Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 6.djvu/395

 VI. CRITICAL NOTICES. Analytic Psychology. By G. F. STOUT, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. In two volumes. London : Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1896. Vol. i., pp. xv., 289; vol. ii., pp. v., 314. IT seems superfluous to undertake, for the readers of MIND, any mere report of the opinions of the author of the present volumes. On the other hand, the task of estimating Mr. Stout's contribu- tions to his science is one which cannot be very briefly accom- plished, at least by the present reviewer. For these contributions relate to some of the most central of the problems of psychological theory. They are marked by originality of method, even where they appear as defending well-known doctrines. And the present writer finds that they arouse in his mind a somew r hat complex union of assent and dissent. In fact, one of the reasons for the long and unwilling delay of this review has been the difficulty that I have felt in clearly distinguishing between the features of Mr. Stout's treatment that call forth my admiring agreement, and the very closely related features that I find myself unable to accept. I do not believe this difficulty wholly subjective. Nor, on the other hand, do I believe Mr. Stout to be at all individually responsible for it. I take it that the present position of psychological theory, the current controversies as to the nature of " psychical causa- tion" and as to the constitution of the "stream of consciousness," are such as demand of us, when we consider them, some very subtle and delicate distinctions. Personally I thank Mr. Stout, whose whole treatment of his subject is so subtle and so delicate, for help in making these needed distinctions clearer in my own mind. But when I turn to the task of commenting upon his highly important discussions in the light of these distinctions, in so far as I at present possess such light, I find myself simply unable to be as brief as I could wish. This is my fault ; but at all events I hope that the length of these comments may be taken as a measure, however awkward, of my interest in our author's work. I. Mr. Stout distinguishes between " Analytic Psychology," the topic of the present volumes, and "Genetic Psychology," to which