The text-book will probably furnish adequate material not only for the Hundred Years’ War itself, but for the gradual development of France and England in the years preceding the struggle. Lodge, in the preface to “The Close of the Middle Ages,” states some of the problems involved in a study of the period. In his concluding chapter he attempts to characterize the Middle Ages and show their relation to the Renaissance. Seignobos’ “History of Medieval and Modern Civilization” contains two well-written chapters on “The End of the Middle Ages and the Establishment of Absolute Power in Europe” (chapters xv-xvi). Summaries of the political situation at the close of the Middle Ages are to be found in most of the text-books. Chapter xxiii in Robinson, “Western Europe,” portrays conditions at the beginning of the sixteenth century. In the source books of Thatcher and McNeal, of Robinson and of Ogg are found extracts illustrating the history of the papacy during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The former marshals all the important documents together in a section entitled “The Church. 1250-1500.” Robinson’s selections are perhaps as useful as any for the light they throw on the reform movement. Froissart’s “Chronicles,” furnish abundant material on the Hundred Years’ War. FOOTNOTE: [5] Lodge, Close of Middle Ages, Preface. Ancient History in the Secondary School WILLIAM FAIRLEY, Ph.D., Editor. SPARTA, ATHENS, THE PERSIAN WARS. The Greek Weakness. The fact that we are now to trace the very distinct development of Athens and of Sparta points out an essential characteristic of the Greek race: their division into rival and warring states. A fine question to arouse thought on the part of pupils is: How could little states so near together as Attica, Laconia, Arcadia and Bœotia come to differ so in their characteristics? Why were they not all developed nearly along the same lines, like the people of the United States? Let the children be brought to see that the lack of means of communication, in contrast with our post and telegraph and newspaper, goes far to explain this. This isolated development, in spite of the common language, games and festivities, was the perpetual weakness of Greece. Sparta; Her Strength and Her Limitations.