Public Health Kets of 1648 and 1875 and the Local Government Acts of 1888 and 1894 that the responsibilities for the up-Keep of the roads were definitely assigned to urban and rural district council. The Road improvement et of 1909 established the Road Board now merged in the Ministry of Transport. 7
The desire for beauty has been unceasing down the ages. Phials of Hquid rouge Have been found in Chinese tombs thousands of years old and the art of make-up is perhaps ven more diligently practised to-Gay. Names of famous beauties Through the centuries are on everyone's lips. But who could or would designate the" Ugliest Woman? Charles Lamb awarded the palm to Mrs, Conrady: "The first time that you are indulged with a sight of her face is an era in your existence ever after. You are glad to have Seen it—like Stonehenge." Mr. E. V. Luess includes an. essay on Mrs. Conrady in his book on Lamb, "At the Shrine of St. Charles," published by Messrs. Methuen.
The author of "From Track to By-Pass," (Methuen) points out that traffic congestion is no mew problem. In 1631 the authorities of Blackfriars complained to the Privy Council: "The Fecourse of coaches. is many times so great that the inhabitants cannot in the afternoon take in any provisions of beer, coals, wood, of hay, and persons of honour and quality fin the parish are restrained by the number' of coaches from going out for coming home in seasonable tim: fo the prejudice of their occasions." is prejudiced to-day—life threatened.
Tt is good news that jealousy Days" (Methuen) Lord Castle-the methods 2 doctor in Rome who undertakes to cure this painful malady. His methods are quite simple: he uses mysterious. anti-love potion but concentrates on reduction of food, {nerease of exercise and certain medicines. The outcome, in the au-Thor's words, is that "whereas Fascism has given Italy a new backbone, this Roman doctor has given the Italians new livers."
The Girst detailed description of a greyhound is to be found in the Boke of St Albans," published in. M91, This lst of "points"
still considered by breeders to be the most adequate summary of what is essential in a prize dog:
"ame head Uke a snake, the neck ike a drake, foot Mke a cat The tall Uke The side liken bream, Tne ack like a bear." is quoted by Mrs. Carlo F. Culpe-Clarke in her informative book. greyhounds and Greyhound Racing." (Methuen)
Though the Oxford Group Movement, or Buchmanism, has caused 2 great stir in England, there have hot been many authoritative eritifoisms of it. Miss Marjorie Harrison, talked to very, many (groups and had interviews with DF. Buchman himself. But in her new book, "Saints Run Mad," which is Just' published, she condemns the movement for the grave errors, suerstitions, exaggerations and mis-Eonceptions with which she considers riddled. The Bishop of Durham Says in his Foreword: "I commend What she has written to the careful Consideration of li who are inter-fin the Movement and, perhaps, Shot a little puzzled as to its charac-for and tendency."
The custom of imitating the Italian promuneiation of Church Latin—fragna, as mah-nyah, crucifizus crucht unquestionably grow-fee both on the Continent and in England. The reason is obvious, more and more people can afford to go to Rome, and those who cannot listen-in to the services at St. Peter's. But Mr. F. Brittain, suther of "Latin in Church," published by the Cam-Bridge" University Press,. contends that there never was a uniform pronunciation of Latin, ecclesiastical or secular; that. there is mo one ecclesiastical pronunciation of Latin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.