of the great British Commonwealth must possess an
assured interest for every intelligent American.

The clever author of The Mirrors of Downing Street
has brought together a series of critical and biographical
studies, presented as "reflections" from the mirror in
the Imperial council chamber, of eleven typical Britons
who have done noteworthy work during the years of
the war and who are, now grappling with the problems
of the peace. The name of the author is not given, but
he is evidently one who has had intimate personal as-
sociation with the statesmen and administrators whose
characters he presents. These analyses are not always
sympathetic, and we are not prepared to say that they
will be accepted as final. They are, however, based
upon full knowledge of the conditions and a close
personal study of the men. Intelligent Americans
will be interested in the opinions held by a clear-headed,
capable English writer of the characters of leaders like
Mr. Asquith, Lloyd George, Mr. Balfour, Lord Robert
Cecil, Winston Churchill, and others, and they will find
in these pages first-hand information and clever and
incisive studies of noteworthy men whose influence has
counted, and is still to count, in shaping the history of
Britain and of the world.

G. H. P.

NEW YORK, December, 1920

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