Papers and Addresses by Lord Brassey. (Longmans.) — The subjects; treated in
this volume are described by the words, "Work and Wages." It appears under the editorial care of Mr. J. Potter, and an introduction has been furnished by Mr. George Howell, who extends a general approval to the author's views, though hinting that, on certain points, he is somewhat old- fashioned. But he remarks, with justice, that these papers and addresses belong to an earlier time, and must be judged ac- cordingly. "The book is welcomed as a valuable contribution to economic and industrial history." And indeed, some of the history is quite ancient. Twenty-one years ago Lord Brassey told the Social Science Association at Norwich, after speaking of increased wages as having produced no increased activity, "less work is performed in nine hours now than formerly, when ten hours constituted an ordinary day's work." How would that utterance have been received at another gathering at Norwich last year ? In there a magic in sight? Less in nine than in ten,
but more in eight than in either ? Lord Brassey has a way of speaking his mind, and a very excellent and useful assortment of wholesome truths, maxims, and counsels might be selected from his volumes. We must be content with saying so much. To review these twenty papers at length would require us to con- sider most of the great industrial questions that have occupied public attention for the last twenty years and more.
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