influence of English political growth upon the American Commonwealth. Each part of the work will be, therefore, a complete treatise upon a distinct period of constitutional growth, usually considered separately. But at the same time, Mr. Taylor informs us each part will be so constructed that when the two are taken together, they will embrace a consecutive and harmonious treatment of the entire theme.

Throughout the entire work we perceive the author's efforts to emphasize the fact that the constitutional histories of England and the United States form a continuous and natural evolution which can only be fully mastered when viewed as one unbroken story. We can understand our own institutions only by a careful study of all the different sources of historical growth, and by a recognition of the organic nature of the law of constitutional development. In this spirit Mr. Taylor has approached his task. The preliminary exposition, covering seventy-six pages, is devoted to the English origin of the federal republic of the United States, and Mr. Taylor points out from a comparative survey of the ancient and modern commonwealths the distinguishing feature of the typical English state which is the political unit in our federal system. We have next the growth of the English kingdom, with especial reference to the establishment of the representative principle; the growth of the English colonies in America; the rise of the federal idea and the final establishment of the Constitution from the work of the convention of 1787. This introduction is all that is devoted to American topics, yet it might be said to be the idea of the work. We cannot know America until we know England; nor can we understand England until we study those ancient German tribal federations of which we catch our first glimpses in the pages of Cæsar and Tacitus. Following the introduction, the work is divided into three books that deal respectively with the Old English Commonwealth, the Norman Conquest, and the Growth and Decline of Parlia

ment. Historically, there is nothing new in this survey of the Constitution, since Mr. Taylor follows Stubbs and Freeman quite closely. But written from the point of view which he represents, our author has put many things in a new light. The work is a credit to American scholarship, and no student of American institutions can afford to pass it by.

J. L. S.

ESSAYS ON GOVERNMENT. By A. LAWRENCE LOWELL. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Pp. 229. 1890.

These are five essays dealing with as many phases of political thought; three bear directly or indirectly on the government of the United States, the others bear upon the theory of the social compact and the limits of sovereignty. The first essay, on "Cabinet Responsibility and the Constitution," deserves especial notice, since we hear nowadays so much of the wisdom of giving to cabinet officers seats in Congress, and making our government approach more nearly the parliamentary system of England. In this essay Mr. Lowell compares the English and American forms of government for the purpose of showing that their natures are radically different; and he attempts to prove that cabinet responsibility, the central feature of the English system, is not in harmony with our own institutions, and could not be introduced into the United States without destroying the entire fabric of the Constitution. The second essay, on "Democracy and the Constitution," is a farther comparison of the English and American forms of government for the purpose of considering the effect that each of them is adapted to produce in a democratic country upon the limitation of popular power and the protection of private rights, and from this point of view an inquiry is made into the structure of our government and the laws of its organic life. The third essay, on "The Responsibility of American Lawyers," was originally written for a law review, and treats of the legal profession in our political system.

In the last two essays the limitation of political power is considered from a philosophical standpoint. The first of these deals only with the theory of the social compact, but is almost equivalent to a sketch of the history of modern political philosophy to the end of the Tenth Century. The final essay, upon the abstract doctrine of the limitation of sovereignty, is intended chiefly for students of jurisprudence.

J. L. S.

THE STATE. ELEMENTS OF HISTORICAL AND PRACTICAL POLITICS. A SKETCH OF INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY AND ADMINISTRATION. BY WOODROW WILSON, Ph.D., LL.D. Author of "Congressional Government." Boston: D. C. Heath & Co. Pp. 686. 1889.

Dr. Wilson's book is an attempt to compress into one treatise an account of the political institutions of all times, as well as an epitome of political history. The growing interest in the study of political science in American colleges rendered it necessary that a text-book of the scope and purpose of this work should be prepared by a student of politics who understood the condition of the teaching of that subject in our educational institutions. That this book enters into the spirit of the teaching of politics, and that the author understands its difficulties, can be seen from the great care he has taken to present the subject in such a way as best to meet the needs and necessities of the case. There is a great deal in the book, probably too much for a text-book, but Dr. Wilson has so arranged his matter that good results may be obtained by an instructor who is in sympathy with political studies and understands the bearing of historical facts.

The first two chapters of the book are taken up with a discussion of the probable origin of government and its early development. The governments of Greece and of Rome, the influence of Roman dominion and Roman law, and the Teutonic polity and government during the middle ages, completes the survey of ancient and mediæval

political life. The most interesting part of the work is that which treats of modern continental political activity, containing a good deal of matter that is not elsewhere easily accessible in English. This comprises a description of the governmental development of France, Germany, and Switzerland, together with the dual monarchies of Austria, Hungary, Sweden, Norway. The description of the political institutions of England and the United States occupies about one-third of the book; the chapter on the government of the United States has been reprinted for the use of schools. The concluding chapters deal with the subject of law, its nature and its development, and the functions and ends of government.

THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA. By J. E. C. MUNRO, of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-Law, Professor of Law, Owens College, Victoria University. Pp. XXXVI and

356. Cambridge: University Press, 1889.

Some years ago Prof. Munro began to collect materials for a survey of the legal aspects of the Imperial Constitution, but his purpose as regards the constitutions of Great Britain and Ireland was anticipated by the publication of Sir William Anson's great work on the "Law and Custom of the Constitution," and Prof. Munro therefore restricted himself to the constitutions of the colonies. He intends to make a general survey, examining each in detail. Canada has been selected for treatment first, not merely because a special interest has of recent years been taken in its constitution, but for the further reason that some recent Canadian statutes have given a completeness to the Dominion system it did not previously possess.

The introductory chapter deals in a general way with the character of the Canadian constitution and the present status of the Dominion government. Then follows a brief sketch of the constitutional history of the provinces and a chapter on the legal rules and customs that form the "Constitutional Law and Custom" of Canada. Since the

legislative powers of the Dominion cannot be understood without reference to the powers of the provinces, Prof. Munro has begun his survey of the constitution by working upward from the local institutions to the central government. Seven chapters are devoted to the constitution of the provinces: these are the organization of the provincial legislatures; the character of the provincial assemblies and legislative councils; method of legislation in the provinces ; the position of the lieutenant-governor; the nature of the provincial administrative system, and the judicial machinery of the provinces. An analysis of the Dominion government takes up seven more chapters dealing with Parliament, the House of Commons and the Senate; the scope and activity of Dominion legislation; the office and duties of the governor-general; the administrative efficiency of the Dominion government, and the organization of the Canadian judicial system. Chapter XIX considers the division of legislative powers between the Dominion and provincial governments. Here we have discussed the scheme of division, the principle of interpretation, and the grouping of the various forms under definite heads. The concluding chapters are on the Dominion control of the provinces, in the way of limiting legislation by the veto of the governor-general, and control of provincial administration. The chapter on imperial control of the Dominion deals with the limitation on the Dominion power of legislation and the power of concurrent legislation, together with the power of the Crown over Provincial and Dominion bills.

INDIVIDUALISM: A SYSTEM OF POLITICS. BY WORDSWORTH DONISTHORPE, Barrister-at-law. Author of

Principles of Plutology," etc. London: Macmillan & Co. 1889. Pp. I-X and 393.

This book takes the view that the doctrines of socialism which are growing in popularity are the chief danger in the way of social progress. Mr. Donisthorpe aims at a presentation of some of the practical bearings of individualism