A Book of Courtesy. By H. E. Norton. (Macmillan and
Co. 2s. Gd.)—The compiler of this book thinks that we have,' as' a nation, a lack of good manners, and that this is the reason for the general disfavour in which we are held. The curious thing is that it is not individual Englishmen, but English policy and national actions, that are so unpopular. And, then, as to manners, we do not see that the Germans have any advantage over us. Italy, too, Scandinavia, and the States, which are in no way rivals, find our manners tolerable. However this may be, Mrs. Norton has given us a very agreeable book. We read in it of courtesy, and, by way of contrast, of discourtesy, of kindliness in action and speech, of strange etiquette, and other cognate matters. Let us hope that we may profit by it.---With this may be mentioned Wide World Adventure (G. Newnes, 2s. ad.), not so directly didactic as the foregoing, but, " as true narratives of extraordinary human endurance," not without a valuable lesson. The tales are reprinted from the Wide World Magazine.
Previous page
