One of Dr. MacNair's merits as a writer is that he fortifies his interpretation with objective source material to allow the reader to see from what his conclusions have been drawn. Thus on the traditional Chinese condescension toward the "bar-parian" (defined by the author as "one who did not speak the Chinese language, was not conversant with the maxims of the sages, and did not wear clothes of Chinese cut") there are extensive quotations from Han Yü, Van Braem, Ch'ien Lungs letter to George III, Commissioner Lin, Lord Napier, and others. Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Mencius are quoted at length to illustrate the Chinese ethical conception of Rule-of-Reason as against Rule-of-Force.
The point is made that China "was ideologically and materially unprepared to defend itself against the arms and will to power' of nineteenth century Europe." Nor was this the fault of the Manchu rulers, for they had always allowed the Chinese to share in what was in fact a dual government "It would appear, therefore, that had there existed among the Chinese, as contrasted with the Manchus, widespread or deep-seated desires for reform long prior to 1898, means might have been found for carrying them into effect."
Lo Nom International Review of the Northern Countries. No. 3 Published Omar Munksgaards Forlag, Akateeminen, Kir} Finland; Gy dendal Norsk Forlag, Oslo; Norstedt Söner, Stockholm. Price 12/6 a Volume (consisting of 4 numbers).
This review is printed in English, French and Germen znd is intended io be a means of making the rest of ihe world better acquainted with the Northern countries and their activities. "The Potentialities of Inter-
Northern Commerce," by Gudmund Hatt, is an informative and interestingly written article, and another in English is "The Birth of a Nation" in which Väinö Voionmai tells, in a necessarily compressed manner, the story of Finland since her independence in 1917. "Les Prix Nobel" is by Fritz Henrikson, and there follow two articles in which Nansen is called to remembrance, "L'Ofüce National Nansen pour les Refugies sous l'Autoritié de la Societe des Nations," by Michael Hanson, and the other (more personal) by Viscount Cecil, "Narsen and the League of Nations" in which this little picture of the great explorer is given:
... Nansen's speeches at Gene were' not oratorical. He spoke English. with the "simplicity and directness of a child. He had something important to say and he said it without ornament but with the per-Suasiveness that comes of utter sincerity. Physically he was a splendid figure, standing there before a world audience. His gallant pose. his athletic frame, perhaps above all his wonderful clea attention. Here was unmistakably a Norseman the descendant of Vikings, a great personality.
Then comes German, "Die Vereine 'Norden' und Ihre Wirksamkett, Gabriel Thulin, and "Das Bauerntum im Wirtschaftsleben Finnlands," by Emil Hynninen, and "Die Dänische Volkshochschule, ihr Wesen un Ihre Form," by C. P. O. Christiansen. The quarterly chronicle of events is also tri-lingual.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.