774 



NATURE 



[August ig, 1920 



pluralism as the assumption that our sense-per- 

 ceptions are due to other "subjects of experience " 

 of a non-material nature, and akin to our own 

 subjective self. Guided by this principle, he dis- 

 cusses determinism and immortality, the relation 

 of mind and body, and certain abnormal pheno- 

 mena usually called "spiritualistic." 



Unco7iscious Memory. By Samuel Butler. Third 



edition, entirely reset; with an Introduction and 



Postscript by Prof. Marcus Hartog. Pp. xxxix 



+ 186. (London : A. C. Fifield, 1920.) Price 



85. 6d. net. 



The first edition of this work was reviewed in 



Nature for January 27, 1881. The second 



edition, noticed in Nature for November 3, 1910, 



contained an introduction by Prof. Marcus 



Hartog-, g-iving- an outline of Samuel Butler's 



works and discussing- their value to science. In 



the present edition Prof. Hartog has appended to 



his introduction a postscript in which he sets 



forth, briefly, the position of Samuel Butler's bio- 



log-ical works in modern science. 



Wild Fruits and How to Know Them. By Dr. 

 S. C. Johnson. Pp. xi-i-132. (London: Holden 

 and Hardingham, Ltd., n.d.) Price is. net. 

 A brief description of most of the trees and shrubs 

 found on the Eng-lish countryside is g'iven, special 

 attention being- paid to the forms of inflorescences 

 and fruits. Identification of specimens is greatly 

 simplified by the large number of sketches, 

 showing both foliage and fruit, which are 

 included. The last chapter is devoted to the 

 commoner plants 'and weeds which have con- 

 spicuous fruits. 



Silver: Its Intimate Association with the Daily 



Life" of Man. By Benjamin White. (Pitman's 



Common Commodities and Industries.) Pp. xi 



+ 144. (London : Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, 



Ltd., n.d.) Price 2s. 6d. net. 



This volume is more concerned with the statistics 



and economics of silver than with technology, 



although an interesting account of the extraction, 



purification, and utilisatioi% of silver is given. 



There are many useful tables. An interesting 



chapter deals with "The Evolution of British 



Coinage." The book is addressed to the general 



reader, but contains much of service to teachers 



and students. 



The Identification of Organic Compounds. By 



the late Dr. G. B. Neave and Prof. I. M. 



Heilbron. Second edition. Pp. viii + 88. 



(London: Constable and Co., Ltd., 1920.) 



Price 4s. 6d. net. 

 The second edition of this useful manual has 

 undergone practically no alteration. It is one of 

 the best books of its kind, and contains a large 

 amount of information in a handy and compact 

 form. We have no doubt that it will continue 

 to find favour among students and teachers of 

 chemistry. 



NO. 2651, VOL. 105] 



Gold: Its Place in the Economy of Mankind. By 

 Benjamin White. (Pitman's Common Com- 

 modities and Industries.) Pp. xi 4-130. 

 (London : Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., 

 n.d.) Price 35. net. 

 The steps by which gold has acquired its high 

 value, and its past history with regard to pro- 

 duction and uses, are described. The last portion 

 of the book is devoted to a review of the gold 

 stocks in the world and their movements before 

 and during the Great War. A number of tables is 

 included, showing the amount and value of gold 

 in use in various countries ; these should be of 

 interest to students of commercial geography and 

 economics. 



Pastimes for the Nature Lover. By Dr. S. C. 

 Johnson. Pp. 136. (London : Holden and 

 Hardingham, Ltd., n.d.) Price is. net. 

 Some of the plants and smaller animals commonly 

 found in this country are described, and methods 

 of preserving them or of studying their habits, 

 as the case may be, are given. Silkworms and 

 Nature photography are also mentioned. The 

 book would be of use to young collectors. 



•Letters to the Editor. 



[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for 

 opinions expressed by his correspondents. Neither 

 can he undertake to return, or to correspond with 

 the writers of, rejected manuscripts intended for 

 this or any other part of Nature. No notice is 

 taken of anonymous communications.] 



University Grants. 



1 AGREE with Sir Michael Sadler in thinking that 

 the article on university grants in Nature of August 5 

 is very opportune, and 1 concur completely in all that 

 he says on the subject in the issue for August 12. 

 It is not necessary for me to repeat the arguments 

 and the statements so briefly and emphatically ex- 

 pressed by the V ice-Chancellor of the University of 

 Leeds, because I feel sure that everyone with a com- 

 petent knowledge of the situation in the modern 

 universities would agi-ee that Sir Michael Sadler has 

 by no means understated the gravity of the crisis 

 with which the universities are faced. 



At Birmingham, as at Leeds, we have been rigidly 

 economical in our expenditure. We know that we 

 are doing work the value of which is appreciated bv 

 our students and the community of the Midlands 

 whom we endeavour to serve. But unless large new 

 grants are forthcoming it will be impossible for us 

 not only to continue to meet those needs, but also to 

 maintain the standard of work in the various depart- 

 ments. 



To what Sir Michael Sadler has said I would add 

 only two points : 



(i) Unless the stipends of the non-professorial 

 staffs of the universities are placed on something like 

 equality with those obtaining for skilled intellectual 

 work elsewhere, e.g. in the Government service or in 

 the service of the great municipalities, it will be im- 

 possible to obtain or retain the men and women 

 with the requisite qualifications for university work ; 

 and it is from the members of the non-professorial 



