The Alps in 1864, by A. W. Moore. 2 vols., 8vo., pp. 524, with illustrations. Oxford: Blackwell, 1938. Price 10 s.

Some of this material the writer has read at times, in the original volume of which these are a reprint. Assembled together, however, they form a readable travelogue of summers three-quarters of a century ago. It is hardly necessary to comment on the he-man vigor of those days—tackling the Dom right from the Monte Rosa Hotel in Zermatt, for instance. To those of us who received our first mountain training among the classic climbs of the Alps, these books are bound to be far more interesting than to those whose mountain education was achieved among the Rockies of our Westand have then visited the Alps to try only a few of the newer “trick” climbs. Those older classic climbs have a certain charm which never wears off, however often they are done. The illustrations in this book do rekindle the charm of these classic climbs for those who have once known them.

It is regrettable that, to such a full feeling of the past, there should be added any airplane views; for new, unknown country such as Alaska airplane views have no equal, but for peaks we have always seen pictured from below, somehow the different airplane perspective reduces their friendly features. For those who have fond recollections of the Alps, these two volumes, very inexpensive, will prove a pleasure.

J. E. F.