More Books of the 'Week
(Continued from page 950.)
Possibly Prescott is not so widely read now as he used to be ' • he was too much of a romanticist for this sophisticated age. There can be few, however, who have not heard of Montezuma. But how many know that a Montezuma still reigns in America ? The old Aztec Empire has vanished, but in one of its far flung colonies its language and customs have survived and the Guaymi ruler is still known as Monte- zuma. Old Civilizations of the New World, by A. Hyatt Verrill (Williams and Norgate, 21s.) sets out to be a popular book, and we can only wish that other authors of popular books would take it as a model. There is no phase of ancient America which the author has not touched, and to it all he has brought ripe knowledge and a limpid impartiality. The book is clearly written in a language understanded of the people, but not as if the people had no understanding.
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