SYLVA.
Sytea. By John Evelyn. With an Essay by John Nisbet, D.CEe. 2 vols. (Doubleday and Co. 21s. net.)—This is a reprint of the fourth edition, published in 1706, the year of the author's death. Dr. Nisbet's introduction gives us a judicious estimate of Evelyn's character, and a summary of his activities, political, social, and literary. In politics he was something of an opportunist ; in moral matters he had no thought of Compromise. And he was certainly anything but felim oppor- tunitate vitae. It was very hard that the best years of his life coincided with the days of the Commonwealth and of the Restoration. He could not servo under thefirst, and the second had no place for a servant of his temper. Dr. Nisbet gives a brief description of the Bylva, but does not attempt to review the subsequent progress of the science of arboriculture. Such a review would indeed be a gigantic task. Meanwhile we have to thank him for a handsome and useful edition of an English classic.
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