Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 3.djvu/186

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [n s. m. MA K. 4, 1911.

Primitive Psycho- Therapy and Quackery., By Robert M. Lawrence. (Constable & Co.)

T.e monde n'a jamais manque des charlatans, And the chronicles of charlatanry will always liave an interest as illustrating a curious phase of human nature, the willingness to be deceived (vitlt decipi) which has ever been characteristic of the populace.

Mr. Lawrence is able to show by abundant proofs that healing by suggestion has at all times played an important part in therapeutics, and has brought together some curious instances of similar mental epidemics. He points out, too, the sad truth that it is by no means amongst the lowest and least cultured classes of the community that quackery finds its victims. 'There is no place where the quack thrives and battens more vigorously than in New York.

Mr. Lawrence makes no pretensions to original research, but has been industrious in consulting cyclopaedias and special treatises from which he has compiled many curious facts. As to the origiu of the name quack-salver, the full form of the word, he gives some improbable conjectures. By
 * all analogy this ought to mean one who salves

-(or cures) a quack, which is an old synonym for .a catarrh or a cold ; but it is commonly inter- preted to mean, in defiance of its formation, one -who quacks (as if puffs) his salves. We cannot endorse all the author's view on the derivations of words. If laudanum is "a contraction of laudandum, something to be praised " (p. 218), -what becomes of the Greek ledanon 1 It is tempting, of course, to understand " carmina- tive," from carminare, as meaning to cure by charms (carmina) or incantations (p. 122). But those who know say that carminare here is from carmen, a wool- carder, with the idea, of smoothing out or extenuating gross humours. On the whole, it is a sincere book and good for the times.

THE CLARENDON PRESS has puoiisned A Good Fight : the Original Version of ' The Cloister and the Hearth,' with a witty introduction by Mr. Lang. It is an interesting member of a specially interesting " Library of Prose and Poetry " half forgotten in many cases, but in no case deserving oblivion. The modern, and, we fear, hurried reader has been known to turn up his nose at this book, but we have no sympathy with him if he fails to see the great and moving qualities of Reade's work. Whether it is good scholarship or not is another point, on which Mr. Lang dwells, perhaps, somewhat too lightly. But, after all, one does not need to be an authority on Erasmus, or even to have read his ' Colloquia,' to enjoy ' A Good Fight.' The book is immortal, and does not belong to the special library -of learning.

The Newspaper Press Directory (C. Mitchell & Co.) is as usual full of the latest information relating to the Press. Apart from the complete and accurate list of papers and publications issued throughout the world, there are statistics of the trade of our various Colonies and Depen- dencies, most of these showing considerable increase of trade with the United Kingdom. Accounts of British productions in India are not so favourable. Printed books in 1908 amounted to 226,1 1QL, but in 1909 amounted to only 214,965*., while many other articles showed a far more

serious diminution, notably woollens and worsteds, which in 1908 amounted to 1,009, 1121. t and in 1909 fell to 760,9402. It is remarkable how level beer and ale remained ; in 1908 the amount was 279,459*., in 1909 279,698*. The classified list of publications is interesting as indicating the tastes of the people. Anti-tobacco only supports one organ, but it is a ' Beacon Light,' 'while that " naughty foreign weed " supports six journals. The love for the comic does not diminish, for the list shows an increase of one ; our Colonial interests have also one more organ ; motoring requires one more paper, and needlework has one less. The growing interest in philately is shown by an increase of three journals ; theosophy shows an increase of one ; brass band journals have increased by two, and literature is represented by three less than in 1910.

There are articles by Mr. Alfred F. Robbinson ' Newspaper Ideals and Individualities : a Retro- spective Review ' ; J. R. Charter writes on ' The Advertising Field To-day,' and Dr. Hugh Fraser on ' The Legal Year in its Relation to the Press.' The obituary record includes Mr. Arthur Fraser W'alter of The Times, Sir William Agnew of Punch, and Frederick Greenwood, founder of The Pall Mall Gazette, and others, of whom excellent portraits are given.

The Writers' and Artists' Year-Book, 1911 (Black), explains clearly and briefly what editors want. We wish it the widest circulation, and cannot conceive why freelances on the press con- tinue to worry papers with unsuitable articles when this little book, which costs ouly a shilling, would save them their futile effort in the sending of unsuitable matter. Stupidity of this sort is still common^and editors have so much of their time wasted that they all owe a word of thanks to- Messrs. Black for this publication.

tn <K0msp0ntonts.

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CORRIGENDUM. P. 154, col. 1, 1. 4, for "MAC- MICHAEL'S" read "MACMICHAEL."