es on geographical, social, and
political topics. His vacations he spent in travel and in mountain
climbing, of which he gave an interesting narrative in 'Transcaucasia
and Ararat' (1877). In 1880 he entered active politics, and was elected
to Parliament in the Liberal interest. He has continued steadfast in
his support of the Liberal party and of Mr. Gladstone, whose Home Rule
policy he has heartily seconded. In 1886 he became Gladstone's
Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and in 1894 was appointed President
of the Board of Trade.

The work by which he is best known in this country, the 'American
Commonwealth' (1888), is the fruit of his observations during three
visits to the United States, and of many years of study. It is generally
conceded to be the best critical analysis of American institutions ever
made by a foreign author. Inferior in point of style to De Tocqueville's
'Democracy in America,' it far surpasses that book in amplitude, breadth
of view, acuteness of observation, and minuteness of information;
besides being half a century later in date, and therefore able to set
down accomplished facts where the earlier observer could only make
forecasts. His extensive knowledge of foreign countries, by divesting
him of insular prejudice, fitted him to handle his theme with
impartiality, and his experience in the practical workings of British
institutions gave him an insight into the practical defects and benefits
of ours. That he has a keen eye for defects is obvious, but his tone is
invariably sympathetic; so much so, in fact, that Goldwin Smith has
accused him of being somewhat "hard on England" in some of his
comparisons. The faults of the book pertain rather to the manner than to
the matter. He does not mislead, but sometimes wearies, and in some
portions of the work the frequent repetitions, the massing of details,
and the absence of compact statement tend to obscure the general drift
of his argument and to add unduly to the bulkiness of his volumes.

* * * * *

THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES

From 'The American Commonwealth'

Social intercourse between youths and maidens is everywhere more easy
and unrestrained than in England or Germany, not to speak of France. Yet
there are considerable differences between the Eastern cities, whose
usages have begun to approximate to those of Europe, and other parts of
the country. In the rural districts, and generally all ov