The question under discussion here is both perplexing and easy, a paradox arising from the scarcity of precisely datable Sung bronzes. Because of the scarcity of such bronzes, art historians have not succeeded in forming a definite view about their quality, casting, and designs; however, it may be possible for specialists in other fields to say something about them. Unfortunately, records, too, are scanty. Under such circumstances, we may be justified in resorting to exogenous, namely economic, factors in the hope of finding an acceptable provisional conclusion.

The publication of P'u-yi's autobiography is an occasion of great importance, not merely to sinologists and historians, but also to sociologists and political scientists, for the book contains a wealth of valuable information about the recent past of China, life in the Manchu court, particularly that of the author, and the technique of political education adopted by the Chinese Communists. The book itself is a unique document in two respects—it is the first autobiography of a Chinese monarch and this monarch's life spans the period from the medievalism of Aisin-Gioro to the Communism of Mao Tse-tung.

October 2, 1964, was the ninetieth birthday of Mrs. E. 0. Ashton, and the School of Oriental and African Studies would like to take this opportunity of paying its respects to one of its oldest and most loved colleagues. It is no exaggeration to say that Africa, and especially East Africa, is full of men and women, many of them old themselves, who look upon her with esteem and affection.

The field of the various regional theatres, ti-fang-hsi which represent a substantial part of the traditional Chinese theatre, still remains largely unexplored. It has always been outside the scope of the interest of Chinese and European scholars, who have paid most attention to Yüan-ch'ü the drama of the Mongol era, to the K'un-ch'ü theatre, and lately also to Ching-hsi or Peking opera. The Peking opera is in fact one of the regional theatres by origin, but it occupies an exceptional position because it is distributed throughout China and is not localized in a specific part of the country like other ti-fang-hsi.

It is argued that this work is a native Hausa tradition, and therefore a Hausa comment on history and the confrontation between Islam and paganism. This is important because our researches have hitherto been based almost entirely upon documents of the Fulani tradition, and Hausa comment has been scant. The fact that the song is written in Hausa is not of itself evidence of native Hausa origin, for certain of the Fulani are known to have composed in Hausa as well as Arabic and Fula. It is to the content and the imagery that we must look for this evidence.