21 JULY 1917

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Important Ministerial changes were announced in the papers of Wednesday.

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Sir Edward Carson leaves the Admiralty and joins the War Cabinet without portfolio. Sir Erie Geddes becomes First Lord. Dr. Addison leaves the Ministry of Munitions and becomes...

Our North Sea patrols on Monday intercepted a number of

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German merchantmen off the Dutch coast. The enemy vessels refused to stop and were fired upon. Two were driven ashore, but four were captured and brought into harbour. These...

Tho Admiralty announced in last Saturday's papers that the battleship

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' Vanguard,' a Dreadnought of 19,250 tons launched at Barrow in 1909, was blown up at anchor on the previous Monday night as the result of an internal explosion and sank...

The French have had another week of very heavy fighting,

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especially in Champagne and at Verdun. They celebrated the fall of the Bastille on Saturday last by capturing half-a-mile of the enemy positions north of Mont Haut and the...

In Petrograd Lenin and his Anarchists attempted en Monday night

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to oust the Provisional Government by means of an armed demonstration. Mutinous soldiers and workmen on strike paraded the streets all night, but loyal troops used their rifles...

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

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S IR DOUGLAS HAIG reports this week a series of raids and counter-raids in every sector of our Western Front. From the sea to St. Quentin, the enemy is being kept in a state of...

General Komiloff, the Russian commander on the Dniester front, has

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been checked in his advance beyond Halle; partly by the arrival of heavy German reinforcements for the broken Austrians, and partly, as his reports show, by the July rains,...

Mr. Lloyd George must knew all this perfectly well. He

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braves public opinion, and we fear that he has thereby shaken the position of the Government. In hie very act of accepting office Mr. Churchill gives a new token of his...

But there are some reservations to be made in the

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ease of most general principles, and we must say at once that Mr. Lloyd George is stretching the patience of many of his supporters to the breaking- point by his appointment of...

Noires.—With this week's number of the " Sem - v.1,3a" ie issued,

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gratis, an Eight-Page Suprlement, containing the Half-Yearly Index and Tide-Page—i.e., from January 64 to June 30th, 1917, inclusive.

THE PAPER SHORTAGE.—We trust that readers of the "Spectator" will

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give definite orders to their newsagents for a copy of the " Spectator" to be reserved for them each week till countermanded.

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The King has paid- another visit—his 'fourth---to -the Western Front.

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-This time he- was accompanied by the -Queen, who during the ten - d0g4 spent. in France and Belgium visited ttlargenurriliezof hospitals and Institut ons in the Lines of...

In vievrof what has more -happened, we need not record

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in detail the debates in Parliament on Thursday and Friday of last week on the Mesopotamian 'affair, important though they were. The chief scent in the House of Commons...

A.special meeting of the. Privy Council -was convened for Tuezday

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to carry out the King's intention of changing-the mom of the Royal House and Pamily. The meeting was attended by 'the Duke of Connaught, the Primate, the Lord Chancellor, the...

Queen Victoria used to any that she did not know

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for certain what her name was, but that she believed it was D'Este. In the Middle Ages a D'Este who married a Guelph assumed his -wife's name. Hence it was, also arguable that...

We are reminded of the famous passage in B.urkes ".Letter

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to a Noble Lord;". the pamphlet defending -himself from the- attack' of the Duke-of Bodfordend Lord Lauderdale in the House ef Lords 'Here-Burke speaks of the " proud-Keep of...

The reduction:of the number of Prinoes.under the new-end very arise -

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*MAMA which:builds a bridge between the Royal:House and ordinary British families obviously required cthat the -question of the King's name should be settled withoutdelay....

Again, at the Ministry of Munitions Mr. Churchill will he

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in direct contact with labour questions of the first importance. A fantastic act of headiness or egotism there might set the Labour world ablaze. We can only implore -the...

'Mr. Asquith finished with Burke's memorable appeal: "But let vs

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pans on. For God's-sake let us pass on !" He indeed went to the heart of the matter. A Report which-is not .used so as to help us to get. on with the war has become. a...

On Friday week when the debate was tontinuedia the Commons

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1.1r. Asquith ridieukel, the idea of asking two. or three Judges to decide whether this or that statesman, soldier, or sailor had acted upon a intstakenjudgment or policy. He...

WhenSir F. E. Smith read the termsof reference to the

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proposed Court of Inquiry it was seen that the civilians censured were not 'verbally -included. • Ho explained in answer to .questions that the civilians would be- required to...

We are thankful to say that the proposals to institute

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an inquiry into the Mesopotamian Inquiry have been dropped. It is ardently to be hoped that the Government and the nation will now concen- trate on getting on with the war free...

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Surely if the warning is necessary now, as ITC firmly

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believe it is, it was necessary when Mr. Lloyd George spoke. We should be kept at a constant pitch of effort and self-restraint and never be encouraged to believe that things...

The message, after arguing that unless " all our resources

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" are employed we may be starved, goes- on : "The enemy knows this, and has staked everything upon it. If ho succeeds, victory will rest with him ; but if he fails, his defeat...

We cannot leave this subject without once more expressing our

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concern at the want of steadiness and balance with which the Government address the nation and generally conduct their business. It is difficult to trace continuity or settled...

The beat commentary on these weekly records is to be

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found neither in the boasts of Admiral von Capelle and the confident predictions of Dr. Lehmann, the founder of the Commercial Sub- marine Company which owns or owned the...

Bank rate, 5 per cent., changed from 51 per cent.

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AprilSta..

The Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday warned the House

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of Commons and the country that, "so long as we were raising by loan the money we were spending on the war, we were living in a false atmosphere." The difficulties of the...

In the House of Commons on Monday Mr. Boner. Law

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an. nounced that the Government had decided to- give an additional allowance of • 2s. 6d a week to old-age pensioners. A grant of au additional 2s. 6d. a week was made-last...

We are almost ashamed- to mention a ridiculous rumour which

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has been current during the week that aeroplanes had been with- drawn from England at the time of the lath German raid on London in order " to protect the King " during his...

The enemy submarines last week sank thirteen British merchant ships

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over 1,600 tons, four smaller vessels, and eight fishing. boats, according to the Admiralty return. The losses were thus- almost exactly , the same as in the preceding week.

Oxford has received a gift splendid in itself and peculiarly

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appropriate to a great seat of- learning. The family of the hate Mr. GeorgeSmith, of Smith and Elder, have presented the Dictionary of National Biography to the University of...

On Wednesday Mr. Boner Law announced that the Government will

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insist on passing the Corn Production Bill into law before the adjournment. The principle of the Bill has been accepted by a large majority in the House . of Cbmmons. In...

In the Dominion House of Commons on Wednesday Sir Robert

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Borden tarried his resolution in favour of the extension, by Imperial Act, of the life of the Canadian Parliament for another year. But' as he only obtained a majority of...

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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CONCENTRATE. T HE essential need of the Government is to concentrate their attention on the war, and sternly and consistently to refuse all distractions. If Mr. Lloyd George...

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THE CRISIS IN GERMANY.

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W E think we may take it for granted that the infectious spirit of the Russian Revolution, together with the declarations from Britain and France that peace could be made more...

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THE CRIMEAN INQUIRIES.

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I 1' history does not repeat itself, it offers at least many instructive parallels for our guidance. "The Mesopo- tamian controversy of to-day resembles very closely the violent...

WAR AND INDUSTRY.

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911-1REE years ago the war, breaking in suddenly upon our domestic quarrels, saved us from great social and industrial perils. -We were within sight of civil war in the...

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OLD PASTE.

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1 T is said that we forget nothing ; that at any raomeut say experience that we have ever hud may recur to us as vividly as when it was new. It is certain that personalities...

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A NOTE ON " HORRORS. "

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W HEN sympathetic people ask whether work in a war hospita l does not necessitate the witnessing of dreadful sights, it is a temptation to answer with a " nothing-can-horrify-me...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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(Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs an often more read, and therdore more cftectire, than those which fill treble the space.] PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION....

THE DRINK EVIL: AN APPEAL FROM Ili DIA.

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[To Tag EDITOR or Tee. "Bemuse:L - 1 Sia,—At a meeting of the-Canadian Presbyterian Mission Staff in Central India a Committee was asked to write to you en -Britain's attitude...

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THE EMPIRE RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. [To THE Horrors or flue

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"Seecrense."1 SI11,—The letter upon the above subject in the Spectator of the 7th inst. provides yet another of those contradictions which are rapidly making that Committee and...

" arovris UTILE BELLUM." its 57E EDITOR or um "

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SPLCUTOR."1 Sm,—The following passage culled from a pamphlet written by Dr. Johnson in 1771 seems to be peculiarly apposite at the present time:- " If he that shared the danger...

THE " SPECTATOR'S " VIEWS ON WAR AND DEMOCRACY. [To

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rue EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR."' Sru,—As an old reader of the Spectator, I was greatly surprised to reed in Saturday's Daily News the following remark in an article signed " A....

shade of meaning attached do the term by that eminent

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phrases maker, but- I can tell you what it means out here among Unsold ]ands. Here a profiteer is one who makes profit out of the war— not " excess profit," " undue profit," or...

[To 7HE Burros OF me " Seemesem."1

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SIR,—Two correspondents have pointed out in your columns that the medical profession and salaried officials are exceptions to the rule that "the rise in the price of labour is...

MISSIONARIES AS COMBATANTS, [To THE EDITOR OF 1HE SPECTATOR...I Sus,—At

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our meeting of missionaries last week a communication was read from our Consul calling for volunteers for combatant military service. All those of military age responded,...

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{To THE Erman or son " Seeermon."1

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Siu,—As you so kindly found a space in your paper for my first letter regarding the gift of fruit-trees for France from the women and children of our own land, to which-I hare...

YOUTH AND DEATH.

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[To EDITOR or aue "fiememoa."1 See,—The letter published in the Spectator of June 16th and written by a Public School boy was very fine. Perhaps it may interest your readers to...

THE NATIONAL HOME.READINO UNION,

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[To THE Enema or TILE "Snc - naon."1 Szn,—We desire to make an earnest appeal on behalf of the National Home-Reading Union, which during the there years of war has suffered...

A LITTLE WORK IN ITALY.

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[To ens Enrroe or 7116 "SPECTATOR."1 Sus,--Signorina Teresa Pavesi, who has devoted much time to helping the peasant women in their correspondence with their sons and husbands...

FRUIT-TREES AND WAD.

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[To THE Xenon Or THE " SPECTATOR:'] Sta,-1 was prepared to believe that tinder the unwritten Law of Nations, as on general principles of humanity, the destruction of...

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VIRGIL AND THE WAR.

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(To THE Eynon or THE "SreerAoa u '7 fie,—Reading Virgil's first Georgic lost evening, the following tines struck me as so peculiarly applicable - to the present world- wide...

CHRISTIAN KAFFIRS IN FRANCE.

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(To one Saloon or me "Seecuma."3 Sera,—May I add something to the letter of " Herbert George" in your last issue ? He refers to "eighty, per cent. of these blacks (Basutos and...

POETRY.

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BOTHA AND SMUTS. AGAINST us once, now by our side they stand, Helpers of foremost rank with head and hand. Let far-spread empires from this drama learn; Royal our boon, and...

DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS.

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(To THE Eerrem er ma "Sreerstom"l Sts,—As one of the many interested in horticulture, it would be helpful to know which are the destructive insects. I understand' the parent of...

B 0 0 K S .

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THE LABOURER AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.• Tam book is a remarkable achievement in illuminating research and in the art of graceful summary. Croat pains most have gone to its...

THE LONDON SQUARE GARDENS.

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[To TES EDITOR or TEE SPECTATOR:1 Sue s —The green lawns and the trees standing in the very midst of the heat and bustle cf the streets are indeed delicions, and the passers-by...

" FROM A V.A.D. HOSPITAL."

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Mass Maar-Anne MACDONALD'S three poems ("In the Ward." " Epiphany Vision," and " In Last Year's Camp") have been reprinted from the pages of the Spectator in pamphlet form under...

NOTICE.—When" Correspondence" or Articles are signed with the writer's name

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or initials, or wills a pseudonym, or are marked " Com- municated," the Editor must not necessarily be held to be in agreement with the views therein ezprowed or with the mode...

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FRENCH WINDOWS..

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THE writer of these chapters, which originally appeared in the Month, was for the first eighteen months of the war attached to the British Expeditionary Forte as Chaplain to a...

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GEORGE WASHINGTON'S AIDE-DE-CAMP.*

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Iv cannot be mid that Colonel David Humphreys was altogether unknown to fickle fame, even before his descendant compiled this substantial and interesting biography. To students...

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Early Revenue History of Bengal and the Fifth Report, 1812.

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By F. D. Ascoli. (Clarendon Press. 4s. Od. net.)—The history of British Irolia.fromthe departure of Warren Hastings to the Mutiny is studied by few Englishmen, despite its...

The Making of the Future : the Coming Polity. By

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Patrick Geddes and V. Branford.—Ideas oh War. By Patrick Geddes find G. Slater. (Williams and Norgate. 5s. net each.)—Professor Geddes', the most active exponent in this country...

'TIIE GENTLE ART OF MALINGERING.* THIS authors of this very

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complete text-book have certainly earned the thanks of their profession and their work deserves to be .praised and recognized by all of us. They mt themselves to write out the...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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Votive is this MUM, doer not useessarily preclude eitespisot nasal Poems. By Alan Seeger. (Constable and Co. 5s. not.)—Alan Seeger, a young Harvard man living in Paris when the...

FICTION.

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THE MAID WITH WINGff.f Trrottou for convenience' sake Mr. Onhorn's fantasies may be regarded as -falling under the category of the short story, there are very few of them that...

READABLE NOvEL.9.—The Deep Heart. 'By Isabel C. Clarke. (Hutchinson and

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Co. (16.)—A restful story of which the scene is chiefly -laid in beautiful gardens in Itchy.—Fetters on lite Feel. By Mrs. Fred Reynolds. (Edward Arnold. 6s.)—An 'interesting...

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Tho current number of the Town Planning Review, issued by

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the Department of Civic Design, Liverpool University (2s. Gd. net), contains an illustrated account of the designs submitted in the Dublin town-planning competition. The prize...

The Co-operative Movement in Russia. By J. V. Bubnoff. (Manchester

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Co-operative Printing Society.)—This instructive little book shows that Cu-operation has gained a firm footing among the Ruesian peasantry, and that the network of village...

Woman's Effort. By A. E. Metcalfe. (Oxford B. H. Blackwell.

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7s. Gd. net)—Miss Metcalfe has written a history of the Woman's Suffrage movement from 1906, with a brief summary of preceding events from the late "sixties," when John Stuart...

Ralkit - Keeping on Money - Making Lines. • By W. Powell - Owen. (Newnes. Is.

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Gd. net.)—This is a well-written and thoroughly practical handbook that many people may bo glad to hear of, though it must be pointed out that tame rabbits need a good deal of...

We have received the handsome illustrated catalogue by F. M.

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Graves that commemorates the Loan Exhibition of War Relics held nt South Lodge, Horsham, last August (Putnam). Among tho rarities figured is Mr. Godinan's Justin medal, in gold,...

Messrs. W. and A. K. Johnston have published a useful

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War Map of Palestine (Gs. net), on a scale of eleven miles to an inch. with art inset, on a smaller scale, of Lower Egypt and the Canal. The Turks are credited by the map-maker...

Annals of the Royal Society Club - By Sir Archibald Geikie.

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(Macmillan and Co. 18s. not.)—The Fellows of the Royal Society have had a dining.elub since 1743, and their ex-President has compiled its annals in a volume, Well illudrated...

By the Waters of Africa. By Norma Lorimer. (R. - Scott.

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10, Gd. net.)—This is a very readable account of a traveller's experienete in British East Africa and Uganda, including an ascent of the Ruwenzori or Mountains of the Moon. am...

Margaret of Scotland and the Dauphin Louis. By Louis A.

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Barb& (Blackie and Son. Gs. not.)—This able Intl., monograph gives for the first time from contemporary manuscripts, mostly hitherto unpublished, a full narrative of tits...

The Magdalen Hospital. By the Rev, H. F. B. Compston.

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(S.P.C.IC. 7s. Gd. net.)—Professor Compston's history of the Magdalen Hospital at Streatham—the oldest Penitentiary in England—is interesting and authoritative. The Hospital was...

Our Parish Priest. By 31. P. C. Morton. (H. Milford.

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2s. thi. not.)—This little devotional anthology has been compiled with care and good taste. It is divided into sections named after the various parts of the Church and the...