21 SEPTEMBER 1912, Page 24

PUrilanism andLiberty (English Historical Science Books). By S. E. Winbolt

and Kenneth Bell. (G: Bell and Sons. is. net.)— This new volume of Messrs. Winbolt and Bell's excellent series is fully up to the standard of its predecessors. The existence of such collections of original documents at so reasonable a price must make the study of history infinitely easier for both teacher and pupil and infinitely more interesting. How much more real does the tragedy of Charles become when one reads the two letters from Buckingham in this little volume: how much more easily one realizes the early struggles of the founders of New England in the two- telling extracts from' Bradford than in any text- book that was ever written. The volume is a very short one —only 120 pages long-and one cannot, of course, expect the selection it contains to be in any way complete. It would be unjust, therefore, to lay too much stress on omission. So long as the selection is coinprehensive in scope that is all one can look for. None the less one would like to see included one or two extracts from Fuller (best of biographers) and Prynne, who was surely typical of one aspect of Puritanism ; and it is rather strange to find George Herbert's " I joy, dear mother" the only piece of verse in the volume. However, the difficulties of choice in sues a matter are enormous, and one can only be astonished that they have been so successfully overcome.