26 JANUARY 1929, Page 32

Mr. Lewis Spence in his book Mysteries of Britain (Rider,

10s. 6d.) is anxious to prove that we have our own native mystical traditioni and have no need to go elsewhere for metaphysics or occultism. Druidism, he considers, is as true a fountain of inspiration as " any exotic system can poss- ibly be." He makes out a very- interesting case for the centrality of Ancient Britain as a- school of initiation ; but his patriotism is Over-pronounced and he hardly observes that even in interpreting the religious traditions of Britain itself, he has to call in Egypt and Babylon to explain them.

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