Jack's Self-Educator. (T. C. and E. C. Jack. 3s. 6d.
net.)—" Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Terence, Plautus, Cicero. What a world of honey have we here ! " exclaimed Mrs. Blimber, referring to the stores of learning at Dr. Blimber's famous Academy. There is indeed a " world of honey " in the book before us—the classics, so admired of Mrs. Blimber ; five " living " languages, including Esperanto ; history, mathematics, philosophy, all branches of science, literature, philology, the arts, and the theory and appreciation of music. As will be seen, the scope of the book is ambitious, and we doubt whether the most enthusiastic of students will reach to the height suggested in the preface of "having worked through this book and mastered its contents." Should such a one be found and he escape the sad fate of the immortal Mr. Toots, who, having " gone through " the Blimber hothouse, " suddenly left off blowing one day and remained in the establishment a mere stalk," we agree with the editor that he " need feel little fear among almost any class of men." Such ambitious students, however, are rare, and the book will be found helpful by those whose more modest wish is to improve an education which has not been as complete as they would like. A good feature is the " Course of Reading " outlined for each subject. The book in a useful if somewhat crude way fulfils its aim of " being something of a fireside tutor who will teach an inquirer, quite simply, the outlines of a vast number of subjects, and will, moreover, give him practical help in pursuing his study as his inclination may direct."
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