The Fijians. By Basil Thomson. (W. Heinemann. 108. net.) —Mr.
Thomson, who describes his book as "a study in the decay Of custom," formulates theories and makes prophecies. He has a word to say in his introduction for half-castes; he certainly has On his aide the home example. The English arc at least the deseendante of half-castes. He prophesies the extinotion of racial prejudice. It is scarcely relevant, however, to quote instances from past history. We are used to Desdemona and Othello; but a modern play which introduced such a marriage would not please. But apart from theories and prophecies, the book is full of curious and interesting feats which must be studied in the connexion in which they stand. One we may quote because it touches a perplexing subject. Infant mortality here is bad enough, sometimes exceeding two hundred in the thousand in the first year of birth. In Fiji it is not far off five hundred.
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