May 27. 1897] 



NATURE 



77 



of his work, Prof. Delages has very successfully made 

 clear to his reader the facts under consideration, the 

 theories which have been advanced in relation to those 

 facts, and finally his own judgment as to what is sound 

 and permanent and what erroneous in current theories ; 

 whilst those theoretical views which are novel, and here 

 put forward for the first time by himself, are kept distinct. 

 A bibliographical index, of eighteen closely-printed pages, 

 completes the work ; and with regard to this long and 

 useful list of books and memoirs, I may say that the 

 impression given to a reader of M. Delages' book is that 

 he has not merely cited the titles of this large mass of 

 literature, but has actually performed the heavy task 

 of reading and critically estimating each work thus 

 catalogued. 



It is, of course, inevitable that such a task as that 

 undertaken by the author should not be accomplished 

 without some omissions and some mistakes ; but it is no 

 little merit to have performed such a task conscientiously, 

 as it has here been performed. The criticisms advanced 

 by M. Delages may not always be those which commend 

 themselves to another biologist ; his own theoretical 

 views, though always philosophical and worthy of full 

 attention, may not be necessarily acceptable in every 

 case. Yet the value of the work is not lessened by such 

 considerations. He is no dogmatist, and candidly de- 

 clares that the theories, which he for the present accepts, 

 are open to correction and replacement with the progress 

 of knowledge. The worthy and useful object of the book 

 is, in short, not to impose a set of theories on the reader's 

 mind, but to interest him in the theoretical aspects of 

 biological phenomena, and to assist him, as far as may 

 be, in arriving at theoretical conceptions which may 

 guide his investigations, if he be a naturalist, or furnish 

 him with a key to the more popular discussions of 

 biological problems, should he be merely a philosopher, 

 or even "' un homme curieux des choses de la science." 

 It is a book which should be read and closely studied by 

 every young biologist. The full and comprehensive 

 treatment of the subject has resulted in what must 

 appear a formidable volume equivalent to some three or 

 four modern manuals ; yet the reading of it will be found 

 to entail but little effort, on account of the lucidity of the 

 author's method and the unflagging interest which he 

 himself evinces in the successive sections of his work. 

 It is, after all, a distinct pleasure to see English and 

 (ierman theories formulated in the clear logical phrases 

 of the French language. E. Ray Lankester. 



COM PARA TIVE M YTHOLOG V. 

 Contributions to the Science of Mythology. By F. Max 



Miiller. Vol. i. Pp. xxxvi -f 426. Vol. ii. Pp. ix -|- 



427-864, (London: Longmans, 1897.) 

 T T has for some time past been tolerably well known 

 J- by many that Prof. Max Miiller was working at a 

 treatise on comparative mythology, and with others we 

 have been anxiously awaiting the appearance of the 

 " last word " on the subject by the eminent Oxford pro- 

 fessor. General interest in the matter has, moreover, 

 been excited to a more than usual extent by the com- 

 ments made upon the last edition of "Chips from a 

 NO. 1439, VOL. 56] 



German Workshop " by writers for the press and others, 

 for all felt that the veteran expounder of dead and gone 

 beliefs would rise in his might and rend certain of his 

 critics who boldly stated that he stood alone, and was 

 the only defender of a set of dying and dead theories. 

 It seems that Prof. Max Miiller hesitated for some time 

 before he decided to publish the 864 octavo pages which 

 form his present work, for he had almost made up his 

 mind that he had arrived at a time of life when rest is 

 more pleasant than work, and at a stage in his work 

 where it was wise to stop and let the younger men carry 

 it on in his place. Every reader of the volumes before 

 us will be glad that the taunts of his enemies stung Prof 

 Max Miiller into action, for, as he says, he had all along 

 intended that his last work on comparative mythology 

 should contain in a comprehensive form what he had 

 hitherto written, and what he still wished to say, and he 

 intended it to be the logical ending of a system of works 

 which he had planned several years ago. On Language, 

 Religion, and Thought he has already written learnedly 

 and charmingly, and now that we have the volumes on 

 the fourth subject, viz. Comparative Mythology, the 

 system which Prof Max Miiller has elaborated is before 

 us in its entirety. Those who seek for polemics or 

 hostile observations upon critics and their rival theories 

 will be disappointed in the perusal of this last section of 

 the work, for he confines himself chiefly to re-stating his 

 views and theories, and it is pretty clear that he has made 

 up his mind to differ from his critics on fundamental 

 principles and methods. 



Prof. Max Miiller quotes many great names in support 

 of his views, and the general reader will find it very 

 difficult to make up his mind which school he is to 

 follow — the linguistic or the anthropological. The 

 anthropological school holds that mythology is, on the 

 whole, the narrative of the various grades through which 

 the human race has advanced slowly towards what we 

 call civilisation, and it proves many of its statements by 

 drawing comparisions between the beliefs, manners and 

 customs, and habits of savages which still exist on the 

 earth, and those of the nations which have long since 

 passed away. 



Prof Max Miiller holds that mythology is the result 

 of a period of moral decay, and a falling away from high 

 moral and spiritual views ; we must admit that our 

 sympathies lie with the anthropological school, and we 

 heartily wish that Prof Max Miiller had seriously set to 

 work to classify and arrange the arguments which have 

 been brought in line against him, and also that he had 

 disproved many of the statements and facts alleged 

 against his views. Some, too, will complain that little 

 notice has been taken by him of the writings of men 

 who, though they be his adversaries, are held in esteem by 

 many thoughtful and intelligent people. With the details 

 of the minor differences between the schools we have 

 nothing to do, for, after all, they are only interesting to 

 the experts themselves ; we hear that Mr. Lang is 

 about to write a refutation of the most recent expression 

 of Prof Max Miiller's views, and we may be tolerably 

 certain that the ininutia: of the subject will not be passed 

 over. 



It is but just to call attention to the great learning and 

 skill with which Prof Max Miiller has arranged his 



