they didn't care whether in doing it they Mr. Charles Vivian's 'With the Royal Army Medical Corps at the Front gives the prominence and praise due to a body who achieve as much merit in their way as any item of our fighting forces. Without the R.A.M.C., its pluck, endurance, and efficiency, the suffering and mortality in the war might well be beyond conception. Mr. Vivian shows how admirably the "Ram Corps" have played their part, and he is well advised in his quiet, convincing language, which justifies thoroughly his remarks on some of the phrases and fancy descriptions of special correspondents, not to mention the mistakes, introduced probably by an eager sub-editor, in various letters from the front." He prefers the bare facts, with an occasional vivid phrase from the soldiers themselves: the big shells that "look like small beer barrels " in the air; the Germans behind the guns who don't know what they have to go through when they do come out. May the Lord look on them sideways!" He sums up once and for all the " grousers. they are never happy unless they are miserable"; but his record of their deeds and words shows that such grumbling is confined to trifles and leisure moments. The real emergency finds them equal to it, 66 66 66 and cheerful without remission. A biography of General French was, of course, to be expected just now, and Mr. Cecil Chisholm has accordingly produced a useful little sketch of the General's career. Naturally the South African Campaign is brought into high relief, as are Sir John French's achievements in the development and use of cavalry. Mr. Chisholm should, however, have emphasized the fact that General French, almost alone among our leaders, received the highest praise, not only from the Boers, but also from the various Continental military attachés; and he should have brought out the point that this distinguished cavalry leader has now had, and used, the opportunity for proving his ability to handle the combination of all arms on a large scale. or KNOWING, after long experience, the value of a good book of reference, we have paid Mr. Walsh's guide to Heroes and Heroines' the tribute of close attention, and we may say at once that he has done a good deal of useful and careful work for the person who wishes to verify names discover their purport and origin. But he does not add a single word of introduction as to the extent of the period he covers, the reasons which have led to the inclusion of this or that author or character, or the treatment of foreign classics as well as English and American works. It would have been well to explain all this in a brief preface in order that the reader might know what he is likely to find, also to mention the companion volume on classical, medieval, and legendary stories, which is due, we presume, shortly, and will explain some obvious omissions here. The subtitle speaks of "famous characters and famous names in novels, romances, poems, and dramas," and we at once surmise that so wide a field cannot be adequately covered in a single volume of 390 if pages, even The surmise the type is small. justified. Mr. Walsh further reduces his space by adding opinions from various authorities, sometimes good, sometimes indifferent; but who at this time of day, and in a book of reference, wants three opinions on Hamlet'? Who, in fact, wants to know that Hamlet is the hero of Shakespeare's tragedy, or desires a summary of his proceedings? The book would have been much more satisfactory if it had been confined to fiction in prose, and and the British sailor who answers to his omitted poetry altogether. We should exposition of German plans : A few small collections of war poems have reached us lately. The best of these is Mr. Maurice Hewlett's 'Sing-Songs of the War,' in which grave and gay are skilfully mingled. The Emperor of Almain' offers one instance in the verse about Reims :— But he saw likely plunder- The fair-wrought Church of Rheims. Brave Words from Kiel' is an amusing dialogue between the Teuton publicist Whose words flowed calm and true, Meinherr, it's up to you. 6 is also have omitted all references to famous existed for years, such as Walter Scott and Dickens. Such a course would, perhaps, require some courage, but the resultant volume would be infinitely more satisfactory to the busy reader or journalist. Regarding some things as well known, one can enlarge on that immense field where it is, this volume is inadequate regarding vague knowledge needs to be fortified. As poetry. Why should it include Flush, Mrs. Browning's dog, and ignore Matthew Arnold's delightful poems on his household pets, which contain some of the best things ever said about a dog and a cat? Similarly drama and opera are too casually treated. The snows of yesteryear have descended on a good many pieces of this sort, but not on the ever lively and tuneful works of Gilbert and Sullivan. and learn that the Mikado is Yet we have looked in vain for Bunthorne, "hero of a comic opera of that name," when three other characters, at least, have a better right to that title. 66 we vast world of novels, is Mr. Walsh's chief Out A distinct and serious omission is that of Mr. Jorrocks and the other immortal sportsmen of Surtees, who are worth ten times as much, and, we dare affirm, are ten times as much quoted, as any heroine in Lalla Rookh.' Occasionally the book includes place-names such as "TullyVeolan," which seem to us outside the scheme. If they were to be included, we should expect to find Erewhon.' The dictionary of twenty years hence will have to deal with that romance, we think, as well as The Way of all Flesh.' 66 boys, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; that rising journalist (surely not a young poet"?) Gigadibs; Dr. Jenkinson of The New Republic '; 66 the Arminius of 'Friendship's Garland'; and Quasimodo, next to Glory Quayle, and near to his physical counterpart, Quilp. The difficult business of summarizing Mr. Walsh usually accomplishes well, and occasionally with a dry touch of humour, as where he tells us concerning the lady of the Lord of Burleigh: The fading' of Sarah appears to have been a slow one, for she left three children.' 66 6 Some of the references to living persons might, we think, have been omitted, since they are not kind. We allow ourselves, Gouldsbury (Cullen), FROM THE OUTPOSTS, 3/6 net. however, less licence (or freedom, if the reader prefers to call it so) in such matters than the press of the United States. Fisher Unwin A book of South African verses, including To England' and Bush Ballads.' Lucas (E. V.), THE DEBT, 1d. net. Methuen A piece reprinted from The Sphere. Monroe (Harriet), YOU AND I, 5/6 net. 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AMID the engrossing interest in, and the anxieties about, the war, every incident that does not relate to it, however serious in itself, is dwarfed; amid the terrible losses recorded every day, the peaceful death of even personal friends is apt to escape notice; but what seems to have been the sudden and unexpected death of Admiral Mahan cannot be so passed over. For though a personal friend of the writer for the last twenty years, he was a very great deal more; a man whose writings have had a most powerful effect on the policy of his own country, and on that of many others-so notably indeed on that of Germany that it may be said, without paradox, that they are among the primary causes of the present war. Certainly Mahan, when he first spoke as lecturer, and published in book-form his 'Influence of Sea-Power upon History' (1890), and a few years later his Influence of Sea - Power upon the French Revolution and Empire (1894), had no thought of Germany, whose navy could then have been truly described as contemptible": he spoke and wrote for his own classes as a professor at the U.S. Naval College, and published for his own people, to convince them of their foolish error in turning their backs on the sea, as they had done since the confirmation of the Union by the victory over the seceding States. Mahan adduced the evidence and the verdict of history on the influence of sea-power. He and his publishers had, indeed, calculated on the volumes attracting notice here in England, as they did, though not at first to the extent which he and they had hoped. Some few years later, I was told by Mahan himself that the first sales of the Influence of Sea-Power upon History' were disappointing, though well made up afterwards; in professional circles its reception, even from the first, was enthusiastic. I remember one day, shortly after its appearance, meeting my old messmate Sir Vesey Hamilton (then First Sea Lord of the Admiralty) in St. James's Park, and his stopping me, busy man as a First Sea Lord must be, for a good quarter of an hour to talk over this interesting book. Its matter was not new, the historical details were often faulty, those of the battles inexact; but the picture of the influence, of the importance, of the effect of sea-power was worked up with a vividness, power of language, and wealth of illustration which were bound to carry conviction to any understanding mind. That was the decision of us two that day in St. James's Park, and that apparently was the decision of the Kaiser and such of his advisers as were competent to have an opinion. It is, of course, possible that they had had some such opinion before then; but if so, here it was confirmed with hitherto unknown power, and without any political intention, as far as they were concerned. The effect will be realized by a comparison of dates. Mahan wrote many other books a list of their titles alone would fill at least half a column; but though they fully supported his reputation, and perhaps made it more widely and popularly known, they have not really increased it. His last public utter ance-as far as I know-was the report in The Times (August 5th last) of an interview on the 3rd. I wrote to Mahan congratulating him upon it, and slightly discussing some of the points in it. His reply-a letter dated August 24th-is now before me. In it he says that the interview was prearranged, and that he had his diagnosis of the political situation and of the series of immediate causes written out and typed beforehand. The report may therefore be properly called a publication. The news of his death came to me as a painful surprise. He was not to be called old, as men go nowadays, and even for 74 he was active and vigorous. In one of his recent letters he spoke of walking and swimming in the sea as daily exercises and delights; and, in some detail, of certain literary projects, now, alas! dead with their illustrious author. One word in conclusion: many years ago I was personally instructed by himself in the pronunciation of his name, which is not Maan, or Máhăn-like the bleating of an anxious ewe-but Mă-hán. J. K. LAUGHTON. THE SITE OF THE GLOBE PLAYHOUSE OF SHAKESPEARE. 1, York Gate, Regent's Park, Nov. 27, 1914. The Times of April 30th and May 1st of the present year published articles by Dr. Wallace of Nebraska University and an editorial upon old and new information concerning the Globe Playhouse of Shakespeare, and declared that the Playhouse was conclusively shown to have stood upon the north side of Park Street, formerly Maid (or Maiden) Lane. In some instances quotations were printed from the documents referred to, while in other cases conclusions alone were given. It was difficult for readers to form an opinion upon the new evidence, since the text of the majority of the documents was absent. In addition, owing to the unfortunate omission of references, it was not easy to trace the documents by which the conclusions arrived at might be checked. Subsequently to the publication in The Times, many inquiries reached the Trustees of the Globe Memorial as regards the effect of the new evidence upon the situation of the Memorial; and as Dr. Wallace's promised work upon the whole subject does not appear to have been issued, the Trustees have made a careful examination of the new evidence. They have also reconsidered the older evidence which led to the placing of the Memorial upon the south side of Park Street, Southwark. The detailed result of their investigation may be left to be given when Dr. Wallace's book has been published, but it may be stated briefly that in the newly discovered documents no mention is made as to whether the Playhouse was situated on the north or the south side of Maid Lane, and that the evidence in them, express or implied, is not decisive for the former view, and quite consistent with the site having been to the south. The reconsideration of the older evidence leaves the Trustees unanimously of opinion that nothing has been brought forward to justify the opinion that the site chosen for the Memorial in 1909 was incorrect. When Dr. Wallace's forthcoming work is published, the Trustees will gladly extend to the evidence and arguments which he submits the same impartial consideration which they have given to the evidence and arguments already available. ANNIE E. GARDNER, Hon. Sec. Globe Memorial Trustees. I I would ask the reviewer to point out which of our enemies ever thought us a decadent race, except a small portion of the German people, who had been assiduously taught to despise us by the Kaiser, the military caste, and inspired writers, and that for very obvious political and military purposes. would also ask whether the hollowness of this affected contempt had not been abundantly revealed by the furious outburst of their wrath when they found that we had not been blind to their intentions, and were not the fools they had affected to believe us to be. The bitterness of their present hatred of us is the measure of their fear of us, and of the humiliating sense that they have of their own moral inferiority. No Englishman could stoop to the meanness and falsehood of which Germans of the highest rank have been showing themselves guilty. In fact, the Germans, though cultivated, have no proper sense of truth and honour. Whether any German ventures to despise us now I need not ask. repeat that, if the portraiture arouses anybody's abhorrence of the type, "the book will serve a moral as well as an artistic purpose." No purpose, we think, would be served by acceding to our correspondent's challenge concerning national adherence to the Christian ideal. To generalize on so wide an area of conduct (embracing, as it would, our allies as well as our enemies) is a matter of great difficulty, but we may say that we do not regard the results of an inquiry into the present standard of business morality in this country as likely to gratify serious thinkers. The fact that there is a manhood ready to go out and die cheerfully for an idea fills us with hope that those who stay at home may, in the days to come, cherish better ideals of living in the interests of their country. Our correspondent's diatribe against Germany is surely waste of an energy which might better have been used to enforce respect for the Christian ideal held by the finest Englishmen an ideal certainly opposed to the breaking of promises and deception, of which, we are convinced, our enemy has been guilty. 20, Old Broad Street, E.C., November 30, 1914. In your review of Mrs. Stopes's 'Shakespeare's Environment' you refer to Mr. J. M. Robertson's 'Baconian Heresy' as a severe indictment which remains unand to Baconians as this answered," strange body of thinkers who, we presume, fortify themselves, like Wordsworth, by reading only their own writings.' May I point out that Mr. Robertson was answered in Baconiana of April, July, and October, 1913 (Gay & Hancock), and full tribute paid to the ingenuity and controversial skill of the author? The book would certainly convince anybody, except a Baconian, that "the last word " upon the subject had been said. Only Baconians would perceive that Mr. Robertson writes with his tongue in his cheek; that he does not destroy their case, but what is convenient for him to state-after the manner of Inquisitors—as the argument of the Heresy.' The vital and unanswerable facts are skilfully avoided—as, for instance, the evidence of the 'Manes Verulamiani,' so little known to opponents of Baconianism. The publisher of Mr. Robertson's book was greatly impressed by Mr. W. T. Smedley's reply, and but for the war it would, no doubt, have been already published by Mr. Jenkins. 66 66 It is not fair to presume that Baconians read only their own writings," but the ignorance among the Stratfordian idolaters of even the basis of the Baconian faith leaves no doubt that the " theory " is still repudiated as not worth five minutes' consideration," and that the attention they give it is, in most cases, about as much. R. L. EAGLE. **The nature of the "answer is clear from our correspondent's note. Our reviewer is well acquainted with Baconian literature, and entitled to express an opinion concerning it. He thinks, however, that serious students may well show a distaste for such literature, owing to the standard of scholarship which it exhibits. He has read, for instance, Mr. Smedley's 'Mystery of Francis Bacon (1912), which regards the First Folio of Shakespeare as a masterpiece of enigma and cryptic design, and translates Cecilia" in lines addressed to Ladie Burlie one to Sicily.' as Such astonishing lapses in Latin surely imply an unusual seclusion from the world of letters. Lastly, I would ask your reviewer to point out any nation under the sun that lives better up to a Christian ideal than our own. Regard for a Christian ideal is just a special stigma brought against us. JAMES H. RAMSAY. *** We did not say that the English were a decadent race- -the contrary is being abundantly proved. We did point out that the author of Sinister Street' depicts accurately a decadent Englishmanwho might be to some extent responsible for Germany's wrong opinion of us and we |