in more serious

England's point of view, in fiction and in form is very large. "The World Set Free,' H. G. Wells's vivid and prophetic novel, has had a wide reading. 'War and the World's Life' is the best of several military books by Colonel F. N. Maude. 'Britain at Bay' is by Spenser Wilkinson, one of the most capable and perhaps one of the most voluminous writers in England on the strategy of war. In most of his books, his object has been to create a definite British war policy, and he has written this volume to insist on it. Henderson's 'The Science of War' has probably only a technical relation to the case, but readers of his fine volume on the life, strategy and campaigns of Stonewall Jackson will be glad to have this book at hand. Norman Angell, author of 'The Great Illusion,' which three or four years ago surprised world-thought into a new attitude toward war and territorial conquest, has just published 'Arms and Industry,' which is professedly a study of the foundations of international policy, while his 'The Cost of War' deals with economic waste. Along with this may be mentioned David Starr Jordan's 'War and Waste.'

"In addition to Henderson's 'The Science of War,' already referred to, the student of present conditions should not overlook works on international law like Hannis Taylor's. The very novelty of aircraft in the strategy and manoeuvers of armies will attract attention to Hazeltine's The Law of the Air.' Homer Lea's The Valor of Ignorance' will be regarded as a timely volume by those who believe that the United States should imitate the European governments in the matter of preparation for war. Even such a staid journal as The London Spectator has strongly urged this government to prepare for war with Germany.

"No other publication of the hour has done so much for those who desire accurate and specific information in regard to the causes of the present war, the alliances that have so signally influenced its strategy, and the scores of subjects of investigation. toward which the great struggle has turned the thoughts of men, as The World's Work in its 'War Manual of the Great 1914 European Struggle.'

"The White Paper' of the British government, The German White Book,' and Russia's 'Orange Paper' are publications of in

tense interest, showing the part of each of these countries in the diplomatic negotiations which preceded the war. In addition to the historic value of these documents, the reader will find a keen interest in the light they throw upon the spirit and moral standards ruling such men as Sir Edward Grey, Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg, Count Berchtold, Count Benckendorff, and other great figures in the diplomatic scene. To these documents will be added those in the recently issued 'Gray Book' of Belgium.

"Books in lighter vein, but dealing with themes of unflagging interest to cultured readers and having their peculiar place, occupy a large space in the general library. Everybody, according to an enthusiastic dictum, has two countries: his own and Paris. The capital of the French is just now the subject of worldwide attention. Lilian Whiting's 'Paris the Beautiful' is full of interest, and Caroline Atwater Mason's 'The Spell of France' goes along with it. Arnold Bennett's 'Paris Nights' is more recent and is touched with the Bennett charm of insight and characterization. It would be impossible to name the travel books to which one country and another of those now under the storm of war give significance and interest. Dickie's 'In the Kaiser's Capital' has its appeal. A more serious interest attaches to Price Collier's 'Germany and the Germans,' although the book is by no means heavy. The same author's 'England and the English,' like the one on Germany, is written from the American point of view, and the two might very well be read together in the present crisis. Shelley's 'Untrodden English Ways' and Ransome's 'Bohemia in London' and many another volume-not overlooking Grant Allen's 'Belgium: Its Cities'should attract the curious mind because of their intrinsic charm, and not merely because of Europe's plight. They are of supreme interest and urge the reader to further excursions in the library."

REVIEWS.

BY JAMES BARDIN.

The editors of the ALUMNI BULLETIN request alumni to send copies of their publications-books, pamphlets, reprints of magazine articles, etc.-to the Reviewing Editor, who will be glad to notice them in this department. It is hoped that a fairly complete record of current publications by University alumni may here be given each

quarter.

OMMIRANDY; Armistead C. Gordon (Va., '75), Rector of the University of Virginia. A story in Scribner's Magazine, January, 1915.

This is a story that ought to linger forever in the minds of all of us who ever had negro "mammies." For here we have drawn for us with an artist's sympathy a picture whose essential details are impressed imperishably on the hearts of each of us. that found a second mother in some black woman, whose pride in her "white folks" and whose love for her foster children meant more to her than her life itself. Like "Maje," "Ommirandy" probably will seem unreal, fantastic, to many. But there will be those who will know that it is as true to fact and spirit as any work of art can be; and if it fails anywhere, it fails because no story could ever express what these black women were to us in childhood, and still are to some fortunate ones among us, in our age. Mr. Gordon has not put too much in; he has not created anything out of his own mind to make the story "go." He rather has left out a great deal; and those of us whose eyes were wet when we came to the end of the tale knew the tears were evoked more by memories stirring in our own hearts than by Mr. Gordon's singularly fine character study. Mr. Gordon excels in depicting manners and in creating that elusive quality called atmosphere. In "Maje," this art of his reached a very high level; but in this later story, he has scored a triumph. His diction and movement and form are direct and always adequate, no matter how difficult the scene. And at one or two places in "Ommirandy," his handling of character and situation and background is masterful. The court room scene is as fine a thing as we have seen anywhere, and the character

of Simon, Ommirandy's son-a negro of the New South, sturdy, profound in sentiment-is drawn with a sympathy and admiring understanding that show him and his compeers in all their dignity and all their pathos.

We Virginians ought to feel grateful to Mr. Gordon. In these delicate stories he is fixing for us and for our children's children a great spirit and a fine romance that can never live again in its old form. That they live in other forms no one doubts who knows the South. But the simple and beautiful chivalry, the high pride and the lofty principles which go to form that spirit are expressed in other ways now, and the old system has all but vanished. And we, who know only the last faint glow of its twilight, should be glad that Mr. Gordon is creating an illusion for us that will enable us at least to dream of what it was in its full day.

PETER WINCHESTER, STAR MAKER; Leon Rutledge Whipple (Va., '08). A story in Everybody's Magazine, January, 1915.

This is another tale in which the spirit of the "Old South" comes to sweeten and to shape latter-day events. The scene is New York, and the story deals somewhat with the theater and a Virginia girl who sang plantation songs in vaudeville, and somewhat with Major Cary, a Virginia soldier exiled by his own people and about to die among strangers. The type of old Confederate soldier created by Mr. Whipple is rather new; and the unusual setting of the final scene gives the story a decidedly original flavor. The fine fire of the girl, and her tender, selfforgetful love, depicted upon the background of present day New York, are very finely and very truly drawn.

Mr. Whipple has brought together several markedly dissimilar elements, and he has blended them one into another in such skilful fashion that the theme never loses verisimilitude, no matter how odd the situation. This is technique at its highest. And along with this go a kindly but caustic humor and a broad sympathy for human beings that make his style vigorous and pungently agreeable.

DOBIE ON BAILMENTS AND CARRIERS; by Armistead M. Dobie (Va., '04), professor of law at the University of Virginia. Hornbook Series, West Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minn. 1914.

The subjects dealt with in this volume are among the most important in the law, and their significance daily increases because of the progressively greater complexity of the problems which are arising out of the transportation of goods and passengers. Mr. Dobie has made an original analysis of the law of Bailments and Carriers, and has expended great labor and care in elucidating the general principles underlying the various rules. Clearness and accuracy, rather than profundity, seem to have been the main end sought; and because of the original method of making up the chapters, and the care in the expression of each topic, the work is direct, economical and always to the point. Detailed discussions are largely eliminated-save in those cases dealing with disputed questions, or with important decisions vitally affecting some main thesis of the law-but the main points are fully and clearly expounded, and abundant illustrations of each point are given in the case-book accompanying the main volume.

The work begins with a brief history of the law of Bailments and Carriers; and the modern law is then taken up and developed under three divisions: Bailments; Carriers of Goods; the Carriers of Passengers. It concludes with a brief but clear supplement dealing with the Interstate Commerce Act, the Safety Appliance Act, and the Employers' Liability Act. In the apportionment of space, the practical importance of each topic has been carefully weighed, irrelevant matter has been closely pruned away, and the text throughout maintains a most excellent balance and serviceable character. No attempt is made to cover again the large principles of torts, contracts, procedure, and the like, which are involved in the law under consideration; but some topics of great importance-such as pledges and innkeepers-are developed exhaustively from all points of view.

Chapter XI is especially interesting, in that it treats of liability under special contract, and considers minutely the disputed questions of the liability of the carrier of goods. This chapter is perhaps the most valuable in the book, as it covers a topic that has not been worked out adequately before.