2 FEBRUARY 1901, Page 22

Dickens as an Educator. By James L. Hughes. (E. Arnold.

6s.)—Mr. Hughes puts together a number of passages from Dickens about the treatment of children, in the way of education and otherwise. These will be familiar to the elders among his readers, hardly so much so to the younger generation. But does not Mr. Hughes take these things a little too seriously ? Squeers and Dot heboys Hall, Murdstoue and David, Bumble and Oliver Twist, Miss Blimber and Paul Dombey, are scarcely types in the sense which a scientific book demands, and, of course, this " International Education Series" is bound to be scientific. How things may be in Canada we know not ; here in England we complain that teachers are too easy, not too hard. We do not wish to underrate Dickens ; but it is not fair to him to deal with his books in this fashion.