4 JANUARY 1902, Page 27

Roman Political Institutions. By Frank Frost Abbott. (Ginn and Co.,

Boston, U.S. 7s. 6d.)—This is an able sketch of Roman history regarded from within. The foreign relations of the State are outlined, while its domestic constitution, its development and change, is carefully described. It is interesting throughout, but as we reach the later times, the closing years of the Republic and the early age of the Empire, this interest is greatly in- creased, because the analogies to the great political and social problems of our own times become more numerous and more complete. We observe an error on p. 293. The sum which Caligula spent in his first year of empire is put down at the not excessive figure of " 100,000,000 sesterces." It was really 720,000,000. " Vicies at septies millies sestertium non toto ver- tente anno absnmpsit" are the words of Suetonins (Caligula, XXXVIL) The difference, stated in English money, is that be- tween £300,000 and £5,760,000. The book will be found highly useful by students.