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 596 NEW BOOKS. special arts. The chief source for his exposition has been the Geschichte dcr Aesthctik in Deutschland (1868), but he also makes full use of references to aesthetic questions in Lotze's other works. Het Vrcutgtfruk ran den zedclijken Vooruitgang. Door Mr. M. C. L. LOTSIJ. Eerste Stuk : Begrip van Zedelijkheid. Utrecht : J. L. Beyers, 1885. Pp. v., 139, and (Appendices) xxxi. The author showed the quality of his work some years ago in an original and vigorous commentary on the philosophy of Spinoza (see MIND, Vol. iv. 431). The present book (of which only the first part is yet published), is an endeavour to construct a theory of ethics on the footing of scientific psychology. The author's view of morality is determinist, empirical, and in a certain sense egoistic and subjective. It is distinctly not utilitarian ; he seems to regard J. S. Mill's utilitarianism, for example, as an illogical (join- promise with the commonplaces of unscientific thinking. For what he calls " apriorism " in every form he has nothing but contempt. Indeed this book, like its predecessor, is not a little disfigured by the constant disparagement of Kant, who is classed as "utilitarian from top to toe". Certainly it may be argued that the final cause of Kant's categorical imperative is in ultimate analysis not distinguishable from the final cause of human action expressed or assumed by the systems commonly known as utilitarian ; but to call Kant an utilitarian on the strength of this does not tend to clearness of either historical or philosophical con- ception. In rejecting utilitarianism, the author does not accept egoistic hedonism. Like Mr. Leslie Stephen, he regards morality as essentially a function of man's social nature. It is curious that he does not mention either Mr. Stephen's work or Mr. Herbert Spencer's Data of Ethics : he gives some pages to criticism of M. Guyau, and is fond of citing Prof. Bain, Dr. Maudsky and Buckle (whom the printer ha-s turned into "Buccle"). Judging by the company he keeps rather than by his express utter;. he appears to be of those who imagine that psychophysic and cerebral physiology are going to make philosophy superfluous. Nevertheless he is clear and sound on the point that morality is not a sum of a. or something inferred from actions, but a state which determines action, herein agreeing with the best moral philosophers of all schools. His merits, and to a certain extent his defects, would make his writing espe- cially congenial to English readers, if they could read it. But not many in tliis country can be expected to face Dutch, though the trouble of mustering it for reading pur-poses need not be formidable to any one of English and German. RECEIVED also : J. T. Cunningham, Charles Darwin ("Round Table Series"), Edinburgh, W. I'.rown, pp. 32. H. Pratt, JY n- A.^^cts of Life ami 1!<1 iyion, London, Williams & Xoigate, pp. xiii., 396. A. Vogel. J'ltil>i*o/ It itches Repetitorium : i. ' iler Philosophic, 3te A'lll., (Jiitersluh, Berlel.-mann, pp. x., 181. ' G. Biedermann, J-'IiiUisujihie des G, ' . Tempsky ; Leipzig, Fiv pp. xxxi., 316. H. Volt/, Die Kthik als JJ r issenschaft, Strassburg, Triibner, 1886, pp. ">">.