Pillars of Empire : Studies and Impressions. By W. L.
and J. E. Courtney. (Jarrold. 15s. net.)—This is a collection of short biographical sketches of our Empire-builders. It includes, for Canada, Lord Dorchester, Lord Durham, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and Sir Robert Borden ; for South Africa, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Chamber- lain, and Lord Milner, as well as General Botha and General Smuts ; for Australasia, Captain Cook, Sir Henry Parkes, and Mr. Hughes ; for Egypt, General Gordon, Lord Cromer, and Lord Kitchener ; for India, Lord Clive and Lord ,Curzon, but not Warren Hastings. The authors know how to praise ; of Lord Cromer they say justly that " amongst British Empire-builders he must always rank with the greatest." But they also know-how to criticize, as in the account of Lord Milner's South African experience and in the caustic notes on our leading politicians which form the Introduction. They charac- terize Mr. Churchill, " a less brillismt Alcibiades," as " a dangerous firebrand," and regret that Lord Grey of Fallodon, whom they compare to Nicias, •` never realized that under certain conditions suavity and good manners are not half so effective as a gust of bad temper."
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