Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/422

 Reviews of Books MINOR NOTICES Sociological Papers. Volume II., 1905. By Francis Galton, P. Geddes, M. E. Sadler, E. Westermarck, H. Hoffding, J. H. Bridges, and J. S. Stuart-Glennie. (Published for the Sociological Society, London, Macmillan and Company, 1906, pp. xiii, 312.) This volume comprises the papers read before the English Sociological Society, and the discus- sions thereon, during its meetings from October, 1904, to June, 1905. The Sociological Society takes all knowledge as its field, and the seven papers in this volume naturally cover a variety of subjects. The paper by Dr. J. H. Bridges on " Some Guiding Principles in the Philosophy of History" is of interest to historical students. Dr. Bridges argues (p. 203) "that there is room for a new speciality in the study of history, which is to bring the specialities together, and range them, so far as this can be done, in a continuance sequence." Every student of the philos- ophy of history must have some theory as the basis of his philosophy, and Dr. Bridges finds the unity of history in the gradual disappearance of the theocratic or religious elements of government. This position is very properly criticized as being too narrow; in the discussion of the paper Mr. G. M. Trevelyan asserts that if any agreement could be reached upon a philosophy of history, it would have to be much more all- embracing than the consideration of a single set of phenomena like the alleged decline of the theocratic element in government. The discussion of this subject is stimulating. Mr. J. S. Stuart-Glennie upholds a curious theory by which he main- tains that similar historical events recur every five hundred years ; by means of this theory he confidently and definitely predicts future occur- rences. Throughout the papers in this volume one is impressed with the predominant influence of Comte among the sociologists. Some of the papers are couched in such language as to render their meaning very obscure; it may almost be said that the sociologists have developed a complete technical terminology before they have defined the proper scope of their science. Proceedings of the American Political Science Association, at its second annual meeting held at Baltimore, Md., December 26 to 29, 1905. (Lancaster, Pa., Wickershani Press, 1906, pp. 232.) Most of the sub- jects discussed in this volume are of present political interest; the papers upon negro suffrage in the South and upon municipal ownership of natural monopolies are of great value to one who takes an interest in problems of the present day. The only paper of a definitely historical character is that of Miss Mary L. Hinsdale entitled " The Cabinet and Congress: an Historical Inquiry"; this paper contains a careful discus- sion of the relations between the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, and of the attempts to give Cabinet members seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Professor Schaper's report on instruction in political science is of