• America and the Americans front a Chinese Point or
View. By Wu Tingfang. (Duckworth and Co. 7s. 6d. net.)—Gold- smith, in one of his most entertaining productions, put his criticisms of English society into the mouth of a Chinese traveller. He tells us in the preface that he did his best to give local colour to his imaginary philosopher. "The Chinese are always concise; so is he. Simple; so is he. The Chinese are grave and sententious ; so is he.... The Chinese are often dull ; and so is he." In every particular but the last, Dr. Wu Tingfang reminds us of the ingenious Lien Chi Altangi. But there is not a dull page in his book, and the clearly cut impressions which he formed of American life and society during eight years' residence at the Chinese Legation in Washington are set forth with a dry humour which bears out the reputation that he left behind him in the United States.
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