17G REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 



dorsed con amore. China wanted no international law from anybody. 

 She was superior to it. 



Such is the gist of this most interesting and well-told tale. Lack 

 of space forbids notice of many a sparkling reminiscence, many a well- 

 known name, and many a stirring incident. The book will take its 

 place amongst the best and most reliable of the works on this uniquely 

 interesting period. G. L. 



Outlines of Chinese History. By Li Ung Bing. Commercial 

 Press, Shanghai. 



Mr. Li has written in the English language a very good history of 

 his own people. It makes pleasant reading. The book contains about 

 670 pp. inclusive of Index, etc., printed in clear type, on good art 

 paper. This glazed paper must have been used because of the illus- 

 trations. But it is questionable whether this is a gain big enough to 

 compensate for the heavy weight of the volume. A book of history 

 should be printed so as to be easily handled. Otherwise we have 

 nothing but praise for the publisher's part, except for certain small 

 defects such as the lack of true perspective in aligning the notice on 

 the inside of the fly leaf and dedication. The writer is to be heartily 

 congratulated on the production of this handy and readable volume. 

 It betokens much research, and its compilation must have entailed 

 much labour. As a general history of events it is well done and the 

 reader will gather much that is interesting in the internal history of 

 the country and also much that relates to foreign relations — especially 

 to the intercourse between the Mongols and other strangers with China. 

 The reviewer does not know enough about the subject to offer much 

 criticism on this, the names are very bewildering and the subject is 

 outside "the usual courses" ; but that Mr. Bing has meant to make 

 things plain for us is evident from his elaborate explanations of clans 

 and clansman, and supplying them with so many Chinese characters 

 to elucidate the names. 



The reading of a book like this suggests many thoughts in the 

 realm of life : and one is that it seems necessary to have a cataclysm 

 now and then to give a new beginning so that history shall not get too 

 long. It is a task for a student to remember all that is recorded 

 of his own country ; a long period like the Chinese entails much labour 

 to be acquainted with it. And the other thing is : will a genius ever 

 arrive who will construct history for us giving the essence of what 

 should be known so that the universal history of man may be made 

 a source of instruction for the individual. 



