The San Francisco call., 1898-05-29

-HE Rise of the Empire" by Walter
 Besant, is the first of serles of
 small books to be devoted to the
 glorification of Britain as a whole.
 -A Parts to follow are "The Story of
 India" that of Australasia, of
 South Africa, and of Canada.
 Modern history made palatable, and ad- nlinistered in small doses, this book of Besant's is There are probably 35,000 words in it. It Is told in an unpretentious style. does full justice to the greatness of England and though not anxious to see faults in the British system, does not he's itate to point them out and mildly to con- demn them.
 Besants pen picture of the average Englishman is very good one He Is, to begin with more readily attracted by things practical than by things theoreti- cal; he prefers a feat of arms to any in tellectual achievement: he would rather hear of things done than of things at tempted; he worships success in every thing, because success means battle and victory; he IS combatiVe and aggressive; he likes fighting much as his ancestors. He is subject to reStlessneSS, he cannot be always sitting still; he will throw up his situation and go roaming. about the world; he likes trade, espe- cially trade across the seas, because 1t de- mands enterprise and Courage-it is great mistake to suppose that the love or trade denotes q mean and money grub ping spirit He is profoundly religious, but he will not endure the~dominatton Of priests; he is tender and ChiValrous to- ward women. He demands freedom of speech freedom of thought, freedom of faith He insists on self-government as his inheritance; he enters into combina- tiOns and associations with readiness, and understands what is meaAt by give and take. He is not the most courteous per son in the civilized world; he is well satis- fed with himself; he is strong, big and hearty animal.
 What this strong, big and healthy ami nal has done in the world Besant dwells upon with pride. His picture of the early inhabitant of Britain and the circum- strong. big and healthy animal English authors delight in is a good piece of work. Besant admits that England's dealings with Ireland have not been entirely SatiS- factory. Have we absorbed the Irish race? Go, ask the millions of Irishmen in America what sort of extension of empire is that where, after 600 years, the people are so anxious to shake off the English yoke as they were at the outset. It is not my business to explain, or to de- fend, or to accuse in the matter of Ire land. 1 would only remind you that, after all these years, though the whole of the empire, with all it's countless offices, dis tinctions, honors, chances of wealth, be- longs to the Irish as much as to ourselves, though lrishmen are found in the highest places; though by their services and their pluck they know how to climb, and do climb. the country must still be s.kept down by a garrison, and the Irish in America never cease abusing us, consplr- ing against us, embittering the Americans against us.
 It is not upon such extensions as this that England should pride herself.
 The book is an excellent mental birds eve view of the great English empire, and it closes with a strong plea for united fed eration of the English-speaking states "I can see no boundary or limit to the