30 APRIL 1881, Page 23

The Year-Book of Facts in Science and the Arts for

1879-80. Edited by James Mason. (Ward, Lock, and Co.) —We can only repeat the

praise which we have bestowed in former years on this excellent Publication. Mr, Mason candidly claims for his work a popular rather than a scientific character. He deals, he says, with "only those sub- jects on which the general public might be supposed to desire informa- tion." Within those limitations, the object and the execution of the work seem to leave nothing to be desired.