LITERARY NOTICES. 



4*3 



he made a contribution to historic inquiry 

 which Las been translated into many lan- 

 guages, and influenced in no small degree 

 the thinking of his generation. 



Mr. Buckle was, beyond doubt, deficient 

 in many qualities necessary to handle so 

 vast a theme at the period when he entered 

 upon the undertaking. He lacked the sci- 

 entific preparation for dealing adequately 

 with his task. He was not well equipped 

 with the large ideas which had a bearing 

 upon it, and which were already ripened in 

 leading contemporary minds. When he pub- 

 lished his first volume, in 1857, Herbert 

 Spencer had already matured a system of 

 thought, involving the principles of social 

 development, and based upon the new phi- 

 losophy of evolution. Mr. Buckle was not 

 only unprepared to avail himself of these 

 controlling conceptions, but he resisted some 

 of them as he would not have done if his 

 training had been more thoroughly in the 

 true spirit of science. But he did his work 

 well, and it is fortunate for his memory that 

 the task of delineating his life fell into such 

 excellent hands as those of his present biog- 

 rapher. The book is interestingly written, 

 and will be read with pleasure even by those 

 who know little of the works of the author. 



The Fundamental Concepts of Modern 

 Philosophic Thought, critically and 

 historically considered. by rudolph 

 Eucken, Ph. D., Professor in Jena. 

 Translated by M. Stcart Phelps, Ph. D., 

 with an Introduction by President Por- 

 ter. New York : D. Appleton & Co. 

 Pp. 304. Price, $1.75. 



Professor Eucken's bock is not only an 

 important addition to the history of philos- 

 ophy, but it is an addition that is specially 

 adapted to the requirements of the present 

 time. With great skill and learning, and 

 remarkable clearness of style for a German 

 philosopher, he has traced out the origin 

 and progress of those fundamental concep- 

 tions which play so prominent a part in 

 modern controversy, and also of the terms 

 by which those ideas are represented. The 

 author's point of view is tacitly that of 

 evolution, since he undertakes to delineate 

 the philosophical concepts of to-day in their 

 historical formation, and in their transforma- 

 tions, extensions, and shiftings of phraseol- 

 ogy. How fitly his discussion answers to 



the needs of the times will appear from a 

 glance at the contents of his volume, which 

 we subjoin : I. " Subjective and Objective " ; 

 II. " Experience " ; III. " A Priori Innate " ; 

 IV. "Immanent (Cosmic)"; V. "Monism, 

 Dualism"; VI. "Law"; VII. "Develop- 

 ment " ; VIII. " Primary Concepts of Causa- 

 tion (Mechanic Organic) (Ideology) " ; IX. 

 "Culture"; X. "Individuality"; XI. "Hu- 

 manity " ; XII. " Realism Idealism " ; XIII. 

 " Optimism Pessimism " ; XIV. " Conclu- 

 sion." 



It will be seen from this enumeration of 

 subjects that the work covers a large field 

 of contemporary interest, both scientific and 

 speculative ; but it must not be supposed 

 that the author engages in the positive dis- 

 cussion of these topics as they are now 

 treated by systematic controversialists. Into 

 the present conflict of thought, as the repre- 

 sentative of any school, he does not enter ; 

 and hardly a great name in the science or 

 philosophy of the present age appears in his 

 pages. But, taking the leading conceptions 

 that are now of special interest in literary 

 and philosophical circles, and which, "pro- 

 ceeding from philosophy and the general 

 scientific development, have become a power 

 in life as a whole," he subjects them to such 

 historical analysis and criticism as will prove 

 serviceable to the- modern student. 



Dr. Porter recommended this volume for 

 translation, and has at once adopted it as a 

 text-book in Yale College. He contributes 

 to it a brief Introductory Essay, commend- 

 ing it to English readers as eminently suited 

 to the times. " He can say with an assured 

 confidence that there are few books within 

 his knowledge which are better fitted to aid 

 the student who wishes to acquaint himself 

 with the course of modern speculation and 

 scientific thinking, and to form an intelligent 

 estimate of most of the current theories." 



Chemistry, Inorganic and Organic, with 

 Experiments. By Charles Loudon 

 Bloxam, Professor of Chemistry in 

 King's College, London. Fourth edition. 

 Philadelphia: Presley Elakiston. Pp. 

 688. Price, $4. 



Bloxam's " Chemistry " has had an ex- 

 cellent reputation as a practical manual for 

 several years ; and the present revised edi- 

 tion brings it fairly up to date. The author 

 remarks that some alterations have been 



