26 JUNE 1909, Page 13

DAYS IN HELLAS.

Days in Hellas. By Mabel Moore. (W. Heinemann. Cs.)— Mrs. Moore evidently has plenty of humour, plenty of good sense, and is quite capable of sentiment, always gracefully expressed, when occasion demands. She is in one souse, and in another is not, Philhellene. She admires tho country ; the aspect of the people pleases hor ; she even believes that the race is bon an fond. But she feels herself compelled to speak some very plain words about its moral development. She saw a good deal of tho Greek women, and, to put the case briefly, did not think vary highly of them. They are pleasant enough to look at, and have kind and generous impulses ; but in good works they are sadly deficient. Of course this is not,

wholly at least, the fault of individuals, The status of the sex is not what it should be. The general truth is pithily expressed in the answer which a peasant mother makes when she is asked the number of her family,—" Three sons, and, I beg your pardon, three daughters." On the bringing up of the children Mrs. Moore has some very hard things to say. They are spoilt and neglected. Altogether, the "Days in Hellas" were diversified with much that was hard to bear. Still, the book does not give us an idea of belonging to the " Smelfungus " typo. There is no ill-humour about it ; if a hard thing is said, it seems to be said under compulsion; and it is most excellent reading.