Terre Napoldon. By Ernest Scott. (Methuen and Co. 10s. 6d.
net.)—Mr. Scott discusses at length the question whether the French expedition to Australia of 1800-4 had a political intention. He thinks that it had not; that its purpose was geographical and scientific. Whatever hopes may have been in the background, this was the immediate end. It may be so ; we would willingly believe it. We cannot, indeed, agree with Mr. Scott in thinking that Napoleon was "a very noble and high-minded man,"—some of his acts are wholly inconsistent with such a conception of his character. He was a man of extraordinary genius absolutely unfettered by scruple—a chief cause of his success—but he could appreciate things other than military success. However this may be, the book before us has many merits. One thing it certainly does: incidentally, it makes us appreciate Flinders better than before. He was the very ideal of an explorer.
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