Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 58.djvu/337

Rh ' and 'The psychology of spiritualism,' while those entitled 'The psychology of deception,' 'Hypnotism and its antecedents,' 'The natural history of analogy,' 'The mind's eye' and 'A study of involuntary movements' throw light upon the general characteristics of the phenomena involved and the mental attitudes which people take toward them. The information given about the means taken by those whose interest it is to mislead observation, about the inevitable influence of our previous experiences, our temporary frame of mind and the 'unconscious logic of our hopes and fears' on our sensations and judgments, and about the tendency to make unconsciously expressive movements, is scientifically valuable, and is attractively set forth. The attitude taken toward Christian science, spiritualism, thought-transference and veridical hallucinations is, as would be expected, sane and consistent. There is, too, a pleasing courtesy and absence of any pharisaical air of superiority in the criticisms. It is Professor Jastrow's good fortune to possess, in addition to the knowledge of the criteria of evidence and inference in human phenomena proper to a scientific psychologist, an insight into the interests and motives of men outside his own class. This makes his comments on the types of interest in psychical research and the factors predisposing to belief in thought-transference or in spiritualism of especial value. There is a growing class, at least among psychologists, Who have been so affected by the quantity of talk about psychical research and the quality of the work done in it, as to be fairly careless whether there be spirit communication or no, whether the adepts of spiritualism be knaves or fools or neither or both. Even to these Professor Jastrow's shrewd comments on the raison d'être of the belief will be interesting.

some traces of a too Wordsworthian sentimentalism, nothing but praise can be bestowed upon Professor MacCunn's new volume, 'The Making of Character' (Macmillan). Pedagogy, even if it can be dignified by the name of science, has suffered sadly at the hands of its friends. Loose, unsystematic, fallacious and frothy books abound; screaming too often takes the place of close reasoning, wishy-washy guessing of sober investigation. A mere enumeration of MacCunn's main divisions shows how far he has advanced beyond this. His treatment falls into four principal parts, dealing with Congenital Endowment, its nature and treatment; Educative Influences; Sound Judgment; Self-development and Self-control. As ia to be expected from one of British training and associations, the social aspects of the theme are reviewed most successfully. The English distaste for psychology in its modern developments limits the discussion of congenital endowment somewhat obviously. But, take it for all in all, a wiser handbook for parents and teachers, or a more inspiring and sensible vade mecum for the general reader would be hard to find. Incidentally, the discussion throws some little light on the old question as to the relative educational value of the 'humanities' and the 'sciences'; but only incidentally.