3 OCTOBER 1903, Page 39

The Life of the State. By Geraldine Hodgson. (II. Marshall

and Son. 2s. 6d.)—The well-informed reader soon finds that Miss Hodgson knows what she is writing about, that her study of the subject has begun at the beginning and is thorough. The begin- ning is, of course, Greek. Miss Hodgson has read and understood her Tbucydides and Aristotle. One important matter, often for- gotten by those who compare ancient and modern politics, she sets forth with precision,—" the Greek state was founded on slavery." And she sees that Aristotle at least was not genuinely democratic. He did, not believe that "all men are born equal" ; even after

excepting the Clefs &rotor. Her remarks on the British Constitu- tion in its present development are clear and instructive.