Reviews.
Psychology.By John Dewey, Ph. D.,Assistant Professor of Philosophy in Michigan University.New York: Harper & Brothers, 1887. pp. xii, 427.This book is designed purely for class-room instruction. The author has endeavored to produce a work free from metaphysics, which he tells us has no place in psychology. With this in mind, he has also endeavored to make his work an introduction to philosophy in general. He has attempted, by his mode of presenting his subjects, to form in the mind of the student the habit of looking at questions, which may present themselves to him, in a philosophical manner. Theobscuritywhich characterizes most books on this subject, and which always leaves the mind of the beginner in a state of bewilderment, is to a great extent gotten rid of. The definitions are plain and simple; the disquisitions are full but not tedious. At the end of each chapter, numerous references are given to parallel works on the subjects treated. A writer on psychology may reject some of the matter which that subject includes, as for instance, thewill, but he cannot make new material; he can only present in anattractive mannerthat which men have used for centuries. The author has done this admirably.A Tramp Trip.How to see Europe for fifty cents a day.By Lee Meriweather. Harper & Bros.For sale by De Wolfe, Fiske & Co., Boston, Mass.pp. iv. 276. 1886.There are many young men who desire to broaden their field of knowledge and more strongly impress upon their minds historic scenes by traveling in Europe, and yet these young men are prevented by not having the amount of money generally requisite for traveling. To such “A Tramp Trip” will be especially interesting. The author tells how he has made a trip in which he saw all the objects of interest, was enabled to study the masses from a standpoint totally inaccessible to the wealthy traveler, and all for the exceedingly low sum of fifty cents a day. A number of tables show the result of his investigation of the social conditions, and therein are some instructive illustrations of the tariff question as applied to foreign countries. The style is the free and easy and there is enough wit to make the work very interesting.Slips of Tongue and Pen.By J. H. Long, M. A., LL. D.New York: D. Appleton & Co. pp. 100. 1888.Here we have an unusually well selected list of the more common mistakes of our language, such asexpectforthink,presumeforbelieve,perwith an English word, asper day; we should saya dayandper annum. Beside such as these are also added grammaticalpoints, suggestions upon composition, synonymous words often confused, objectionable words and phrases, and a few simple rules for punctuation. Many of us would be surprised if we should read it and learn how much carelessness and inexactness injure the purity of our language.Poetical Geography of North Carolina,Cold Water, Reply to Gray’s Elegy, and other Poems.By Needham Bryan Cobb, of North Carolina. Cambridge:Printed at the Riverside Press. pp. 61, 1887.As the author states in his preface, the object of this work is to aid the pupils of North Carolina to memorize the geography of their native State. The first thirty pages are devoted exclusively to this purpose, and hence can be of local interest only. The chief characteristic of the style of this part of the book is that it rimes in couplets. The subject-matter falls far below the true standard of poetry, but this is perfectly excusable when it is remembered that the author’s intention was not to weave in beautiful poetic figures with smoothly flowing rhythm, but to produce a brief, concise aid to the memory. The remainder of the book, which consists of poems on various subjects, contains more of the real poetic sentiment. The “Reply to Gray’s Elegy,” “Cold Water,” and “Worldliness and Worth, or the Butterfly and the Bee,” which closes with fine moral on Bible-reading, are especially to be admired. This little book should be in the library of every student in our State. It contains a number of good illustrations, and its generalmake-upis attractive.Life of P. T. Barnum.Written by himself,including his golden rules for moneymaking.Brought up to 1888. Illustrated.Buffalo: The Courier Company. pp. 357, 12m. 1888.Price 60 cents.It is always interesting to watch the struggles of men who would grow wealthy. Then there will be found much interest in the account of the struggles of “The Greatest Showman on Earth.” His life reads like a novel, so full is it of incident. He makes the keynote of his success the fact that Americans admire nothing more than to be cleverly humbugged, and he knows how to satisfy them. His avowed object, a good one, is to furnish a moral show. When this can be attained, shows will become an educational feature by no means to be despised.“The greatness of London is in no respect more strikingly illustrated than by the range of its literary activity,” says the May number ofHarper’s Magazineat the close of that interesting article entitled “London as a Literary Centre.” Few people are aware of the fact that to-day 14,000 persons in the great metropolis earn their living by their pens. London is the centre of action of many whose names have become household words wherever the English language is spoken. Read the article.
Psychology.By John Dewey, Ph. D.,Assistant Professor of Philosophy in Michigan University.New York: Harper & Brothers, 1887. pp. xii, 427.
This book is designed purely for class-room instruction. The author has endeavored to produce a work free from metaphysics, which he tells us has no place in psychology. With this in mind, he has also endeavored to make his work an introduction to philosophy in general. He has attempted, by his mode of presenting his subjects, to form in the mind of the student the habit of looking at questions, which may present themselves to him, in a philosophical manner. Theobscuritywhich characterizes most books on this subject, and which always leaves the mind of the beginner in a state of bewilderment, is to a great extent gotten rid of. The definitions are plain and simple; the disquisitions are full but not tedious. At the end of each chapter, numerous references are given to parallel works on the subjects treated. A writer on psychology may reject some of the matter which that subject includes, as for instance, thewill, but he cannot make new material; he can only present in anattractive mannerthat which men have used for centuries. The author has done this admirably.
A Tramp Trip.How to see Europe for fifty cents a day.By Lee Meriweather. Harper & Bros.For sale by De Wolfe, Fiske & Co., Boston, Mass.pp. iv. 276. 1886.
There are many young men who desire to broaden their field of knowledge and more strongly impress upon their minds historic scenes by traveling in Europe, and yet these young men are prevented by not having the amount of money generally requisite for traveling. To such “A Tramp Trip” will be especially interesting. The author tells how he has made a trip in which he saw all the objects of interest, was enabled to study the masses from a standpoint totally inaccessible to the wealthy traveler, and all for the exceedingly low sum of fifty cents a day. A number of tables show the result of his investigation of the social conditions, and therein are some instructive illustrations of the tariff question as applied to foreign countries. The style is the free and easy and there is enough wit to make the work very interesting.
Slips of Tongue and Pen.By J. H. Long, M. A., LL. D.New York: D. Appleton & Co. pp. 100. 1888.
Here we have an unusually well selected list of the more common mistakes of our language, such asexpectforthink,presumeforbelieve,perwith an English word, asper day; we should saya dayandper annum. Beside such as these are also added grammaticalpoints, suggestions upon composition, synonymous words often confused, objectionable words and phrases, and a few simple rules for punctuation. Many of us would be surprised if we should read it and learn how much carelessness and inexactness injure the purity of our language.
Poetical Geography of North Carolina,Cold Water, Reply to Gray’s Elegy, and other Poems.By Needham Bryan Cobb, of North Carolina. Cambridge:Printed at the Riverside Press. pp. 61, 1887.
As the author states in his preface, the object of this work is to aid the pupils of North Carolina to memorize the geography of their native State. The first thirty pages are devoted exclusively to this purpose, and hence can be of local interest only. The chief characteristic of the style of this part of the book is that it rimes in couplets. The subject-matter falls far below the true standard of poetry, but this is perfectly excusable when it is remembered that the author’s intention was not to weave in beautiful poetic figures with smoothly flowing rhythm, but to produce a brief, concise aid to the memory. The remainder of the book, which consists of poems on various subjects, contains more of the real poetic sentiment. The “Reply to Gray’s Elegy,” “Cold Water,” and “Worldliness and Worth, or the Butterfly and the Bee,” which closes with fine moral on Bible-reading, are especially to be admired. This little book should be in the library of every student in our State. It contains a number of good illustrations, and its generalmake-upis attractive.
Life of P. T. Barnum.Written by himself,including his golden rules for moneymaking.Brought up to 1888. Illustrated.Buffalo: The Courier Company. pp. 357, 12m. 1888.Price 60 cents.
It is always interesting to watch the struggles of men who would grow wealthy. Then there will be found much interest in the account of the struggles of “The Greatest Showman on Earth.” His life reads like a novel, so full is it of incident. He makes the keynote of his success the fact that Americans admire nothing more than to be cleverly humbugged, and he knows how to satisfy them. His avowed object, a good one, is to furnish a moral show. When this can be attained, shows will become an educational feature by no means to be despised.
“The greatness of London is in no respect more strikingly illustrated than by the range of its literary activity,” says the May number ofHarper’s Magazineat the close of that interesting article entitled “London as a Literary Centre.” Few people are aware of the fact that to-day 14,000 persons in the great metropolis earn their living by their pens. London is the centre of action of many whose names have become household words wherever the English language is spoken. Read the article.