The age-herald., 1899-04-30
Books .!33.! ?,!: eIt. -Read 'F}' e,sp
$-BY PAUL PRY.

Would you read book that will be of i real profit to you? Then take up a pro- found work on social analysis-"Anglo- Saxon Superiority; to What it is Due," by Edmond Demolins. It is a work dealing, from a French point of view, with the causes of the superiority of the English speaking peoples.
 The work is translated from the tenth | French edition, and Is already having large sale in this country. The author, M. | Demolins, deals in a perfectly frank and fearless way with existing conditions In l France and England. He studies the Eng fish temperament, seeks the secret of the formidable expans on of that energetic race, and in the same manner examines customs in France and draws h s conclu- sions. There is nothing dogmatic in the work; it is rather documentary; the au- thor, in an eloquent way, registers facts, and compares material situations. There is published at the close of the volume a French publishers append x' which, upon close examination, proves the high i regard with which Frenchmen review the work and the truthfuness of the asser- tions, notwithstanding the fact that the author makes many plain and candid statements in regard to conditions in France.
 To summar ze, in the briefest way, the leading opinions of the author as so fully and completely treated in his work it may be said that to education he attributes the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon. Of course education in the fullest and broadest sense.
 On the opening page of his work is found the following quotation: Even from the school does tho contrast between English and the other western nations begin to show vividly. This contrast is striking and enables us to perceive from it's brth, the fundamental causes of Anglo-Saxon superiority. Every nation organizes educa- tion in its own image, in view of it's cus- toms and habits. Education in it's turn re- acting on the social state"
 By no means the least important and thoughtful part of the work is the preface which is really. as is usually the case the cream of the work. In this preface the author treats of the three clements of Eng fish society, and shows in a most concise and conclusive way how and why the Anglo-Saxon gradually assumed prepon- derance over the Celtic, Danish and Nor man influences.
 The author says that nowadays. owing to the same causes, the Anglo-Saxon not only preponderates in England, but through the whole world.
 The author makes his argument and his propositions wonderfully clear by dividing society into two classifcations; these trans i lated from the French read: Particular ist c formation" "Communistic formation The Anglo-Saxon, as may be easily guess ed belongs in the 'particularistic forma- tion,' which develops the power of initia- tive; develops self-reliance and fits a man for the struggle for existence" The au- thor places France in the "communist'c class" and proves in very candid way how her sons depend upon their parents or the state to start them in life and sustain them in their struggle. The work is thoughtful and scholarly, and is evidently written by a man who has studied most carefully the conditions he describes. and who gives to the world the result of his study and observation, in a perfectly can did and impartial, serious written work The book, as whole, is concsely and clearly written, and consequently will be found interesting to even the most casual reader
 Those who have read with so much pleas ure and pride "Prisoners of Hope" will be glad to know that Miss Mary Johnston has completed her second work. As before stated, Houghton, Miff1in & Co., have proven their appreciation of Miss John ston's literary powers by offering in addi- tion to buy her work Consequently her
 
 Der of the Atlantic Monthly. Miss John ston continues to devote herself to Virgin ia and her history which she so success fully treated in "Prisoners of Hope" How ever, in the new work the scene opens some forty years earlier than the date of her first novel Miss Johnston's most devoted admirers of her work still long, though for sequel to "Prisoners of Hope" It is the unanimous expressed opinion that Miss Johnston owes to her readers to relieve them of the unpleasant mental image oc- casioned by the desolate condition of her hero and to again take up the life-thread of Landless and to lead him to more kind and just destiny
 
 At present we hear a great deal about 'The Open Question:" book published within the past few months Though sign CT by c. E. Raimond, it is in reality writ ten by Elizabeth Robins, the young ac- tress. who essays Ibsen roles, and, too with degree of success. It has been stated how Miss Robins wrote a couple of col umns to a certain London daily, quarreling with them for revealing her identity. She claimed that she could not have her book criticized and reviewed with fairness and justness if they knew exactly who wrote it, and one very naturally infers if they knew 1t was written by woman"
 As for "The Open Question:" mention of the work might be summed up in the fol- lowing query: Does anyone in this very busy work -a-day world have time, to say nothing of inclination, to read one of those wearisome and exceedingly unprofitable pieces of work-a problem novel;" In the first place the author deals with question which is not in any sense an ''open ques- tion." In this country people have too much of the courage which one of the old philosophers defined as "the desire to live and the will to succeed under even the most adverse conditions" to cons'd der in any sort of seriousness the question of suicide. The disposition evidenced by a few abnormal cases mostly unfortunates, we relegate to physicians and students of sociology to en- quire into, certainly not to young feminine aspirants for literary honors.
 Miss Robins likewise deals with anoth- CT evil which anyone in his sane mind ac- knowledges to be serious and full of sig