23 MAY 1908, Page 24

Nxw EDITIONS.—The Speeches of Richard Coilen. Edited by John Bright

and J. E. Thorold Rogers. With an Appreciation by Goldwin Smith. 2 vols. (T. Fisher Unwin. 7s.)—The first edition was published in 1870; the second in 1878; the third in 1880; the fourth in 1903—a significantly long interval—and now another appears, an interval of equally significant brevity.— Tabular Views of Universal History. By George Palmer Putnam. ((J. P. Putnam's Sons. 10s. 6d. net.)—This book, iu its original form, appeared about three-quarters of a century ago. • It was modified in 1872 into a collection of tables, and this, with largo modifica- tions and additions, is what we have before us now. There are other works of the same kind, but none, so far as we know, so comprehensive. It now covers nearly seven thousand years. The ancient civilisations which recent research has brought to light in Babylonia and elsewhere are recorded at the one end, and we have Mr. Andrew Carnegie's latest benefactions at the other. The entry "1100 (about): The Mycenaean art flourishes in Greece and the .Bean " hardly represents our latest knowledge. In 1100 the Mycenaean civilisation was decadent. 638 for " Persian Empire Founded" is a little late. We used to be told that 655 stood for its founding and 333 for its fall, conveniently recurring figures which will serve a mnemonic purpose. But, on the whole, the book seems to be carefully compiled.