RACE LIFE OF THE ARYAN PEOPLES.
Race Life of the Aryan Peoples. By Joseph P. Widney. 2 vols. (Funk and Wagnalls Company. 16s. net.)—We have not the space for an adequate treatment of a work which begins with the primitive home of the Aryan peoples—Mr. Widney maintains the Central Asian as against the recent Scandinavian theory—down to the "federation of all English-speaking peoples." Whether this is a "fond imagination" or no, it is something, in any ease, that such dreams, however unsubstantial, are a firm barrier against war. "If the English race [English, of course, means 'English-speaking 'J is true to its destiny, the last drop of blood will have been shed as between English peoples." He adds: "It should be so between all Teutons," an aspiration which has our practical sympathy, and which would be a more hopeful prospect if Germany were really free. Mr. Widney is a strong believer in race, and develops his theories in a way which staggers less courageous thinkers. He includes in his list of "Decadent Races," with the nogroids and the red man, the yellow races. Even Japan is included. We will quote Fhat he says :— " The Japanese bears bodily and mental impress of admixture of the Mongol with other yet kindred blood, probably the fresher Malay. His sea instinct is all Malay ; for the true Mongol, like the Slav, is a man continental, not maritime. To say the least, the migration from the Mongol homestead across the water to the now island home and to new environments, as with the English- man's migration oversea to the new surroundings in America, has tended to renew youth. Certainly Japan seems to give evidence of being, in some respects at least, the youngest of the Yellow peoples. But it remains yet to be seen how far the rejuvenescence of Japan is to be complete and abiding. The Japanese rulers have been heard from. Japan has not yet spoken."
Mr. Widney has written a highly interesting and suggestive book.
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