discovered at Meare, near Glastonbury. Mr. Burrow records the advent of other races, the Goidels, Gaels or Celts, who were the main makers of most of the earthworks recorded in this volume, and brought weird legend and romanticism into them; the Brythons or Britons, and then the Belgæ, and after them the Romans; Saxons, Normans, when strong stone fortresses arose, and the days of earthen camps passed away.

The advice of an explorer so experienced will be found valuable to all who would make similar quests, and then he takes us by the hand and conducts us from fort to fort and hill to hill, describing as we go with pen and artist's brush the peculiarities of each. A few of his drawings by the courtesy of the author and publishers, we are able to reproduce. The whole volume is magnificently produced, and does great credit to the publishers as well as to the author.

THE STORY OF OUR INNS OF COURT, as told by THE RIght HONOURABLE SIR D. PLUNKET BARTON, BART., P.C., K.C., CHARLES BENHAM, B.A., and FRANCIS WATT, M.A. (G. T. Foulis & Co., Ltd., 91, Russell Street, W.C.1. 10s. 6d. net). 1924.

THIS is the first volume of a new series, "The Story Series," which is always welcome, especially when planned in the excellent manner as the present one seems to be. The authors, in each case, will be masters of their subject, and if subsequent volumes are produced in the same way as this first book, the series will undoubtedly be a success. The charm of this volume is that it brings into perspective the historic and moral significance to mankind of a little region in the area of the metropolis which has shared with Oxford and Cambridge in full measure, the burden and the glory of unfolding the essential humanism of the British race. These Inns of Court the Inner and Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn, as distinguished from the Inns of Chancery-contribute a legal university of which these are the four colleges. In a learned introduction Sir Plunkett Barton answers several questions which unlearned laymen would like to ask, about their origin, the removal

of the lawyers to the Temple, the formation of Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn and of the Inns of Chancery, which served as preparatory colleges for the greater Inns. He describes the course of training, "Readings," " Moots,' Revels and records the names of the brilliant barristers who have been reared within these precincts, and the harmony and equality of these honourable societies.

Mr. Charles Benham tells the story of the two Temples drawn from the Records which date back to the reign of Henry VII. They are full of interest. The writer explains the constitution of the Society, the course of the law-students as they pass from an Inn in Chancery to the bencher. They had to attend lectures and moots for a number of years, reside in a chamber in the Inn, and had to keep themselves properly shaved and wear decent and quiet garments, and refrain from going into the town in negligent costume suitable only for the informality of their own chambers.

Life was not always peaceful within the precincts of the Inns during the Tudor and Stuart period. It was always genial, but often boisterous and turbulent. Students used to amuse themselves by breaking open church-doors and to make outcries in the night with drums and horns. Men were often expelled for assault "without any prospect of forgiveness," but after a time the expulsion was withdrawn, and the career of the youthful aspirant to the honourable profession was not ruined. There was trouble occasionally about the payment of bills. One may regret that the old common life of the Inns has passed away. The chambers now know few students, and the Benchers flee to their comfortable homes in Kensington. Mr. Benham tells us of the many illustrious lawyers whom the Middle and Inner Temple have produced, and to whom England owes a great debt for preserving the majesty and purity of the legal profession, justice and just laws.

The story of the Gray's Inn is told with full detail by Sir D. Plunket Barton, and of Lincoln's Inn by Mr. Francis Watt; and both narratives abound with interest. We find pleasing accounts of the noble buildings, the life that was lived within their precincts, and the many worthies who have lent lustre to their Inns. We shall await another volume of this pleasant series and wish it all prosperity.

OXFORDSHIRE RECORD SOCIETY. This Society is remarkably active and sets an excellent example to many other County Recording Associations. It was founded in 1919 for printing documents relating to the history of the County and has already seven volumes to its credit, and others in preparation. The present volume under review contains the EARLY CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS OF THE OXFORDSHIRE PARISHES OF MARSTON, SPILSBURY AND PYRTON. Edited by F. W. WEAVER, M.A., F.S.A., of Magdalen College, Oxford, and G. N. CLARK, M.A., Fellow of Oriel College. (1925).

THE accounts of Marston are very early and go back to 1529 and are recorded in a book which in 1569 Edmund Cryche got twopence for "making." In 1574 Richard Jewell was requested to keep a book and for his labour "to have the bullock or at least the free use of the same." As one might expect the writing is disfigured by every kind of illiterary and untidiness, and mistakes in the churchwardens' arithmetic both in adding and subtracting are fairly frequent.

Some historical interest is attached to some of the entries. In Tudor times great movements were making themselves felt in small places, and there are traces in these accounts of the fall in the value of money (1552, 1561), the problem of the national defence (1548, 1558, 1561), and the various stages of the Reformation and of social legislation. Two churchwardens or "churchmen" were elected by the parish at a meeting in Easter week and held office for a year, rendering their accounts at a meeting which chose their successors. In 1579 they elected two townsmen to manage the town stock of money, whom we should call overseers, and subsequently surveyors of highways, a sidesman, constable, clerk, herd, wood herd and hayward.

Church and secular affairs were mingled in the list of the duties of the churchwardens. They kept in repair the village pound and the bridge, a gate, scoured ditches, looked after hedges, mowed thistles; they kept a bull for the common use, branded cattle. Their ecclesiastical duties were many. They had to keep the church in repair. In 1529 a new Lady Altar is provided as they repaired the Lady "Yelyd" (probably the south aisle). The changes at the Reformation are set forth with regard to vestments,

church plate, and other matters. The village had a church house, the scene of rustic merry-makings and there were two feasts, the Whitsuntide Church-Ale and one at Hock-tide. Space forbids an analysis of the accounts of the other villages. These records are extremely valuable in reflecting village-life in olden times. A supplement is added giving an account of the open fields and inclosures at Marston.

THE ROAD TO RANNOCK AND THE SUMMER ISLES. By T. RATCLIFFE BARNETT, with 66 illustrations. (R. Grant & Son, Edinburgh). 78. 6d.

THIS is a grand book for the Scot, or for those who love "the land of brown heath and shaggy wood, the land of the mountain and the flood," with its stories of ever-warring clans, and fights, where Macleods fought with Macdonalds, and there are grim tales of mighty slaughter. We see the little clouds float like tufts of fairy fleece up to the brilliant blue, and the breeze comes sighing out. of the west, rippling the waters until the whole sea is like one vast flashing plain of sapphire. There are myths and legends, and pipes and tabor, and swords and clamores made by Andrea Ferrara, and bows. Know ye the sound of it, the oldest weapon in the world?

The antiquary will find much to revel in in this book, but he must be a Scot and love Scotland and "the pipes"!

ANCIENT MAN IN BRITAIN. By DONALD A. MACKENZIE. (Blackie & Son, Ltd.) 12s. 6d. net.

THIS book marks an epoch in the advancing tide of knowledge as to what it has been the custom to call the Prehistoric Age, and the early historic age of Britain.

No longer must the story of our country commence with Julius Cæsar, and the picture of its inhabitants as savages who coloured themselves blue with woad, such as delighted our childish imaginations; but it is realized that it commences long ages ago, and that when the Romans came it was to conquer a people well advanced in the science and arts of civilization. Indeed the author objects to the use of the word prehistoric in toto, claiming that facts in regard to the early history of our race have been more easily gained through the discoveries of archæology and anthropology, and are more sure, than most of those derived from the confusing study of written documents. He is also at war with the terms Palæolithic and Neolithic, which he declares. that the researches and classification effected chiefly by French archæologists have rendered out of date.

To these he prefers the terms Pre-Agricultural and Agricultural Ages, which certainly gives a more definite basis of classification. To the former belong what he would call (a) The Reindeer Age with the Aurignacian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian industries; (b) The Early Red Deer Age with the Azilian, Tardenoisian, and Maglemosian industries. To the latter belong (a) the Pre-Celtic Age with the Neolithic, copper and bronze industries; (b) the Celtic Age with the bronze, iron and enamel industries. This takes us down to the Romano-British Age, with which the author's studies in this book conclude.

Another thing which comes out clearly is the fact that the old argument as to the existence of pre-Glacial Man is quite out of date. The four glacial periods, the Gunz, Mindel, Riess and Würm, of the Swiss archæologists, though the author does not name them, are now universally recognised, each of them followed by long interglacial periods of varying length; and, it may be noted, that it is probable we have now arrived at about the middle of another inter-glacial period, to be followed in the course of time by a fifth glacial period which will sweep all our civilization away, and Man will have to begin the cycle of progress all over again. But this is speculation!

After a rapid course through the first, second and third Glacial and Inter-glacial Periods and a brief account of Neanderthal Man to whom belonged the Mousterian culture and who died out, as is