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1920 SHORT NOTICES 311 family has held a prominent and honom'able place in the publishing business for more than two hundred years, but there is little in the book which falls within the scope of this Review. All lovers of books, however, will be glad to read what is said here on the history of publishing in England, on its long-enduring combination with retail bookselling, on book-auctions, and especially on the system of publication by shares subscribed for by members of the trade. Attention, too, may be invited to some extracts from the diary of the author's grandfather, who, as one of the London Military Association, helped to ensure order at the execu- tions of the condemned rioters of 1780 and at the trial of Lord George Gordon. W. H. The Right Hon. J. M. Robertson has not only a considerable experience of public life, but also a practised and versatile pen, so that, in dealing with an historical theme, he knows how to interest his readers and how to throw into clear relief his interpretation of complicated events. His BoUnghroJce and Walpole (London : Fisher Unwin, 1919) is a double biographical essay, with a concluding chapter on the social development of the British Isles in the times of these two statesmen, the whole amount- ing to a survey of the history of England in the first half of the eighteenth century. Only printed sources have been used in its composition, and this is in a way unfortunate, because the author's keen insight and controversial temper have led him to question some accepted or tradi- tional views, such as that of Macaulay and Burnet on the reconstruction of the ministry in 1694, but yet he is unable to give a complete explana- tion of his own. In this instance he says that William III acted as he did ' for reasons not now to be ascertained '. But it would be a mistake to make the lack of original research or its one or two very small lapses from accuracy serious grounds of criticism against this robust and useful book. L. The fifty-second volume of the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society (1919) contains a valuable article by Mr. Malcolm Storrer in illustration of the series of medals struck to commemorate the opera- tions in the West Indies during the years 1739-41 of Vice- Admiral Edward Vernon. H. E. E. Mr. W. Stewart Wallace has done a useful work in editing, with an excellent introduction, The Maseres Letters, 1766-1768 {University of Toronto Studies in History and Economics, Toronto, 1919). These letters were found amongst the Hardwicke MSS. in the British Museum, and have, apparently, hitherto escaped the notice of writers on Canadian history. Maseres was a voluminous writer, and in many of these letters he covers ground dealt with in his various publications. Still, in Mr. Wallace's words, ' They throw light on some obscure passages in the politics of that time ; and they serve to fill in the outlines of Maseres' very interesting personality.' One need not agree with his judgements on men or measures ; but it is impossible not to have a kindly feeling for this honest, industrious, prejudiced, good-hearted Huguenot. H. E. E.