1895. SOME NEW BOOKS. 427 



A Manual of Ethnology. 



The History of Mankind. By F. Ratzel. English edition. In thirty monthly 

 parts (is. each). Parts I. and II., Oct. and Nov., 1895. Macmillan & Co. 



One of the greatest desiderata in the Hterature of natural science in 

 England is a reasonably complete modern manual of ethnology. The 

 English text-books on this subject have long since been hopelessly 

 out of date, and students have had to rely on foreign works, and 

 notably on Professor Ratzel's " Volkerkiinde (three vols., Leipzig, 

 1SS7-1888). This work consists of a long introduction devoted to the 

 principles of the science, after which it gives an account of the 

 ethnography of Africa, of Asia and Australasia, and then of the 

 Americas. Professor Ratzel's work is marked by a thorough 

 acquaintance with the literature of the subject, and it supplies a 

 remarkably complete abstract of existing knowledge. It is an indis- 

 pensable book of reference to every student of ethnology, and it has 

 long been a matter of regret that the absence of an English translation 

 rendered it inaccessible to a large proportion of British travellers. 

 We are glad to find that this want is now being supplied by Messrs. 

 rvlacmillan, who are publishing a translation in monthly parts. The 

 illustrations, which are an important feature in the original, are being 

 admirably produced ; and as the paper and printing are better than 

 the German, the work is in some ways an improvement. So far as 

 we have tested the translation, it is accurate ; but the English might 

 easily be improved, as it is often so literal as to be awkward and 

 confusing. " Thus Herder " — as a complete sentence, is rather too 

 Teutonic. " Out of 570,000,000 estimated of monotheists, 440 confess 

 Christianity. Of the remaining 900,000,000 of the earth's inhabitants, 

 the Buddhists, with 600, occupy the largest area, and the most 

 inaccessible to Christian teaching " — is not a model of precise English. 

 " And besides that, the emitted light of faith radiates back warmth " — 

 is not very lucid. This is not the sort of English that we expect from 

 such a well-known writer as Mr. A. J. Butler. As so little trouble is 

 taken over style, it is needless to say that the matter has not been 

 brought up to date. Ratzel draws a large percentage of his illustra- 

 tions from Africa, where the progress of research is so rapid that 

 many statements made in 1886 are now absurd. Thus on pp. 91 and 

 95 there are figures of women belonging to the tribes of the Nyam- 

 nyam and of Unyoro, and the remark is retained that " the lady of 

 Uganda or Unyoro. . . . stands in general no higher than the 

 Nyam-nyam negress." The illustrations show differences in physio- 

 gnomy which alone might have suggested doubts of this view, and 

 recent information shows that it is far, indeed, from the truth. More- 

 over, some of the terms are used with such different meanings from 

 those accepted for them by English ethnologists, that they cannot but 

 confuse English readers ; and it is a pity that they were not explained 

 in footnotes. The editor contributes a few suggestions on general 

 questions, but these are not a valuable addition to the book. 



A Guide to the Rocks. 



An Introduction to the Study of Rocks. British Museum (Natural History), 

 Cromwell Road, London, S.W. Mineral Department. Printed by order of the 

 Trustees. 8vo. Pp. iiS. London, 1895. Price 6d. 



The Department of Minerals of the British Museum, of which depart- 

 ment Mr. Lazarus Fletcher is the head, has identified itself with 

 practical education of the best kind. This is the third so-called 



