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 396 CRITICAL NOTICES : stimulating illustrations from all quarters of literature in which the book abounds, the student of psychology will derive much benefit from the study of the manner in which skilful psychological obser- vation finds rich and fruitful material for analysis and reflexion, for thought and recreation, not only in the higher fields of literature and of art, but in every stage of human existence and in the homeliest experiences of domestic life. MICHAEL MAKER, S.J. The Republic of Plato. Edited with critical notes, commentary and appendices by JAMES ADAM, M.A., Hon. LL.D. of Aber- deen University, Fellow and Senior Tutor of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Cambridge : At the University Press, 1902. Pp. xvi., 364; vi., 532. THOUGH an introductory volume is still to publish, Dr. Adam can look back upon the accomplishment of at least the more arduous part of a great undertaking. He is to be warmly congratulated upon the completion of his anxiously looked for commentary on Plato's Republic, and that it is so eminently worthy of the imprimatur of his University. in its first intention it is a contribution to Greek philology in the narrower sense, much occupied with grammatical construc- tions, with the force of particles, and with conjectural emendations. It is from this point of view not unnatural that it avows greater indebtedness to Schneider than to any other single commentator. Equally significant is the restriction of the use of post-Platonic criticism, from Aristotle downward, to matters in which this sub- serves the interpretation of Plato as he stands written. And if the history of Platonism is excluded from the purview, still less is there any concession to the temptation to construe Plato in the light of modern political, religious or philosophical theory. It is perhaps rather because of Dr. Adam's observance of such limita- tions than in despite of them that amateurs of Plato and of ancient philosophy, even if they have no interest in'/xeV save as bearing on the humanities, will find this commentary practically indis- pensable. For, at his best, Dr. Adam is very good indeed. And this whether in appendix or in note. The appendices to the several books, which, as indicated on the title-page, constitute a marked feature of the work, are sometimes devoted to difficulties of read- ing or translation, the discussion of which has outgrown the limits of footnotes, but not infrequently they are in effect concise mono- graphs, which, in combination with the local notes, form each a very solid body of teaching on some point in the subject matter or speculations connected therewith. Of these the most forcible to our thinking is that on the propaedeutic studies of the guardians.