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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of a growing equalization of general 

 conditions, those difPerences which, 

 as Dr. Tylor has well pointed out, 

 will more and more assert them- 

 selves in the higher regions of 

 thought and feeling, will lead to a 

 steady advance in human capacity 

 and character. 



Anthropology, according to its 

 able advocate and professor, possesses 

 no little skill in dodging the most 

 difficult questions. Having investi- 

 gated penal laws until it finds their 

 common origin in a desire for venge- 

 ance, and having analyzed relig- 

 ions until it discovers that they all 

 spring from a dread of the unknown, 

 it will not follow up either inquiry 

 by attempting to ascertain why men 

 dread the unknown or whether there 

 is any more ultimate form or under- 

 lying explanation of the desire for 

 vengeance. In the same way, while 

 noting empirically what has made 

 for the improvenaent of mankind, it 

 will be careful about grappling with 

 the question as to what "improve- 

 ment" really means. Perhaps we 

 should not complain of these dis- 

 creetly imposed limitations, but it 

 seems to us that, as regards the ques- 

 tion of human improvement at least, 

 anthropology, with its very wide 

 outlook, ought, above all other sci- 

 ences, to be in a position to give us 

 its rationale. 



We are glad to find Dr. Brinton, 

 in the conclusion of his valuable 

 address, declaring that "the teach- 

 ings of anthropology, whether theo- 

 retical or practical, lead us back to 

 the individual as the point of de- 

 parture and also the goal. The 

 state was made for him, not he for 

 the state ; any improvement in the 

 group must start by the improve- 

 ment of its individual members." 

 We hold that this is the teaching of 

 every true form of social science. 

 The doctrine of individualism is not 

 a doctrine of selfishness ; it simply 



aims at arousing each individual to 

 a sense of his own value as a social 

 unit, and at making him feel that, if 

 he wishes to live in an improved 

 society, he should strive to improve 

 himself and his own immediate en- 

 vironment. The intelligent study of 

 sociology, we have no doubt, will 

 work in this direction, inasmuch as 

 it more and more tends to make all 

 classifications and class distinctions 

 appear unreal, and to bring the indi- 

 vidual man into . prominence as the 

 one subject and center of its labors. 

 On this ground, if on no other, we 

 would wish it every success; and as 

 there are so many dilferent fields 

 that can be explored in its interest, 

 we would counsel those who have no 

 other scientific occupation to see if 

 they can not bn'ng some offering, 

 however slight, to the great con- 

 struction which we may hope the 

 leaders of the science will one day 

 give to the world. 



EELIGION FOE THE AGE. 



Canon Samuel A. Barnett, of 

 England, is a man who has devoted 

 much time and labour to the study 

 of social problems in their widest 

 aspect, and whose writings on such 

 subjects are always marked by ac- 

 tive human sympathy allied with 

 strong common sense. We therefore 

 turned at once with interest to his 

 article in the September number of 

 the Contemporary Review to see 

 what he had to say on the subject 

 of The Church's Opportunity, and 

 were not at all surprised to find that 

 he had some very pertinent things 

 to say. In Canon Barnett's opinion 

 " the Church " might, if it could only 

 rise to the level of its duty and privi- 

 lege, lend most useful assistance to 

 the practical solution of our present- 

 day social problems. How this might, 

 in his opinion at least, be done he 

 clearly indicates. The Church per- 



