28 DECEMBER 1929, Page 25

In Memories of My Life, by Edward Westermarck (George Allen

and Unwin, 16s.), Professor Westermarck has given us an historical document as well as the story of a life. From the beginning his scientific and philosophical studies have been interwoven with the struggle for the freedom of his native country. At one moment lie would be collecting data in Morocco for his History of Human Marriage, and a month ot two later collecting signatures for an international protest to the Tsar. The whole is written in a quiet style which almost succeeds in disguising the heroic quality of the life, but not quite. Not the least heroic episode in the story occurs near the beginning, where Professor Westermarck conquered his tendency to asthma by mountain-climbing. In the man who could adopt that remedy for that illness, and who wrote his first important book in a foreign language (English), Professor Westermarek's achievements are not unnatural.

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