May 8, 1896,] 



SGIENGE. 



■711 



science are either historians or economists, and 

 what is not economics is history. This failure 

 of the other social sciences to develop a theory 

 Corresponding to economics has given to sociol- 

 ogy its opportunity. Both economics and history 

 will be benefited by a new science including 

 the theoretic elements outside of economics and 

 foreign to history. History cannot become 

 theory without losing its intrinsic qualities, nor 

 can economics absorb social theories without 

 losing its purity and method. The only solu- 

 tion of the difficulty lies in a new 'theoretic 

 science doing for other portions of social science 

 what economics has done in its field. Econo- 

 mics would then remain a study of the environ- 

 ment and of the simple motives upon which 

 conscious calculation depends. Sociology would 

 give us a theory of human impulses, tradition, 

 imitation and other forms of activity outside of 

 conscious calculation. 



There is at present no good word to designate 

 the field outside of utilitarian calculation, and 

 this fact prevents us from seeing its extent and 

 importance. To it our institutions, national 

 life and party feelings belong, as do also the 

 ihoral, religious and sesthetic ideals of the race 

 and the customs and habits of individuals. 

 These are means of eliminating conscious calcu- 

 lation and through them the promptness, efii- 

 » ciency and regularity of actions are increased. 

 For want of a better term, I am inclined to call 

 all these extra economic elements the socialry 

 of the race. I would use this term in so broad 

 a sense as to include every device or habit or 

 motive by which men are united and their 

 activities harmonized. Together they make up 

 a subjective environment which influences the 

 conduct of men fully as much as does the physi- 

 cal environment upon which the economic mo- 

 tives depend. This socialry of men is the subject- 

 matter of sociology, just as their goods are the 

 subject-matter of economics. The latter science 

 treats of the conscious economies due to the 

 simple reactions between the environment of 

 men and their desires ; the former treats of 

 the unconscious economies due to heredity and 

 to the psychologic motives which it creates. 

 The two theories supplement one another and 

 when properly harmonized with history would 

 complete the social sciences. 



The distinctive merit of Professor Giddings' 

 work is that it is neither economics nor history. 

 It might be denied that he has created a science, 

 but not that he has found a new field and de- 

 voted his energies to its exploitation. Too 

 much of the so-called sociology is really dis- 

 guised economics and elementary biology. The 

 economist recognizes old friends when the 

 sociologist talks of the sustaining system, the 

 circulatory system and the stratification of 

 society. The restatement of old doctrines and 

 ideas may revolutionize a science, but it does 

 not create a new one. 



The chapters on Social Population and on 

 the Social Constitution are among the best in 

 the book. It is here that the method of Prof. 

 Giddings shows itself to the best advantage. 

 The problems of anthropology and ethnology 

 are also fully and ably handled. Of the other 

 parts I like best of all the discussion of tradi- 

 tion and of social choices ; on these topics he 

 shows the greatest originality. I have not the 

 space to take up these or other doctrines in de- 

 tail, nor would such work be of much value. A 

 useful book must be read to be understood. A 

 critic can point out merely wherein its value 

 lies and save the student from the heavy burden 

 of reading everything. In this book much more 

 stress is laid on the harmonious relation of the 

 various parts than on particular discussions. Its 

 aim is to interest people in a new science, and 

 in this its success lies. Simon N. Patten. 



Univeesixy of Pennsylvania. 



Water Supply (considered principally from a san- 

 itary standpoint). By William P. Mason, 

 Professor of Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytech- 

 nic Institute. New York, John Wiley & 

 Sons. 1896. 504 pp., 8vo. 

 The subject of the water supply of communi- 

 ties has always been an interesting one, and it 

 has been known for more than two thousand 

 years that the character and amount of sickness 

 and death in a town or city is at times greatly 

 influenced by the quantity and quality of the 

 drinking water of its inhabitants ; but it has 

 only been within the present century that any 

 precise and .definite information upon this sub- 

 ject has been obtained. 



Cholera and typhoid fever epidemics due to a 



