Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis III 1922 1.djvu/85

 BOOK REVIEWS 77

This book attempts to present mainly the tenets of Freud in the form of question and answer; the author (already well known for his other works in abnormal psychology) succeeds in some degree, and he also provides suggestions for mental hygiene and character formation. Nevertheless his enthusiasm for a concise catechism apparently leads him into some misleading and ambiguous statements which are obvious to the Freudian, but which are apt to confuse his other readers.

The 'division o£ consciousness' (page 57) is a gross error. Since consciousness is the term used to denote the mental processes of which a person is aware at a given moment, the unconscious could not be a division of the conscious. This term, like the analogous ones 'splitting' or 'dissociation of consciousness' is based on the old confusion between 'consciousness' and 'mind'.

Two conflicting statements are to be found regarding the sexual symbol (page 5i}, and the latent content of the dream (page 90), the latter one of which approximates more to the truth than that ' the sexual symbol is an effort to escape from the more grossly sexual '. It is rather 'an effort to escape' the vigilance of the censorship, and hence gratify grossly sexual wishes by its use m consciousness.

Also the term ' spiritualised ' (p. 72} used in connection witii dreams is not compatible with a scientific terminologj'.

No doubt this book will be welcomed by readers who have neither time nor inclination to pursue a larger work but who wish to gain a bird's eye view of the subject; and the bibliography in which most of the standard works are quoted will appeal to those readers who require more detailed information and accuracy.

EsTELLE Maude Cole.

Deeams and the UNCONSCIOUS;: An Introduction to the Study of Psycho-Analysis. By C. W. Valentine, M.A., Professor of Education in the University of Birmingham. (Christophers, London, 1921. Pp. 144. Price 4s. 6d.)

One can understand the reason for a book written to expound psycho- analysis and also that for one written in criticism of it, but what is one to make of an exposition professing to be an 'introduction to the study of psycho-analysis ' which dissents from most of |the views held by psycho-analysts and from a good many the author falsely imputes to them?

The aim of the book is stated to be the [endeavour to provide an eiqjosition of what the author terms 'the new psychology' and to link it on to academic psychology. The method of doing this is quite simple. One enters the familiar third stage of opposition, and decrees that what