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535

"was not a prig.'' however.

He comes pretty near being one,

ARTHUR BIDDLE, M. A. Kay and Brother, Phila delphia, 1893. Two vols. Law Sheep. $10.00 net. This work of Mr. Biddle's is a thorough and exhaustive exposition of the principles of law ap plicable to the subject of Non-Marine Insurance. Starting with the Contract of Insurance as the funda mental idea of the work, the author proceeds to consider its structure, the essential elements in its formation, the rights that accrue to the parties to it after it is formed, the capacity to avoid it, its per formance, the consequences dependent upon ils breach, and the measure of damages- The arrangement of the book is excellent, and the propositions, while briefly and concisely stated, are unusually clear and comprehensive. We welcome the treatise as a valu able addition to our legal text-books, and heartily commend it to the profession as the latest and best work upon the subject.

THE AMERICAN STATE RETORTS, containing the cases of general value and authority decided in the courts of last resort of the Several States. Selected, reported, and annotated. By A. C. FREEMAN. Vol. XXXII. Bancroft-Whitney Co., San Francisco, 1893. Law Sheep. $4.00 net This volume contains an admirable selection of cases from the Reports of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota. Missouri, New York, North Carolina, and West Virginia. The annotations are as full and valuable as ever.

THF PETRIE ESTATE. By HEI.FN DAWES BROWN. Houghton, Mifflin, & Co., Boston, 1893. Cloth. $1.25. The plot of this story turns upon a lost will. An old bachelor, James Petrie, dies leaving a vast estate, which Richard Waring, a young journalist, had every reason to suppose, from declarations made by Petrie, would be devised to him. as the old man believed he had no relatives left in the world. No will being found, the property goes to a distant rela tive, Charlotte Coverdale, a poor school-teacher in a seminary for girls. The experiences of this young girl in New York City life; her efforts to better the condition of those living in the tenement-houses composing a part of her estate; her meeting with Richard Waring, and of course falling in love with him; the finding of the lost will, — all these elements are woven into an interesting and charm ing story. The heroine is a delightful creation, but we confess toa feeling of disappointment in the hero. The author takes the trouble to inform us that he

THE BUILDERS OF AMERICAN LITERATURE. First Series. Biographical and Critical Sketches of Leading American writers, born previous to 1826. By FRANCIS H. UNDERWOOD, LL.D. Lee & Shepard, Boston, 1893. Cloth. $1.50. This work is intended to show the beginnings and growth of American literature down to a compara tively recent period, and will be completed in two volumes. The first series, now published, has an Historical Introduction, serving also as a General Survey. The body of the work consists of bio graphical and critical notices of eminent authors, beginning with Jonathan Edwards, and ending with those born previous to 1826, of which the last hap pens to be Richard Henry Stoddard, the poet. At the close is an interesting chapter upon " Some Mostly Forgotten Poets." This work, in connection with the author's " Hand book of American Literature," will be of great value to all libraries, teachers, and students of our country's literature, as well as to the general reader. It con tains a vast amount of interesting information, and is a most agreeable companion for a leisure hour.

A GENERAL OUTLINE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. The States, Counties, Townships, Cities, and Towns. By CLARENCE D. HIGBY, PH.D. Lee Si Shepard, Boston, 1893. Cloth. 30 cents. It is the aim of this small book to bring the subject of Civil Government within the reach of that large class of students who desire to complete their schoolwork in the shortest time possible. The plan of the work is very simple, beginning with Part I., The State and the Government. Part II., The United States and the Departments of Government. Part III., The States and Terri tories. Part IV., Counties, Townships, Cities, Towns, etc. Part V., The Constitution of the United States, — supplemented by a series of ques tions on each part. While prepared primarily as a text-book for the use of teachers and pupils, yet the information given here should be in possession of all who desire to be good citizens and who wish to take an intelligent interest in public affairs. Nowhere can the matter be found in more compact form suitable for general use.

THE ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN, AN OXFORD FRESHMAN. By CUTHBERT BEDE (Rev. E. Bradley). 2 vols. LITTLE MR. BOUNCER