530 
[Odtober, 
Notices of Books . 
Piof. Barrett’s article, “The Jubilee Singers,” is objectionable 
as favouring by insinuation the vulgar belief that the distinction 
between the Aryan and the Ethiopian “ races ” lies in the colour 
of the skin, — a belief actually dangerous, since it leads some 
who should know better to apply the insulting and resented epi- 
thet “niggers” to our Hindoo fellow-subjects, or to include them 
along with the negro under the cant phrase “ people of colour.” 
“ Reminiscences of Holland ” is a series of papers highly 
laudatory of the Dutch. Holland — by affording, as she once 
did, an asylum for persecuted thinkers, and a place where their 
works might be printed without the interference of the censor- 
ship — has merited well of the world. But there is a terrible 
set-off : she originated national debts — and chicory ! The 
“ Orthodox ” party in Holland, a body somewhat kindred to the 
English “ Evangelicals,” sum up all the results of modern 
thought as “ the lies,” thereby not merely pronouncing it erro- 
neous, but branding its advocates with insincerity. This reminds 
us of Prof. J. W. Dawson, who, in one of his invecftives against the 
new Natural History, speaks of those who “ affedt ” to be unable 
to recognise marks of design in the organic world. Does the 
learned Professor find insult sometimes a more convenient 
weapon than argument ? 
The reports on the “ Progress of Science,” including physics, 
geology, biology, chemistry, geography, and astronomy, are 
ably and fairly compiled. 
We have especial pleasure in recognising the candid manner 
in which the dodtrine of Evolution is handled. It is time the 
outside public made the discovery that there is nothing necessa- 
rily atheistic in the idea of a transmutation of organic forms. 
Improvement of the Condition of Workmen. By T. Egleston, 
Ph.D. Philadelphia : Sherman and Co. 
“ Improvement of the condition of workmen,” but how ? High 
wages have been tried, with the simple and unsatisfactory result 
that the money is carried straightway to the tavern. Reduced 
hours of labour have tended greatly to the promotion of dog- 
races, pigeon-matches, and even to the revival of cock-fighting. 
Arrangements for mere physical welfare, such as are carried out 
at the Hotel Louise, of the Hassard Collieries, near Liege, are, 
as Prof. Egleston remarks, only “ insignificant items, so far as 
the general well-being of the men is concerned. Something re- 
quires to be done to elevate their moral as well as physical 
condition.” But what is this something ? The author describes 
the arrangements he has found in operation in different countries 
of Europe with different degrees of success. On returning to 
