November i 7, 1923] 



NA TURE 



73 



TO 



Obituary. 



Prof. James Sully. 



' PHE death of Prof. James Sully, which took place 



^ in London on November 2, at eighty-one years 



age, removes from among us one of the few 



rvivors of the philosophical school for whom 



\chology was a mental science distinct from and 



I analogous to natural science. His "Teachers' 

 Handbook of Psychology" was for many years the 

 tandard text-book of the subject, and his treatise. 



The Human Mind " the generally recognised authority 

 the science. Since he retired in 1903 from the 



ote professorship of mind and logic at University 

 J <. uUege, London, which he had held for ten years, 

 he has lived in retirement. To most of the pre- 

 sent generation he is known by the honour accorded 

 to his name in the membership lists of learned 

 societies. 



Sully's works on psychology show him still in the 

 main under the influence of the Associationists, Mill 

 and Bain, notwithstanding that he imparted to his 

 subject a wide range of interest. He had no part in 

 the revolution which has overtaken the teaching of 

 psychology. He had studied before the days of labora- 

 tory appliances and apparatus for making practical 

 experiments and devising mental tests. Also he was 

 before the rise of psycho-analysis and took no part for 

 or against the medical theories. His particular bent 

 was towards the educational aspect of his subject and 

 his great interest was child-study. 



fames Sully was born at Bridgwater on March 3, 

 i 42. His parents were Baptists, and he was educated 

 with the intention of preparing himself, should he 

 receive the call, for the Baptist ministry. He went 

 to Taunton Independent College, and afterwards to 

 Regent's Park Baptist College, where he took the 

 London M.A. degree with a gold medal. He then went 

 Germany, first to Gottingen, and afterwards to 

 lin to attend the lectures of Hermann Lotze. He 



ok a post of classical tutor in a Baptist College, 

 but shortly afterwards resigned it and at the same time 

 definitely abandoned the intention of taking a pastorate. 

 Instead he took up journalism. He soon began to 

 make his mark as an author. His book " Pessimism," 

 1877, gained general recognition as a work of wide 

 and original philo.sophical interest. Most of his l^ooks, 

 however, were technical treatises or handbooks for 

 students. An "Essay on laughter," 1902, "'Italian 

 Travel Sketches," 1912, and quite recently a volume of 



Reminiscences " were his last works. 



In the time of his full activity Sully lived at Hamp- 

 stead, the centre of a literary circle which included 

 many well-known names. He was an active member 

 of Leslie Stephen's famous society for Sunday tramps. 

 Among his close personal friends were Henry Sidgwick, 

 Herbert Spencer, G. H. Lewes, Shadworth Hodgson, 

 Cotter Morison, William James and Henry James, and 

 George Meredith. 



Dr. E. K. Muspratt. 



The death, on September i,of Dr. Edmund Knowles 

 Muspratt, honorary president of the United Alkali 

 Company Ltd., and a former Pro-('hancellor of the 



NO. 2820, VOL. I 12] 



University of Liverpool, is deeply regretted by all who 

 know his public work and intellectual influence. 



Bom in 1833, the youngest son of James Muspratt, 

 the founder of the great alkali industry of Lancashire, 

 Dr. Muspratt studied chemistry in early life under 

 Liebig, becoming one of his intimate personal friends 

 and following him when he moved from Giessen to 

 Munich. About the year 1856 he entered his father's 

 business, and thus was associated for the rest of his 

 life with the alkali and acid industry of Lancashire, 

 afterwards 'becoming a director and, later, chairman of 

 the United Alkali Co. 



Dr. Muspratt was one of the great citizens of Li\er- 

 pool who played a leading part in the establishment, 

 first of the University College, and later of the Uni- 

 versity of Liverpool. A man of wide culture and out- 

 look and a sincere believer in learning and research, 

 he did everything in his power to further the cause of 

 higher education in Liverpool. Together with his 

 friend, the late Sir John Brunner, he was instrumental 

 in obtaining a charter for the new University. For 

 many years he acted as a member of the Council, and 

 by his influential support, wise and broad-minded 

 advice, and generous benefactions, proved himself to 

 be one of the greatest friends the University possessed. 

 Amongst his benefactions may be mentioned the 

 Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, with which his name 

 was associated by the University. 



Dr. Muspratt was widely interested in science, litera- 

 ture, mu.sic, the dram^, politics, and public life. At 

 Seaforth Hall, near Liverpool, his father's home (and 

 also his own to the close of his life), he met many of 

 the most interesting personalities of the time, includ- 

 ing Charles Dickens, Samuel Lover, Sheridan Knowles 

 the dramatist (who acted as his godfather), Macready, 

 Douglas Jerrold, Mark Lemon, Miss Charlotte and Miss 

 Susan Cushman. This tradition of culture, friendship, 

 and hospitality was carried on by Dr. Muspratt, so 

 that Seaforth Hall was always the home of wit, learn- 

 ing, and good fellowship. 



Dr. Muspratt travelled a great deal in Europe (and in 

 America). In 1917 he published a very interesting and 

 delightful book entitled " My Life and Work." 



In the England of fifty years ago there did not exist 

 the great modern " city " Universities of Birmingham, 

 Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield. 

 Their creation in the face of many obstacles and 

 difficulties has been due to the far-sighted vision and 

 true liberalism of a comparatively small number of 

 men. In this select company of great scholars and 

 great English citizens, the name of Edmund Knowles 

 Muspratt holds an honoured and distinguished place. 



F. G. D. 



Dr. P. W. Latham, 



Dk. 1'. W . Latham, for twenty years Downing 

 professor of medicine at Cambridge, who died on 

 October 29 at Clifton, Bristol, was a notable teacher 

 and practitioner of medicine, working ceaselessly into 

 advanced life for the progress of his science. He died 

 a week after the completion of his ninety-first year. 

 The Downing professorship, entered upon in 1874, was 



