16 SEPTEMBER 1905, Page 24

The Ripon Psalter. By E. H. Swann, M.A. (iv: Harrison,

Ripon. 2s.)—Mr. Swann, who is Succentor of Ripon Cathedral, attempts in this bOok "so to arrange the syllables "[of the words to be chanted] that, as far as possible, the sense shall not be obliterated." He acknowledges that perfection is not attainable, that "false accents cannot be entirely avoided," but he has certainly done something in the right clirection. We have not had the opportunity of hearing his system of notation put into practice, but an inspection of his volume shows its merits, and, we might add, its inevitable defects.