REVIEWS ISS 



James devotes several pages of his long chapter on the " Religion of Primeval 

 Man " to a discussion of the relation between the cruder religions and that 

 in which he believes. Apart from this, the book has the merit that the 

 author displays but little bias, except perhaps in his discussion of mono- 

 gamy, and unlike many works on anthropology it is not marred by any 

 feverish anxiety to prove a special theory. 



The author therefore has the right frame of mind ; but unfortunately 

 his knowledge of the principles of zoology and geology is gravely deficient. 

 The introduction deals with the history of the theory of evolution, and 

 the six chapters relate respectively to the origin and antiquity of man, the 

 culture of primeval man, the manners and customs of primeval man, the 

 rehgion of primeval man, the beginning of civilisation, and the distribution 

 of races. The work thus covers a wide field, both in social anthropology 

 and in physical anthropology and human palaeontology. The author de- 

 signed the work for serious students working for a diploma in anthropology, 

 and the publishers describe it as a " manual for students." In accuracy of 

 information it falls seriously below the standard required by students. The 

 social and archaeological sections are superior to those touching upon zoology 

 and geology. In the latter subjects the author blunders badly. He does 

 not understand zoological terminology, and uses such words as species, 

 genus, race, variety, etc., indiscriminately, quite oblivious of the fact that 

 these words have definite and well-understood meanings. Tliis may be the 

 explanation of the glaring and fundamental misstatement on page 215 that 

 it is " the generally accepted view among anthropologists that Pleistocene 

 man was specifically one." Very few anthropologists now hold that view. 

 In geology, too, he fails to grasp elementary facts and principles. He does 

 not seem to understand that the supposed proof of the early Pleistocene date 

 of the Galley Hill skeleton is upset by the supposition that it was a burial ; 

 and he quietly raises a long-sunken continent (in the Indian Ocean) to facili- 

 tate the migrations of human races. This feat is worthy of the Theosophical 

 Society. There are numerous lesser mistakes. 



Mr. James is also unable to write grammatical English. He constantly 

 writes sentences with the subject in the plural and the verb in the singular, 

 and makes other mistakes which a schoolboy should recognise. It is sur- 

 prising to meet such plural forms as " Rhinoceri " and " Hippopotamuses " 

 (p. 28). Lastly, the carelessness with which the proofs were corrected — or 

 left uncorrected — is execrable. 



It is most unfortunate and disappointing that an author who started 

 with such good intentions and such admirable candour did not equip 

 himself with an adequate preliminary knowledge of zoology, of geology, and 

 of the English language. 



A. G. T, 



MEDICINE 



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