To anyone who has studied under Prof. Laughlin, it is unnecessary to say that his edition of Mill's "Principles of Political Economy" is a work of real value and one that will take rank as something besides a mere textbook of the sciences. The editor has done more than one would gather by glancing at the title-page; he has not only abridged much that is unnecessary to-day in the original text, but he has added a great deal of matter in the form of extensive notes. A number of diagrams have been inserted in order to aid the student in getting a graphic representation of the principles, while a number of charts, valuable not only for reading, but for continual reference have been scattered through the volume. In every possible case, American illustrations have been employed in the text instead of English or Continental ones, and to American students this will add greatly to the interest and life of the book. A considerable sketch of the history of political economy is given in the earlier pages, and bibliographies are inserted at the beginning and end. Several chapters have had matter added to them, and one, on the "Future of the Laboring Classes," has been entirely re-written. "In some cases, "Prof. Laughlin states in his preface, "I have omitted Mr. Mill's statement entirely, and put in its stead a simpler form of the same exposition which I believed would more easily be grasped by a student." These in brief are the principal features of the new work. While the book is founded on Mr. Mill's work, there is so much that is new and original that it is really more Prof. Laughlin's book than Mr. Mill's. The whole book indicates research and care, and reflects credit in every way on the college as well as on the editor.
A. B. H.
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