Among the Dark - Haired Race in the Flowery Land. By Samuel
B. Drake. (R.T.S.)—Mr. Drake, who is in the service of the Baptist Missionary Society, gives us some very interesting
accounts of his experiences in Southern Shan-si. Among them is the account of his helping six Chinese to break the opium habit, —a difficult task on account of the distressing ailments that the absence of the drug brings on. We see that the use of tobacco was allowed, and was even a help. It was used when the craving came on. The account of ministering to the famine- stricken may also be mentioned, and the sketch of a native preacher. The "Causes of Suicide" is a curious chapter. The Chinese seem to have the same way of thinking that leads to the Japanese practice of "Happy Despatch." "In the majority of cases of suicide brought under my notice the motive assigned by the natives for the act has been the desire to bring disgrace or financial loss, or both, upon another." The picture of the diffi- culties against which the Christian missionary has to struggle is vivid, but the prospect, it is clear, is not considered to be without light.
Two little volumes may be mentioned together :—The Mornings of the King of Prussia. Translated from the French by Colonel S. H. C. Ingle6eld. (Gibbings and Co.)—The " King of Prussia" is Frederick the Great, and the " Mornings " are a kind of political testament, giving the King's counsels to those who should succeed him. Some have attributed the authorship to Voltaire, and it must be owned that there are passages which incline us to agree with them. " I tell you without doubt that in forming a Kingdom it is never wrong to take territory, and only surrender when one is absolutely compelled to do so." " Religion is absolutely neces-
sary in a Kingdom but a King would be unwise to permit it to interfere with the duties of the State
Should he desire to make a treaty with other Powers, and bears in mind that he is a Christian, all is lost." Was the King so cynical ? or may we not rather see the irony of Voltaire?— Criticisms, Reflections, and Maxims of Goethe. Translated, with an Introduction, by W. B. Rounfeldt. (Walter Scott.)
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