206 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



sides shared this idea and were equally intolerant of sects that did not agree with 

 either. 



This war commenced just a century, or, to be exact, ninety-eight years from 

 the date of Luther's nailing his theses to the church door at Augsburg, and was the 

 natural outgrowth of the revolution led by Huss and his fellows. The evolution 

 of religion and religious beliefs and doctrines has steadily proceeded through all 

 history and will continue to do so until the grand final culmination is reached, 

 which no man can foresee, and this terrible war was but one chapter in the 

 course. 



The typography, paper and binding of these volumes are excellent. 



Times of Linnaeus: By Z. Topelius. i2mo., pp. 394. Jansen, McClurg & 

 Co., Chicago, 1884. For sale by M. H. Dickinson, $1.25. 



This is the fifth of a series of Swedish historical romances by Prof. Topelius, 

 of the University of Finland, entitled "The Surgeon's Stories," those preced- 

 ing it having been " The Times of Gustav Adolf," " Times of Battle and Rest," 

 " Times of Charles XII " and "Times of Frederick I." 



The marked characteristics of these works are the enthusiasm of the author 

 and the correctness of his portrayal of prominent actors and events described in 

 them. Of the volume under present consideration, it is perhaps less exciting in 

 most respects than either of the others, but at the same time, it is full of interest 

 and instruction concerning the period involved. It is divided into two parts 

 "The Princess of Wasa" and "The Free-Thinker." In the first, as the author 

 suggests, " A glance is cast at the inner side of the middle of the eighteenth cent- 

 ury, with the whole bubbling cauldron when the ideas of a new period were 

 boiled soft, to be eaten scalding-hot by the revolution of 1789 — the time of Adolf 

 Frederick, Louisa Ulrica, Tessin, and Linnaeus, the childhood of Gustav III and 

 the period of the hoop-skirts." Linn6, the great naturalist, afterwards Latinized 

 to Linnaeus, makes the subject of a chapter or two, otherwise his name is not men- 

 tioned. In the second he does not appear at all, but other characters of the time 

 make up the story. 



One more story completes the series. It is entitled "The Times of Al- 

 chemy," and will doubtless equal any of its predecessors in interest. 



The Elements of Rhetoric and Composition: By David J. Hill, LL.D. 

 i2rno., pp. 270. Sheldon & Co., New York and Chicago, 1884. For sale 

 by M. H. Dickinson, $1.00. 



Dr. Hill is a well known writer of text books on rhetoric and logic, having 

 published treatises on each of those subjects for use in the schools, as well as 

 other similar works. The present book is designed as a practical introduction 

 to English composition, and to furnish a compendium of rules for guidance in the 

 art of writing. The learner is conducted, step by step, through the entire work 



