The Washington times., 1912-07-17
Here's a Book

The only way in which the average
busy person can keep in touch with
current topics, and form ideas on the
social and political vagaries of a ma
tion, Is by making use of every individ-
ual experience and every personally wit
messed phase or change, and pruning
and refining his ideas by reading the
opinions of others. in current periodic
ais or through the medium Of the press.
Except when the subject is taken UP as
a separate study, one is not apt to plow
through dry and exhaustive volumes
redolent with rule and precept, and
filled with examples culled from vol
umes even more massive and verbose.
Equally revolving and tiresome as the
scientific review of social ethics as a
whole, is the narrow-minded, vitriolic as
sault of the fanatic, in an argumenta-
tive vein from his side of the fence.
Unless one mentally agrees absolutely,
and is wiling to admit that the saliva
tlon of the race depends upon the
authors solution alone, there Is scant
no one but a student can digest and ap-
preciate the subject when presented in
the other form.
A book. "The Convictions of a Grand
Of Robert Grant, author Of The, Opin-
ions of a Philosopher" The Undercur-
rent" and others. whom reviewers
mention as "laughing PHILOSOPHER"
affectations." These attributes, and
many others IN keeping with their gen
eral tone, are more than true OF Mr..
Grant, and II is not surprising that
when he writes a book, the quiet but
Enthusiastically evident purpose of which
is a review of social frailties of the
time. 1t should be not only readable
and clever: but full Of ripe reflection
tions of Grandfather" is written in
exactly the same tone and manner used
in large families where general topics
are discussed. Not only are the sub
by the grandfather" but by his wife:
Josephine" and his grown sons and
daughters, real types of American man
hood and womanhoOd' all Of the them; Mr.;
well-stocked and deeply philosophical
mind, is so frank and jolly, that one
finds ones self, at the end OF the book:
eager to peep behind the curtain OF
dialogue, and meet face to face, the
charming people who take part in them.
While he gossips naiVely about the lives
of his children and grandchildren this
delightfully modern grandparent deity
shows that the general trend of our
civilization, is to produce but scantily
those graces which are the symbols of
genuine erudition and reserve pow
er." The point is so manifestly made.
tagonistic argument. that the reader is
| unconscious of any definite change In
his own mind. The inheritance act, the
employers liability act with the law
yer's side of that question; discus
sion Of the law regarding Wills; the
rights of woman to suffrage, divorce,
| old age pensions. and other matters are
! taken up. The characteristic American
tendency to hasten through everything,
| is charmingly brought out by contrast
ing present conditions with the de-
lights of his honeymoon, and the manner
in which grandfather describes the re-
sourcefulness OF the younger generation,
which. while commendable, Involves a
| lack of regard for pedantic old age, n
amusing in its droll pathos and as
tonishing veracity. Although in no way
pessimistic concerning it, he is COM
PEELED to, admit the age. though dcmo-
cratic has a deplorable lack of ro-
the book are clever admission that he
too. has lost an art, when he remarks.
| But what pity that the house OF
ords has lost so much Of the old
picturesqueness." All of Mr.. Grant s
books are published by Charles Scrib-
| ner'B Sons,