July 14, 1 881] 



NATURE 



245 



given, there is a very good and sufficient reason. We 

 pronounce come with a closure and contraction of the lips 

 and usually during inspiration, go with open and pro- 

 truding lips and usually during expiration. Now many 

 savages point with the lips as we do with the finger, signi- 

 fying there, by protruding the lips in the direction to be 

 indicated ; and any one who has seen this curious gesture 

 must be struck with its close similarity to the protrusion 

 of the lips in pronouncing the word go. The same differ- 

 ence of the nearly closed or open lips characterises the 

 words for these two ideas in many other languages. In 

 French we have viens and va, in German koinm and geh, 

 in Italian vieiii and vai, showing that words in distinct 

 languages differing greatly in spelling and pronunciation 

 may yet have a common character in the mode of speak- 

 ing which indicates their common meaning. 



The five following chapters treat of the Arts of Life, a 

 subject which Mr. Tylor has to a great extent made his 

 own, and which he discusses in a very interesting manner. 

 The doctrine of development in the arts is however some- 

 what strained when it is implied that the modern gun 

 is an outgrowth of the South American or Indian blow- 

 tube ; while the origin of bank notes, and the account 

 of the rise and progress of mathematics are hardly 

 anthropology. 



The next two chapters discuss the ideas of savage man 

 as to the spiirit-world, and the origin and development of 

 myths ; while the final chapter gives an admirable sketch 

 of man as a social being, and of the development of that 

 complex organism, Society. This thoughtful chapter 

 cannot be epitomised, but the reader will find in it much 

 curious information as to the sources of many of the 

 customs, kiws, and observances of civilised life, which 

 are shown to be often traceable among the lowest savages. 

 The following passage will serve to illustrate the author's 

 style and treatment of his subject : — 



" Much of the wrong-doing of the world comes from 

 want of imagination. If the drunkard could see before 

 him the misery of next year with something of the vivid- 

 ness of the present craving, it would overbalance it. Oft- 

 times in the hottest fury of anger, the sword has been 

 sheathed by him across whose mind has flashed the pro- 

 phetic picture of the women weeping round the blood- 

 stained corpse. The lower races of men are so wanting 

 in foresight to resist passion and temptation, that the 

 moral balance of a tribe easily goes wrong, while they are 

 rough and wantonly cruel, much as children are cruel to 

 animals through not being able to imagine what the 

 creatures feel. What we now know of savage life will 

 prevent our falling into the fancies of the philosophers of 

 the last century, who set up the 'noble savage' as an 

 actual model of virtue to be imitated by civilised nations. 

 But the reality is quite as instructive, that the laws of 

 virtue and happiness may be found at work in simple 

 forms among tribes who mal:e hatchets of sharpened 

 stones and rub sticks together to kindle fire. Their life, 

 seen at its best, shows with unusual clearness the great 

 principle of moral science, that morality and happiness 

 belong together — in fact that morality is the method of 

 happiness." 



The reader who wishes to know what is the outcome of 

 modern research into the nature, characteristics, and 

 early history of man ; and into his progress in the arts of 

 life, in morality, and in social economy, will find a store 

 of valuable information and much suggestive remark in 

 this carefully-written but unpretending volume. 



Alfred R. Wallace 



NOTES 



With regard to the forthcoming session of tlie American 



Association in Cincinnati, to begin August 17, we have to add 



to information already given (p. 146) that all the meetings, 



general and sectional, will be held under one roof, that of the 



Music Hall and Exposition Buildings. On the evening of the 

 first ilay of meeting there will be a citizens' reception. An 

 afternoon is to be devoted to visiting the Zoological Gardens. 

 An exhibition of scientific apparatus, api'liances and collections 

 will be held during the Association meeting. The objects dis- 

 played will be kept ever for the ninth Cincinnati Industrial 

 Exposition in September. After the adjournment of the Asso- 

 ciation excursions will be organised on the Cincinnati Southern 

 Railroad, and also, it is hoped, to the Mammoth Cave. 



The Prince of Wales is expected to lay the foundation-stone 

 of die Central Institution of the City and Guilds of London 

 Institute, on Monday next, at 3.30 p.m. His Royal Highness 

 and the Princess of Wales were present at the Lord President's 

 reception on Wednesday night at the South Kensington Museum. 

 Prior to the reception the Prime Minister and several members 

 of the Cabinet visited the Science Schools. 



We regret to announce the deaths of Dr. E. Zaddach, director 

 of the Zoological Museum at Konigjberg, who died on June S 

 last ; of Dr. Wilhelm Gottlob Rosenhauer, Professor of Philo- 

 fophy at Erlangen University, who died on June 13, aged 

 ^ixty-eight (on the same day on v hich Medical Science lost Josef 

 Skoda at Vienna) ; of Dr. Matthias Jakob Schleiden, the well- 

 known botanist, and author of many works on natural history 

 (amongst which we m.ay point out as standard works " Die 

 Pflanze " and " Das Meer "), who died at Frankfort on June 23, 

 aged seventy-seven ; of Dr. Theodor Benfey, Professor of Philo- 

 sophy at Gottingen University, a celebrated orientalist and 

 linguist, whose death occurred on June 26 at the age of feventy- 

 two ; and of Dr. Rudolf Hermann Lotze, Professor of Philo- 

 sophy at Berlin University, author of the " Mikrokosmus," who 

 died en July i, aged sixty-four years. 



Messrs. Siemens have received advice of the completion of 

 the new Atlantic cable recently constructed by them. The 

 reports of insulation and working speed are highly satisfac- 

 tory. The cable connects Sennen Cove, Land's End, with Dover 

 Bay, Nova Scotia, direct, a length of 2500 nautical miles. 



M. Pasteur has received the Grand Cross of the Legion of 

 Honour. 



M. WuRlz, the present president of the Academy of Science, 

 has been appointed Life Senator by a very large majority. This 

 highly-approved appointment raises to three the number of 

 members of the Academy of Sciences viho now belong to the 

 Upper House of the French Republic; the two others are M. 

 Robin and M. Dupuy de Lome. M. Berthelot, another mem- 

 ber of the section of chemistry, has been proposed for a 

 seat whicli is at present vacant, and his election is considered 

 quite certain. A large number of the French senators belong to 

 the other section of the Institute, v hich is now taking such a 

 prominent part in French politics. This influence of the Insti- 

 tute was contemplated by M. Thiers, and his views are advocated 

 principally by Mr. Barthclemy St. Hilaire, the Minister for 

 Foreign Affairs and Member of the Academy. 



Sixty French members of the Congress of Electricians have 

 been appointed by M. Cochery, the Minister of Telegraphs, who 

 has been made President. M. Ferry, Minister of Public Instruc- 

 tion, has been appointed Vice-PreMdent, and four other member-; 

 of the Cabinet will be chosen by the Congress. The Academy 

 of Sciences and other public scientific institutions viill appoint 

 their own representatives, as well as foreign nations. 



We have received the sixth report of Mr. Crookes and Profes- 

 sors Odling and Tidy, to the President of the Local Government 

 Board, on the London Water Supply. It relates to the quality 

 of water sup; lied from May 20 to June 30, and is hi-jhly favour- 

 able. "The results of our ;ix months' work '' (say the authors). 



