6 FEBRUARY 1926, Page 21

A Dictionary of European Literature, by Mr. Laurie Magnus (Routledge,

25s.), holds "treasuries of vision" in the world of books. The short introduction sketching the scope of the work and suggesting, briefly but pointedly, a clue to the future of European literature is a diamond among the dry-as-dust introductions which usually accompany dictionaries. " The study of Europe in letters yields other dates and other values than those which we celebrate in politics." How true this is we may see by even a cursory inspection of Mr. Magnus's pages. To say that here is a mine of information may be trite, but it is true ; we may delve in the gold of Dumas, follow the rich vein of German literature, explore the faults of Zola, glean more of the ore of Christendom than we shall ever be able to carry.

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