Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-08


Therefore the task Of the writer or teacher
OF this subject Is increasingly difficult. He
must reconcile the old and the new. must
apply the laws to the conditions. and In
terpret the latter in the light Of the for
mer. Professor Fetter's presentation OF
his conception of the basic principles OF
this science to his classes at Cornell led
to the book in hand, a compact volume
of more than 600 pages. admirably ar
ranged with topographic effects calculated
to aid the eye and the understanding. He
does not undertake to offer short cut to
a thorough comprehension Of the science.
Political economy. he AYERS, must be stud
led by sheer force of intellectual applica-
tlon He does not indulge In this text
book In critical discussions Of controverted
points In theory, preferrilg to adopt the
more positive manner of presentation. The
inherent difficulties of the subject are
enough without creating new ones through
the elaboration Of the subtle controversies
that have fiourished in this field for many
years.
E HsH x T To%H
AND COUNTRY. By Herbert Compton. author
Of 9r,ts A Free s LANCE vein in Far Land" &C. illus
washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
With this volume begins a new series Of
books about the nationalities. its predeces-
sor having been printed, In eleven volumes,
under the general title "Our European
Neighbors." The general scheme of that
series was to secure for each volume the
services Of a writer who had some special
knowledge of or experience with the coun-
try described, and in consequence the eleven
books were exceptionally valuable In that
they gave a maximum Of reliable informa-
ton in minimum OF space. Mr. Comp
ton inaugurates the Asiatic series with an
account of the life of India. which bears
plain evidence in every page of having been
written on the basis Of actual contact with
the people in all their phases. A long resi-
dence has given him the materials for this
showing or the customs and characteristics.
He describes the vast territory which we
know vaguely as India, he tells of the tribal
relations, so complex and puzzling, he I'M
tangles the snarl of caste prejudices and he
eiucidates the TACT, not generally under
stood that there are within the boundaries
OF the land races as widely different as the
Russian and the Portuguese, the Dutchman
and the Turk. Handsome illustrations from
photographs add to the books interest and
worth.
THE PAGANs PROGRESS. By Gouverneur Nor
ris. author of Tom Beaulng," &c. nlustra ted
by John Rae. New York: A. s. Barnes & Co.
1t might be thought by some readers of
Mr. Morris preface that he proposes to
trace the progress of man from extreme
barbarism to the height of what we know
as modern civilization, for he presents in
that foreword the contrasting pictures of
dead aborigine chieftain and of a dead
leader of these times. But this Is not his
intention. He sets out to tell tragic little
love story of the so-called stone age, when
men were cropping in the utter darkness of
condition just one remove from bestiality.
He shows how the first bow was invented
by disappointed lover and how the proud
Inventor won wife for himself and then,
on the day of the birth of his son, slew his
old-time rival with this new weapon and
was himself slain. Then begins the real
romance, between the son of NO Man"
and the daughter of his victim, and in the
telling are described many moving events,
the accidental discovery of fire, the great
confiagration which slew and destroyed,
the invention of pottery and finally the
abduction of the young savageS sweet
heart by another and fierce pursuit.
At this stage the tale, which has dealt
previously with grossness and disagreeable
details, becomes idyllic, indicating the
birth of sentiment in the human heart.
Quaint type and effective Illustrations
give the little story a distinct quality and
emphasize it's impressiveness as a render
ing of vague concepts into delightful
prose.
WEATHER INFLUENCES; an Empirical Study of
Meteorological Conditions By Edwin Grant
Dexter. Phi. D., professor of education at the
land Able, LID. New York: The Macmillan
Company. Washington Brentanos.
1t is no surprise to be told, by this au-
thor, that the weather affects the body and
the mind of man. That is a fact so we'll
known as to have become a part Of the in
tuitive knowledge of the race. But SO very
general is the acceptance Of the fact, so
common the knowledge, that heretofore no
one has undertaken 10 reduce 1t to scien-
tific terms, to trace the laws of cause and
effect. Prof. Dexter'S father was unusually
susceptible to weather influence and this
fact first impressed the younger man with
their potency and led him later to study
which has resulted in this work. In his pref
ace Prof. Able, who is well known in
Washington as editor of the Monthly
Weather Review, published by the govern
ment, notes the various attempts in the past
to discuss this theme scientifically. He
points out that inheritance is accountable
for many traits and tendencies and actions,
yet climate and weather are nevertheless
potent forces, and that Mr.. Dexter's work
has shown the way to a research to meas
ure those influences. Statistics of course
form the basis of the inquiry, and these fig
ures have been gathered from various
sources. The effort is to reduce the wealth
er-effects upon temperament and health to
exact or approximately exact principles, but
the margin between the ideally rigid rule of
cause and effect and that which is discov
cred is always noticeable. Thus, the au-
thor's conclusion relating to the relation
ship between suicide and the weather is as
follows:
Suicide is most prevalent in the late
spring and the summer months; is excess
Sive at both extremes of temperature,
and somewhat above the normal for days
of moderate heat: is excessive in medium
pressure of the air, and deficient for the
extremes of pressure; increases with reg
ularity as humidity and wind increase
from deficiency for low readings of
both; is excessive on clear, dry days"
That there is a SuOtly working law in
these relations of body and weather is not
to be doubted, but it may be questioned
whether Mr.. Dexter has ascertained it
beyond the conclusion that the degree of
blood publication through the Inhalation
of oxygen affects the health, and there
fore the temperament, while the infiu-
ence of wind upon nerves plays it's part
in the matter. The book is a highly sug-
gestive opening of a discussion which
should lead to valuable results.
THE TRAIL TO BoYLAND; and Other Poems. BY
Wilbur d. Nesbit Illustrated by VIII Vawter.
Indianapolis: The Bobbs- Merrill Company.
With just a hint here and there of the in
f1uence of James Whitcomb Riley, yet
strongly original in style, these verses Of
the plain life of the people who live out of
doors. who know nature and love her, are
expressive of much of the beauty of life
and some of its sorrows. Mr.. Nesbit in
dulges sparingly in dialect and much of