Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis III 1922 1.djvu/102

94 BOOK REVIEWS emphasising the positive nature of this teaching in contradistinction to the more negative injunctions of so many of Christ's followers, Dr. Berguer deals interestingly with the influence on Christ of contemporary thought (particularly as regards Jewish Messianism and Eschatology), with the symbols employed by Christ in his teaching and with the parables. As regards these two latter points however, the explanations offered seem to be, in some respects, seriously incomplete, as when it is said (p. 102):

'Lá, où tons les conseils demeurent infructueux parce qu'ils n'en-grènent pas avec la vie, parce qu'ils restent extérieurs à la personne, l'évocation des symboles éternels et universels pénètre plus profondément; elle laisse, en effet, le champ libre à l'interprétation personnelle, et ainsi elle ne risque pas, comma les commandements précis et les conseils directs de violer la conscience. Et puis, elle ouvre aux developpements ultérieurs un horizon beaucoup plus vaste.'

Surely the much more satisfactory and fundamental explanation is that advanced by Ernest Jones, i, e. that abstract, difficult or relatively unattractive ideas gain in intensity and motive power by being clothed in symbolic form, inasmuch as the symbols employed (being, as they are, in the nature of compromise formations) stand nearer to the original sources of feeling than do the ideas themselves. The matter is of importance because a realisation of the dynamic relationships involved in such cases would appear to be essential to a full understanding of the nature of anagogic symbolism, and those who (like Dr. Berguer in this book) are largely concerned with the interpretation of symbolism on this level are liable to misunderstand the ultimate psychological significance and ethical value of this symbolism unless they keep these dynamic relationships constantly in view. Religious and moral symbolism owes its value to the fact that it renders possible the deflection of desire to sublimated aims to an extent that would not otherwise be possible. At the same time it must be borne in mind that this symbolism represents always to some extent a compromise with primitive unconscious forces and a departure from strict adherence to the Reality-Principle, and is therefore to be regarded as a concession to our relatively feeble powers of sublimation rather than as something that is inherently valuable in itself. Any attempt to insist on the retention of this symbolism among individuals, classes or races, who are capable of more direct efforts of sublimation and more efficient comprehension of abstract ideas constitutes therefore a retrograde rather than a progressive moral influence — an influence of which orthodox ministers of religion are however often guilty.

The fifth chapter is devoted to the Miracles. After certain general considerations, in the course of which we are reminded that to Christ's contemporaries there was nothing impossible in the occurrence