204 
REVIEWS toe Bors NOTICES. 
Lotus Land: Being an account of the country and people of Southern 
Siam, by P. A. Thompson. London, T. Werner Laurie. 312 pp. 
In this well written and excellently illustrated volume Mr. Thompson gives 
the impressions he obtained during his three years’ residence in Siam, 
principally amongst the peasantry. By the aid of his pen, pencil, and 
camera he has given a graphic and valuable record of Siamese life and lore. 
The introductory chapter gives a historical sketch of the country, and others 
deal with the Buddhist Religion, Temples, Images and Symbols, the Pees 
and Charms, Siamese Art, Camp Life, etc. Ethnology receives special 
attention—several of the photographs being of particular value in this 
direction. 
‘A History of the Parish of Penistone | embodying not only 
interesting particulars relating to its fine old Church and the Parish 
generally from the earliest times as contained in Hunter's History and 
Topography of the Deanery of Doncaster and other records, but also 
separate histories | of | the ancient grammar school of Penistone founded 
A.D. 1392; | of | the old markets of Penisale and Penistone established 
respectively A.D. 1290 and 1699, and the old Agricultural Society for a wide 
district around Penistone established A.D. 1804; | and of | the oldest pack 
of hounds in the world, viz., the Penistone Harriers or ‘Olde Englyshe’ 
Northern Hounds, probably in existence before the Conquest to prevent the 
ravages of wolves and other wild animals from the great forests of Hordern, 
Wharncliffe, and Sherwood, and the vast moors, wilds, and fastnesses of 
the district. | With illustrations and most interesting [szc.] local and general 
information, including educational, agricultural, and sporting gleanings, 
scraps, notes, etc., etc., made and collected from many sources during the 
last thirty years as well as my own recollections of Penistone and the 
districts around during the past fifty years | By | John N. Dransfield | 
Penistone | James H. Wood, the Don Press.’ 
The preceding is a copy of the most extraordinary title page we have 
seen for some time. Mr. Dransfield evidently believes in showing all his 
goods in his shop window! Immediately following, in the preface, he truth- 
fully remarks, ‘ The title page of this book without anything further I think 
fully explains its subject matters.’ He then equally truthfully admits ‘the 
book is somewhat of a medley or hotchpotch.’ This is our opinion, and as 
the author shares it we have no hesitation in expressing it. In its 569 
closely printed large pages the author appears to have recorded and 
reprinted every possible scrap of information and tradition that he has seen 
or heard. If it were in MS it would be just what we should have expected 
the writer of a local history would have compiled as the basis of his book. 
Very little news of any sort appears to have been omitted. But we would 
suggest that were the whole contents of this heavy volume to be carefully 
digested, summarised, and re-written, de novo, with something like method, 
a really readable and useful work would result. From a prospectus we 
learn the volume ‘will be taken up again and again and brighten many a 
spare or weary hour as a portion of its contents from their nature and from the 
unconventional way they are recorded, are not intended to be, and cannot well 
be grasped allat once.’ The sentence is a bit awkward and difficult to under- 
stand, but we quite agree with the parts we have italicised! There are also 
included ‘addresses and statements by Prof. Huxley, Ernest Renan, J. A. 
Froude, Sir Frederick Treves, Lord Napier of Magdala, George Muller, D. 
L. Moody, and Buffalo Bill!’ The volume is illustrated, and in view of the 
quantity of printed matter alone is very cheap at half-a-guinea net. But, as 
a frontispiece, it contains a photograph and autograph of the author, and 
whenever we see a book embellished in this way, it ‘kind of goes against 
the grain.’ Mr. Dransfield may be a very kind and affable gentleman, but 
in his portrait he wears a somewhat stern and savage expression; in fact, 
he looks as though he had just read this review! 
Naturalist. 
