of " Reminiscences of N. P. Willis and Lydia Maria Child." Daudet's "Port Tarascon," of which the fifth instalment appears in this number, still maintains its interest, while it is evident that a crisis is approaching in the fortunes of the hero. The usual number of illustrations by French art ists add interest to the story. The short stories are by George A. Hibbard, Anna C. Brackett, A. B. Ward, S. P. McLean Greene, and Jonathan Sturges. Among the poems are " Six Sonnets by Wordsworth," accompanied by eleven illustrations from drawings by Alfred Parsons; " The Dream of Phidias," by Rennell Rodd; and " An Autumn Song," by Nina F. Layard.
Scribnf.r's Magazine for October contains a varied selection of articles. Some treat of life and adventure; others of interesting natural phenomena; while still others are of great practical value. There is no lack of good fiction and poetry, and many rich illustrations. Herbert Laws Webb, who writes " With a Cable Expedition," was a member of the technical staff of a cable-ship, and from full experience describes the unique life on one of these vessels. " The City House in the West " is contributed to the "Home " series by John W. Root, a leading architect of Chicago. Mr. Zogbaum's second article on the " New Navy " pictures life with the "White Squadron " in ports of the Mediterranean. Rev. Newman Smyth contributes " The Lake Country of New England," — an illustrated account of camping and canoeing in the Maine Wilderness. Prof. N. S. Shaler's second paper on "Nature and Man in America" shows how the physical conditions of that part of North America east of the Mississippi " insure the profound diversifying influences which come to man from his occupations." There is a short story by a new writer, the scene of which is in the Bolivian Andes; a strong instalment of the dramatic novel " Jerry; " and poems by Edith M Thomas, Mrs. Fields, C. P. Cranch, and others. The frontispiece is the third of Mr. Weguelin's artistic illustrations for Odes of Horace. Mr. Gladstone's translation of the "Trovers' Quarrel" is reprinted with it. The Point of View discusses "A French View of American College Athletics," "A Study of Heirs," etc.
BOOK NOTICES.
Commentaries on the Law of Municipal Corporations. By John F. Dillon, LL.D. Fourth Edition, thoroughly revised and enlarged. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston, 1890. Two vols. Law sheep. $12.00 net. No work has been given to the profession in recent years which has attained such a prominent position among legal text-books as this treatise of Mr. Dillon's. When the first edition was published, some eighteen years ago, the profession were quick to recognize its merits, and successive editions have only served to increase the admiration felt for the thorough, conscientious, and exhaustive treatment of the subject by its author. During the nine years which have elapsed since the last edition appeared, numerous decisions of the courts and legislative enactments have more or less changed, modified, and enlarged the law regarding Municipal Corporations; and as a result there is in this new edition scarcely a single section that is without alterations or additions. Judge Dillon, in his preface, says that "he has sought with diligent and loving care to make the revision thorough : " and chapter after chapter bears evidence of the diligence and care bestowed upon the task. Many of these chapters have been con siderably enlarged, particularly those treating of constitutional limitations upon the powers, rights, duties, and obligations of municipal corporations and streets. Numerous additions have also been made to the chapters on Contracts, Eminent Domain, Taxation, and Actions and Liabilities. Two hundred and fifty-eight pages have been added to the text, and three hundred and fifty-nine to the entire work, and it now adequately presents the law relating to our municipalities as it exists to-day. The profession have to thank Judge Dillon for a treatise complete in every respect, and one which furnishes a concise and exhaustive setting forth of the law upon one of the most important subjects in jurisprudence.
A Brief Digest of Volumes 7 to 12 of the American State Reports, together with an index to the notes and a table of cases reported in Volumes 1 to 12. The Bancroft-Whitney Company, San Francisco, 1890.
To those of the legal profession who use this series of reports this Digest will be found to be almost indispensable. The series is assuming such proportions that a great loss of time would be necessarily involved in the search for any desired case, and it is a most excellent idea of the publishers to give a good index digest for every six volumes.
