WATTS’S LITERARY GUIDE B E IN G A M O N T H L Y R E C O R D O F L IB E R A L A N D A D V A N C E D P U B L IC A T IO N S .

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No. 76.]

MARCH is , 1892.

[Price One Penny.

N E W P U B L IC A T IO N S .

OUR L I B R A R Y SH E LVES.

Mr. S. Laing, the author of “ Modern Science and Modern Thought,” is engaged upon a new work dealing with “ Human Origins.” The first part will detail and examine the latest discoveries in Egypt, Chaldea, etc., and the oldest Tecords and traditions such as the Old Testament, to show how far back we can carry the actual historical record, so as to give us a first standard or measuring rod by which to gauge the depths of time during which man has existed. The second part will take up the inquiry where history and tradition cease, and go back, step by step, through the Neolithic, Palaeolithic, Quaternary, and Tertiary epochs. This latter part will be something like Mr. Laing’s former works, but will differ from them by being held together by the chronological idea of trying how far we can translate ‘ ‘ enormous antiquity” into something like approximate dates in centuries or millenniums. The book may be expected about May next.

Messrs. Swan Sonnenschein & Co. have issued, under the title of “ The Broad Churchman,” a Catechism of Christian Pantheism, compiled by the Rev. G. E. Comerford Casey, M.A. The author is a rational religionist, in sympathy with Mrs. Humphry Ward, of “ Robert Elsmere ” fame.

Mr. John H. Muirhead, who is favourably known as a lecturer before the various Ethical Societies of London, has issued through Mr. Murray a valuable treatise on “ The Elements of Ethics.”

Mrs. Deland, author of the heterodox novel, “ John Ward, Preacher,” is preparing a new volume of short stories.

Messrs. Williams & Norgate have, under the title ■“ Social Ethics” (3s.), published a translation embodying the outlines of a doctrine of morals. The author is Professor Theobald Zeigler.

Mr. G. M. McCrie will shortly issue through Messrs. Bickers a little work entitled “ Sadducee versus Pharisee: A Vindication of Neo-Materialism ” (6d.).

Mr. Robert Forder has published, under the title of ■“ Humanity’s Debt to Thomas Paine” (2d.), Colonel Ingersoll’s recent speech before the members of the Manhattan Liberal Club.

Dr. Bithell’s “ Handbook of Scientific Agnosticism ” is intended to be a standard work on the subject. Each chapter is being carefully and thoroughly revised, the object o f the learned Doctor being to present, not a statement of his individual views, but a synopsis of the opinions held by Agnostics generally. It is probable that the book will not he ready for publication until late in the Spring.

Having given an account of Dr. Romanes’ “ Animal Intelligence,” we may proceed to examine the more extensive work which is its sequel, and which supplies the theory, while the former volume deals mainly with facts :—

“ mental evolution in animals: With a Posthumous Essay on Instinct by Charles Darwin ” (Kegan Paul; 1885; 411 p p .; 12s.). The apposition of Mr. Darwin’s essay with Dr. Romanes’ treatise throws the respective styles into contrast. The general reader would probably prefer Darwin, whose method is more concrete and the reasoning more compact. But this is not to accuse our author of undue philosophising or neglect of illustration. Besides constant reference to “ Animal Intelligence” (a necessary companion to the present work), he adduces no small number of fresh facts. Still, the intending reader must not expect to tread a path as easy as that furnished by the stories of “ Animal Intelligence.” In this work the psychology dominates the anecdotes.

The criterion of mind lies in the query, “ Does the organism learn to make new adjustments, or modify old ones in accordance with the results of its own individual experience?” Two chapters are given to an examination of nerve-tissue and the ganglia which constitute the physical basis of mind, and this leads to the recognition of the “ rootprinciple of mind ” in the power of an organism (animal or plant) to discriminate between the stimuli it is subjected to. Not, of course, that mind is predicated of plants; but there, in the vegetable world, is the physiological faculty, which evolves, at a higher stage of existence, into mental activity. How this mental evolution progresses from protoplasmic organisms, through Coelenterata, Annelida, Mollusca, Insects, Fish, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals, is vividly shown by a large diagram, which yields the key to the work, and greatly assists the student. Chapters vi. to x. treat of Consciousness, Sensation, Pleasures and Pains, Memory, Perception, and Imagination. In connection with Sensation (which is defined as “ feeling aroused by a stimulus ") an interesting history is given of the origin of the special senses; and the significant truth is reached that “ all the special senses are differentiations of the general sense of touch.” With regard to perception, it is sensation plus cognition ; and imagination is the revival and re-combination of sensations and perceptions.

All this psychological preparation is needed before one can appreciate the important series of chapters (xi. to xviii.) on “ Instinct;” indeed, without understanding Dr. Romanes’ previous exposition, the reader will not see the full force of the question on which the author differs from Mr. Herbert Spencer. The latter regards instinct as compound reflex action, while Dr. Romanes holds that into true instinct there enters an element of consciousness, instinctive action being stimulated by perception. The problem thus stated may appear somewhat abstruse; but the whole subject is well illumined by frequent reference to incidents and processes of animal life. The origin and variation of instinct