Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-04

the matter wholly in the large. illustra-
f, tive of its big and magnificent uses,
savors of bombast That he. moreover,
/ implies the power 10 make of II con-
| Germ of absorbing interest hints of
magic. Yet. in the present introduc-
1 ton to mathematics. the author does all
OF this. He sets out by showing us the
causes of our earlier disappointment in
| the subject He tells us why the science
| has failed to live up to the best of itself.
| Then. in something like sheer wizardry.
he whirls the reader through imaginary
numbers comic sections, the differential
calculus and on along an open road to
the end. This author actually makes
| literature of the matter. and poetry. He
| ties the whole rhythmic world up in the
harmOnieS of pure mathematical Law. one
| is not to think for moment that this
discussion lacks the substance or the
sobriety of its fundamental thought: or
hat the author makes entertainment at
the expense of instruction. Not at all
The instruction is all here. but II is large
and free. Its working lines of procedure
are never permitted to entangle the web
of its application The whole is most
illuminat ting. One possessed of the facts
of this little volume, and animated by its
spirit. could-if he We're teacher, say
hold the beauty and the pleasure of this
science up to learners instead of accus-
toned gloom and repulsion.
CHARLES DICKENS: And His Girl
Heroines. BY Belle Moses. author of
Louisa May AlcDtt.' etc. New
York: u. Appleton & Co.
A very engaging book about Charles
Dickens The author says. in under
tone. that it is about the girl heroines
Of Dickens. One conjeaures that find
ing herself rather put to it for enough
Of this writer's girl haroincs to fill
volume. she. like a sensible woman.
concluded to go ahead and trace the
life of Dickens through his writings,
using these girls TO the best possible
advantage in this process So. as very
little boy and then boy. as youth and
man and author, he is picked out
here and there from his various
romances and put together into
much illuminated and altogether richer
Dickens than is commonly known.
Miss Moses has "A delightful manner,
one fitted exactly to please Dickens
himself were he within its reach-as
he very likely may be- All in all. we
are delighted that this winsome writer
was not deferred in her good intent
Of writing this book by the mere
accident of not being able to find
enough of Dickens girls to go around.
\ charming study of Dickens to those
him.
SOUTH SEA TALES. BY Jack London.
author of Adventure. etc. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
Jack London South sea tales con-
tinue TO pour from the memorable
cruise of the Shark in the lower Pa
cific. Not too many OF them. however.
For pure adventure. for the kind of eN-
element that keeps the blood abound
ing for dangers ard escapes of the mi
raculous but wholly believab1e variety
for clean fun. for sentiment of a saw
age sort. and for the muscular word
to fit all this, Mr.. London is the de-
light OF the reader. Again. this group
of good salt tales sounds the kipling
note. For obvious reasons. one knows
this to be not matter of intent. 1t
is interesting only as IL marks
subtle literary kinship between the
two.
THE NEGRO AND HIS NEEDS. BY
Raymond Patterson. New York:
Fleming II. Revell Company.
Mr. Pattersons study OF the negro takes
Its substance from its devotion to facts
In their interrelation. rather than TO the
spinning of theories. Noting that the
southern white is too close and the north
erner too remote to get at the truth of the
black man, the author brings to bear the
unprejudce of the scientific habit in
trained and impartial observation. The
problem of the negro is in the south, SO
there its solution lies. In fair-minded in
tent Mr.. Patterson confines his investfga-
tons TO this section, and. for the greater
part. to the lines set down by lie white
southern man himself. Going in and out
and up and down among them. to season
report with the piquant sauce of verify.
Ntv1t t1xa fr.vrD IF
these folks. their ways of doing things.
their ways of feeling. their response to
influences of one sort and another. A
most interesting chapter. and disquieting.
has to do with the economic conditions of
the black belt. where involuntary Servi-
tude in motley cloak and under various
names throws dust in the eyes of an au-
gust Constitution OF the United States.
Out of wide journalistic experience in
politics the author discusses suffrage for
the negro in his present condition in the
south. ard draws the issue. the deplorable
issue, of the exercise of this constitutional
right The book sums to a clear and pre-
else method of working out this negfo
problem. The key to the process is edu
cation What kind of ediHation?" AZ
this point the author pays tribute to the
pioneers in education for the negro
Armstrong. Frissell, Hart. Washington.
Dubois. The last of these stands for
higher education. The aims of Booker
w dSnlNS ION are TOO wen " icfic".
OF these two Mr.. Patterson says. Book
or T. Washington is right. Burghardt Du-
Bots is dangerously wrong'-a Judgment
shaped for dissent and rancor. However.
il is the honest and logical fruit of this
particular investigation, made in the
south. One likes to say over again his
tribute to Mr.. Washington: Booker I.
Washington has had to win his victories
devoid of the sympathy and support OF
the leaders of his own race Yet, in some
strange way, this great negro. century
ahead of his own people. sees clearly that
! the black man must be equipped to fight
| tile real battles OF the world. that he
| must learn economy and frugality. that
he must acquire property and that he
must make for himself place in the
\ community from which he cannot be dis