time to time with a hastily prepared pamphlet, at a time when there seems likely to be a sale.

The result is of course work, good, bad, and indifferent. It is the purpose of the present series of reviews critically to examine this work, good, bad, and indifferent and thus to assist our readers to distinguish grain from chaff.

An Cutline of French Law as Affecting British Subjects. By J. T. B. SEWELL, M.A., LL.D., Solicitor of the Supreme Court. Stevens and Sons, Limited. Pp. 232. Price 10s. 6d.

It is not by any means always the largest works which are the most valuable to the law library: and the work before us, though a small volume and of unpretentious appearance, will, in our opinion, be one of the most useful new books which we have received for some time. Of course the reader must not expect that he will know the law of France upon the subjects dealt with merely by reading its pages. For the law of France in spite of the Code is, like the law of England, a science, which must be studied laboriously and with great efforts of careful reasoning, before it will be possible to understand it, still more before it will be possible to apply it to the case in hand and we should certainly advise that no litigation of any importance, involving French law, should be undertaken, unless the opinion of an expert in that law be first obtained; and further that no large contract, which seems likely to raise questions upon that law, be made, except upon the same conditions. But English lawyers— whether solicitors or barristers-advising British subjects are constantly obliged to ask themselves as to the sort of way in which the law of this or that foreign country is likely to regard a particular situation of affairs in the event of circumstances arising which should constitute such foreign country the "forum decidendi." If, when the law of France is concerned, they desire to form some sort of view which primâ facie should be correct of what a French tribunal would decide, let them in the first instance study Mr. Sewell's book. Again, there are many persons whose business affairs or private concerns are habitually concerned with France, and we should strongly recommend all commercial men who are often engaged in contracts with Frenchmen or contracts which are to be performed in France, patentees whose inventions are tempting to French manufacturers or tradesmen, authors and artists whose works are

likely to create a demand in France, landowners who have property situate in France, husbands who have married French women, and British subjects who have any expectations from French benefactors, one and all to keep this book about them, and to consult it when occasion shall arise. We can promise them all that they will find it useful. The book should be obtained by our law-libraries: and it should be placed in the shelves which contain French law-to which it will form a convenient guide in all matters in which British subjects are likely to be interested. Mr. Sewell has broken. some new ground: and his work is of much greater importance than many of the books which we have received and which are merely compilations from larger works or pilferings from other men's brains. In these days of international exhibitions, and travellers working up English businesses in all countries of the world, we should like to see a similar handbook to that portion of the law of other foreign countries with which British subjects are from time to time concerned.

The Practical Statutes of the Session 1897 (60 & 61 Vict.), with Introductions, Notes, Tables of Statutes Repealed and Subjects Altered, Lists of Local and Personal and Private Acts and a Copious Index. Edited by JAMES SUTHERLAND COTTON, Barrister-at-Law. Horace Cox. Pp. 186. 1897. Price 10S.

This is the new volume of Paterson's Practical Statutes and a perusal of this volume year by year is much to be recommended to those who would keep their tackle in order and be ready to face the work-a-day fighting of legal questions. Those who are interested in Parish Councils, will learn of some small but not unimportant amendments which have been made to the Act of 1894 those who would be abreast of the times in Company Law, will see what has been done to alter that law by the Preferential Payments in Bankruptcy Act, 1897: and the important statutes relating to Voluntary Schools and Workmen's Compensation will also, of course, be found in this little volume. There are a number of less important matters, which have also been made the matter of legislation during the year, such as the relaxation of the rule in cases of treason or felony which prevented the separation of the jury in such cases under any circumstances whatever. It is in matters like these that the

practising barrister especially requires to rub up his knowledge at the beginning of every year, so as to be au fait with the newest law upon the subject if the question crops up in any Court. We do, therefore, recommend him to read through these little volumes at the beginning of each new year; for they will give him just what he wants and nothing more-the " practical" statutes without the unimportant enactments with which he is not likely to be often concerned, and sufficient explanation to enable him to grasp to what the change in the law amounts without the burden of any unnecessary disquisition.

Lectures on the Principles of Local Government, delivered at the London School of Economics. By GEORGE LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A., Statistical Officer of the London County Council, Author of "Municipal Offices," "Literature of Local Institutions," "The Village Community," etc. Archibald, Constable and Company. Pp. 267. 1897. Price 12s.

This work belongs to the region not of law, but of jurisprudence; and we suspect that it will appeal to a very limited class of readers. It appears, upon the face of the title page, that it is the work of a "statistical officer"; and its contents are just what we should look for from a writer whose occupation and training are of that nature. The best part of the book is, in our opinion, that which is contained in the "Notes and Illustrations" at the end, where Mr. Gomme is in his element; and most decidedly the work included in these "Notes and Illustrations" ought to be very useful to Members of Parliament and others, who can find the time to take up the subject, study it in a thorough manner, and examine the results obtained. Statistics are the least tempting form of reading: but it is the duty of those who are intentionally responsible, however indirectly, for changes in the law in such an important matter as local government to investigate statistics and thus to know something of causes by observing effects and analysing abstract generalisations into their concrete instances. Those whose duty it is to enquire into these things ought to read these "Notes and Illustrations," which disclose a vast amount of painstaking research into a subject which is not inviting in itself. But the actual lectures will certainly not be widely read. They are dull, though they may be instructive. It is the Macaulays and Froudes of history who are widely read—though there may be,

ΙΟ

and indeed certainly are, more accurate and laborious works than theirs. However important the subject, it must be discussed in a readable book-not in a depressing disquisition like that before us, which is merely a collection of statistics in the form of grammatical sentences. For such history as is contained in the book is not original; but is copied from the works of accepted authorities, such as the Bishop of Oxford and Mr. Green. Mr. Gomme is probably an excellent "statistical officer "; and in all likelihood it is this very fact which makes him such an unreadable author. At the very outset of his work he makes the astounding statement that "at present principles of local government are not in this country considered at all." This, to men who have known anything of public life in recent years, sounds at first absurdly untrue. But if the reader perseveres, he will soon discover what the author's meaning is. Everything depends upon the point of view. It is true that "at present principles of local government are not (very generally) in this country considered at all" from a statistical point of view. We do not think, however, that a large public will be induced to begin that consideration now, under the auspices of Mr. Gomme's book. But if any man will read it sentence by sentence and think out what each proposition means as he goes along, he will undoubtedly be the wiser for his labour, and will have the benefit of a considerable amount of carefully evolved thoughts which very few persons in England would have taken the trouble to evolve at all.

The Encyclopædia of the Laws of England; being a new abridgment by the most eminent legal authorities under the general editorship of A. WOOD RENTON, Esq., M.A., LL.B., of Gray's Inn, and of the Oxford Circuit, Barrister-at-Law. Vol. IV. "County District" to "Employers and Workmen." Sweet and Maxwell, Limited. Pp. 488. 1897. Price 20s. net,

cloth: 23s. 6d. net, half calf.

We fear that by the time this work is finished it will be too long or too short. Too long for many men to add it to their libraries merely as being one additional guide-post to the law of the land. Too short to form a library in itself and so dispense with the costly array of text-books, which is almost an essential possession of the busy practitioner. The "most eminent legal authorities "-and there are the names of some few men at least

among the list of authors who fully deserve this description-have done their best with the space at their command. But what does it amount to? For instance, will Mr. G. H. B. Kenrick's five articles on "Election Agent," "Election Commissioners," "Election Expenses," "Election Petition," and "Elections" enable us to dispense with "Rogers on Elections," the established work upon the subject? Obviously no. We require the text of the important Acts of Parliament upon the subject before we can even approach the difficult questions that must arise. An Election Agent should have the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act, 1883, in his pocket or within reach continually. Election Commissioners similarly require constant reference to the Election Commissioners Act, 1852. And all who are concerned with these important matters will also require the texts of the different Acts affecting them and full notes of the cases decided thereunder. For what class of readers, then, are Mr. Kenrick's articles and epitomes of statutes intended? The book is far too large for the use of a law student, and far too cumbersome as a mere work of reference. We should find what we wanted far more quickly in some other way. What Mr. Kenrick has written seems to be entirely correct. He has doubtless done all that he was asked to do, well and efficiently. But we fear that nobody is likely to require the result. Dr. Blake Odgers, Q.C., certainly need not for one moment apprehend that by contributing the article which appears under the head of "Defamation" he has done anything likely to injure the sale of his classic work upon "Libel and Slander"; nor, in short, do we think that the possession of any of these articles will save a practising barrister the purchase of a single other text-book. So much for the substantial and important articles. It is true that we have read some of them with much interest, notably those of Mr. F. W. Maitland on "Court Baron and Court Leet," of Mr. D. M. Kerly on "Custom," of Mr. T. Barclay on " Domicile," and of Mr. W. F. Craies on "Embezzlement." But we must confess that-except in our present capacity of reviewer-we never should have dreamed of turning through a large encyclopædia like this to search for such articles, which might have been far more conveniently published in several other ways. Besides what we have called the substantial and important articles, there are a certain number of definitions and short explanations of legal names and phrases, some of which will be useful to