September 15, 1921] 



UATUKE 



75 



relatively minor part of the book before us. \'oca- 

 tional selection, for example, is treated very 

 briefly and, on the whole, rather slightingly. This 

 is really the only serious blemish on a valuable 

 piece of work, a blemish which is scarcely re- 

 moved by a promise in a footnote to deal with 

 the subject of vocational selection in another book 

 to be published shortly. This defect is, however, 

 in our opinion, compensated by the very interest- 

 ing discussion from a psychological point of view 

 of some of the larger and more pressing problems 

 of labour, beginning with chap. v. on "Scientific 

 Management and Labour," and continued in 

 chap. vi. on "Industrial Unrest," the most im- 

 portant chapter in the book. 



-Mr. Watts has made a serious and, on the 

 whole, very successful attempt to apply the newer 

 psychology of human tendencies and emotions- — 

 the psychology of McDougall, Trotter, Freud, and 

 Jung — to the conditions and problems of industrial 

 life. The attempt is all the more deserving of 

 attention because it is the most elaborate attempt 

 that has hitherto been made, in this country at 

 least, though Myers, Muscio, and Tead have all 

 ; made pioneer journeys into this field. The use 

 i made of the Freudian psychology to interpret the 

 I phenomena of social unrest is particularly notice- 

 I able. The analogy between the individual and 

 ! society is a very old one, but this is the first 

 attempt we have come across to work out the 

 \ analogy in any detail in the sphere of psycho- 

 ! pathology. It need scarcely be said that due 

 j caution must be exercised in such an undertaking, 

 j and that the analogy easily breaks down if it is 

 ; pressed. Nevertheless, Mr. Watts must be con- 

 gratulated on the skilful manner in which he has 

 I carried out a difficult task, and the very important 

 and suggestive results to which he has been led. 



Early in the book the author points out that 

 there has been, and is still, a good deal of scep- 

 ticism about the practical possibilities of psycho- 

 logy, more especially, perhaps, in the sphere of 

 industry. In his opinion this scepticism is due 

 largely to the fact that the psychologist has been 

 I " too frequently unwilling to quit the enclosures 

 of a narrow specialism, and adventure into the 

 fields. of public controversy, there to pass judg- 

 ment in his own way on current tendencies in art, 

 religion, industry, and politics." This aloofness 

 from the concerns of practical life can no longer 

 be charged against the psychologist. AH kinds 

 of significant developments are taking- place at 

 the present time in every direction of practical 

 activity, pointing to a growing appreciation of the 

 practical significance of psychology ;,. but surely 

 the charge against the psychologist is an error. 

 NO. 2707, VOL. 108] 



The psychologists of an earlier day, in this as in 

 other countries, have been as- ready to express 

 their opinions on the questions of the day as have 

 the representatives of the physical sciences. The 

 real reason for the scepticism is that the older 

 psychology was not capable of throwing any very 

 clear or definite light on practical problems, and 

 practical men are only now beginning to be con- 

 vinced that the newer psychology is in a some- 

 what different position. Books like that of Mr. 

 Watts's will give a strong stimulus to the spread 

 of this conviction. From this point of view it is 

 of quite exceptional interest and importance. 



J. D. 



History of Science in Edinburgh. 



Edinburgh's Place hi Scientific Progress. Prepared 

 for the Edinburgh Meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation by the Local Editorial Committee. Pp. 

 xvi-i-263. (Edinburgh and London : W. and R. 

 Chambers, Ltd., 192 1.) 65. net. 

 ''T'^HE British Association handbook which has 

 J. been prepared by the Local Editorial Com- 

 mittee differs entirely in scope from what has 

 usually been offered to the members of the Asso- 

 ciation. \\'ith the present high cost of printing it 

 was early decided that it was practically impos- 

 sible to give anything like a satisfactory presenta- 

 tion of the city as regards its history, its public 

 serviceSi its, educational, industrial, and com- 

 mercial life, and its general plan and architecture, 

 as well as the customary details of the botany, 

 natural history, and geology of the surrounding 

 region. Such a glorified guide-book seemed 

 scarcely called for in a city like Edinburgh, about 

 which so much literature already exists. There 

 is, however, one aspect of Edinburgh life which, 

 as a whole, has been neglected in the many books 

 which have been written concerning the capital 

 of Scotland, and this is the aspect which should 

 appeal especially to members of an Association 

 the aim of which is the advancement of science. 

 It is briefly expressed by the title, " Edinburgh's 

 Place in Scientific Progress." 



In this small volume of 263 pages we find a 

 comprehensive epitome of what has been done by 

 Edinburgh men and men trained in Edinburgh 

 schools towards the advancement of science in all 

 its recognised branches. No fewer than twenty- 

 five authors have contributed to the work, each 

 dealing with his or her appropriate section. Of 

 these the majority are connected with the uni- 

 versity, either as graduates or members of the 

 teaching staff. A brief glance at the contents 

 will suffice to show the nature of the book. 



