228 THE NATURE-STUDY REl'IEW [i, 5. sept. 1905 



itself in rural New York is presented, even to the daily schedule, 

 and discussed at length. Unfortunately, while decrying the 

 existing schedule our author fails to set up for us a better one to 

 take its place, but discourages us by the remark : — " I have no 

 desire to prophesy what the means or methods of the schools are 

 to be " — this after a long chapter of criticism and many sugges- - 

 tions looking toward wider industrial training. Xo doubt our 

 country schools may and must be made better, but is it not to 

 students such as the author of this book that men are looking for 

 some definite, practical suggestions as to how the improvement 

 may be ushered in? It is no doubt very true that all phenomena 

 and activities about us " are God's agents, relentless and cease- 

 less," but how use them? The stream dashes by us forever; but 

 unless some one have skill to make a wheel, no flour of wheat 

 will ever feed the sons of men. 



The last chapter in the volume, " The Quest of Truth," is in 

 defense of the theory of evolution. The chief lines of argument 

 supporting the hypothesis are succinctly stated ; and some objec- 

 tions, chiefly of a religious nature, are discussed in an optimistic, 

 hopeful spirit. 



The style of the volume seems to us very unequal, evidently 

 affected by the conditions of original preparation and delivery. 

 The writer has his audience before him, an audience that must 

 perforce be entertained, and that has, at least for the moment, a 

 personal interest in the speaker. This circumstance admits cer- 

 tain anecdotes and side-remarks which are less appropriate in 

 serious discourse. The influence of Whitman is apparent some- 

 times, alike in matter and style, although in his better moments 

 our author forgets all masters, and presents his thought in a 

 forceful incisive way. 



Dr. Bailey's choice of words is not always fortunate. The 



critical reader encounters " headlonged " on the first page, used 



as a verb intransitive ; he finds scientist in quotation marks, but 



scuddled used as an adjective without any such visible warning. 



In verse, especially, — a form of composition to which our author 



appears by no means disinclined, — a certain nicety of expression 



would seem indispensable. Inaccuracies to be overlooked in 



hastily written prose are less pardonable here. 



I low the earth hung in its ceaseless place 

 As it whirls in its orbit old." 



may in form be rhythmic but is certainly less clear in sense. 



