Page:Mind (Old Series) Volume 12.djvu/157

 144 NEW BOOKS. .but with present science and philosophy and independent" morality. The sub-title indicates that the author regards religion as in its origin a " socio- logical " theory of the universe, arid expects " the irreligion of the future " to assume finally just such a " sociological " form. In part i. (" Genesis of Religions in Primitive Societies," pp. 1-102) he contends, against Prof. Max Miiller, that " the sense of the infinite " and other emotions of the kind, instead of explaining the origin of religions, are signs of their decomposi- tion ; and, against Mr. Spencer, that men did not at first distinguish between things animate and inanimate, but before any idea of spirit had been formed were able to " anthropomorphise " nature. For primitive peoples "nature is a society". Everything in which an interest is felt that is, everything that can be useful or dangerous is thought of as having a will. After the stage of " concrete naturism " in which the universe is '" a society of living bodies," comes " dualist animism " ; last of all comes the doctrine of a "metaphysical unity". The subject of part ii. ("Dissolu- tion of Religions in actual Societies," pp. 103-298) offers .occasion for com- parison of the practical influence of Catholicism, Protestantism and Free Thought. Especially in this part there is much incidental discussion of social questions of the day. Part iii. (" The Irreligion of the Future," pp. 299-479) contains first a sketch of an ideal society in which " free associa- tion of intelligences, wills and sensibilities " has taken the place of religious rites, while " individual metaphysical hypotheses," perhaps approaching one another closely in essence, yet each having its own personal shade, have superseded the dogmas of Churches. In the later chapters the author goes through the series of possible metaphysical hypotheses detached from reli- gion ; discussing in succession "Theism," "Optimistic and Pessimistic Pantheism," and " Idealistic, Materialistic and Monistic Naturalism ". His personal preference is for a form of Monism in which " life is the synthesis of matter and spirit " a synthesis which, he thinks, is made by science itself. " Life is fecundity," at first unconscious, afterwards consciously manifesting itself in " intellectual and moral fecundity ". This theory, applied to ethics in the author's last work, here forms the basis of specula- tions on a possible " definitive result of evolution ". By a more and more complete " social interpenetration," an " intercosmical consciousness " may at length be attained. Beings in whom the law of the universe has become perfectly conscious of itself will be able henceforth to hold in check the process of dissolution. "Immortality would be a final acquisition made by the species for the benefit of all its members." Le Magnetisme Animale. Par ALFRED BINET et CH. FERE", Medecin- ad joint. a la Salpetriere. Avec Figures dans le Texte. Paris: F. Alcan, 1887. Pp. 284. This book (say the authors) " has been written in the atmosphere of the Salpetriere," and it is well fitted to give readers the exact knowledge that is wanted of the remarkable experiments on human beings that have now for so long been conducted at that hospital under the auspices of M. Charcot. Hypnotism (for which the authors in their title somehow prefer to retain the older question-begging name) is truly the subject of the hour with psychological inquirers, and will soon be brought forward again at length in these pages, in respect of some of its latest and strangest develop- ments. (Note also, already in this No., the observations at p. 154 below.) Before giving, from p. 62 of the present work, their clear and straightfor- ward account of the phenomena they have witnessed in "subjects" of the three hypnotic states distinguished by M. Charcot as " Lethargy," " Cata- lepsy," " Somnambulism," and putting such psychological interpretation upon the phenomena as with trained ability they can, the authors give a