REVIEWS 34* 



In several details we find ourselves opposed to Dr. Emery, both in respect to 

 facts, and also to the interpretations he places on them. Nevertheless, we have 

 read his book with great interest. An extremely difficult subject has been treated 

 in a broad and philosophic manner, and we know of no fairer or more stimulating 

 presentation of this aspect of the cancer problem. 



E. H. Kettle. 



MISCELLANEOUS 



Jacob and the Mandrakes. By J. G. Frazer. [Pp. 23.] (London : Oxford 

 University Press. Price 2s. 6d. net.) 



This small pamphlet is a reprint of a contribution to the Proceedings of the 

 British Academy, Vol. VIII., and it was originally read before the Academy in 

 January 1917. It deals with the folklore which surrounds and explains the 

 incident described in Genesis xxx., wherein Leah gives Rachel the mandrakes 

 which Reuben had gathered. The story told in Genesis appears to be an 

 expurgated and modified version of the original Hebrew tradition, for here as 

 elsewhere the monotheistic compiler of the book would seem to have edited his 

 stories freely. The old tradition was that Rachel ate the mandrakes, and that the 

 birth of Joseph was the direct result of the fact that his mother had thus partaken 

 of this magic fruit. Sir J. G. Frazer deals fully with the superstitions connected 

 with the mandrake, of which the chief is, as the Hebrew tradition implies, that the 

 plant has the property of bestowing fertility upon barren women. The mandrake 

 or mandragora has been regarded with awe in many other countries besides 

 Palestine. The superstitions are spread all over the Near East, in Greece and 

 Italy, and even prevailed at one time in Germany and England. In northern 

 countries, however, the " mandrakes " were mostly forgeries, for the plant does not 

 grow north of the Alps. The root would act as a love-charm, would bring its 

 owner wealth, and had many other wonderful properties. It was, however, 

 dangerous to dig up ; and it was deemed advisable to utilise an animal to haul it 

 out of the ground. The poor beast used for this purpose was generally killed by 

 the horrible scream which the plant uttered as it was torn from the ground. 



A. G. T. 



First and Last Things. A Confession of Faith and a Rule of Life. By 

 H. G. WELLS. Revised and Enlarged Edition. [Pp. xviii + 233.] (London 

 and New York : Cassell & Co., Ltd., 1917. Price 6s. net.) 



This is a revised and enlarged edition of a volume first published in 1908. It 

 deals with a variety of philosophical subjects, ranging from abstract Metaphysics 

 to very concrete Ethics. It is not so much a set treatise on any of the subjects 

 which it touches, but is rather an outpouring of Mr. Wells' own sentiments on 

 these subjects — a case of Mr. Wells thinking in public, so to speak. He admits, 

 in the Introduction, that he is an amateur in all these spheres ; indeed, it is plain 

 that he has not read widely ; nor, perhaps (a more serious matter), is his thinking 

 quite so profound as he is inclined to imagine. It cannot be said, therefore, that 

 the book makes any advance towards the ideal of philosophy — the discovery of 

 truth. It has, however, merits of quite a different kind ; for it expresses in 

 remarkably clear language a philosophic outlook very characteristic of a dominant 

 section of the public in our times. Mr. Wells is a demagogue in philosophy ; he 

 has all the attributes of a demagogue, the power of vividly expressing what others 

 are thinking in an even vaguer and more formless manner ; he can justly claim to 



