1883 .] 
Analyses of Books. 617 
translations and exercises, while exemplifying the grammatical 
rules, embody them in sentences which make sense with one 
another.” By way of explanation he gives in parallel columns 
two exercises, the one of the kind usually to be found in con- 
versational guides to languages, and the other on his own prin- 
ciple. He points out that the former of these requires a knowledge 
of the auxiliary verbs, the plural of nouns, and the use of pre- 
positions, thus requiring the expenditure of “ more than a couple 
of months on a work with little or no profit.” The other, on the 
author’s system, composed without any case-infledtion, can be 
managed “ at least [at most ?] in a month, with an evident ad- 
vantage for conversation.” 
The exadt meaning of the expression “ concentric courses ” 
scarcely appears. The author’s English is by no means idiom- 
atic. Thus we read in the Preface : — “ The Middle Course com- 
pletes etymology in a systematical way, altogether with the 
teaching of the construction of the subordinate clause. The 
student, having got sufficient knowledge of the strudlure of 
the language, ought to become acquainted now with those 
parts of grammatical construction which if exposed to him 
at the beginning would only have been a hindrance to his 
progress. . . . The author believes having treated this matter 
in a manner so as to enable the student,” &c. Various other 
erroneous or awkward expressions will be found here and there 
in the book. Still as the author’s purpose is to teach German, 
not English, these defedts will not be of great consequence. 
The number of typographical errors is also very considerable, at 
least as far as the English words are concerned. Very possibly, 
however, had the printing been done in England the German 
portion would have fared at least as badly, whilst in France both 
would have been murdered. 
s 
Longman's Magazine . No. XI. September, 1883. London : 
Longmans and Co. 
The scientific element in this number consists in an interesting 
paper, by Mr. J. A. Farrer, on the Age of Trees. Our knowledge 
of this subjedt is, as the author rightly declares, “ little more 
than guess-work.” Neither the girth, nor the number of rings, 
nor tradition is any safe guide. Concerning the latter Mr. Farrer 
is decidedly sceptical. To confess the truth, it might be hard to 
give any proof that the hollow of the Shambles’ Oak, in Sher- 
wood, served Robin Hood and his merry men as a place to bestow 
the carcasses of slain deer till their banquetting hour. Nor 
would we undertake to show that the “ Parliament Oak,” of the 
VOL. V. (THIRD SERIES). 2 S 
