( i6o ) 
[March, 
ANALYSES OF BOOKS. 
An Examination and Popular Exposition of the Hylo -Idealistic 
Philosophy. By W. Bell McTaggart (late Captain 14th 
Hussars). London : YV. Stewart and Co. 
We have here a small but exceedingly important work. The 
author undertakes to furnish a clear and summary exposition of 
the system of philosophy thought out by Dr. R. Lewins, and 
known as Hylo-Idealism. So far this system has not by any 
means received the attention to which it is fairly entitled. Time 
and place are unpropitious. The modern every-day mind — may 
we venture to say especially the normal English mind ? — cares 
little about philosophies. Whether the phenomena which it 
recognises are merely sensation of its own, whether they have 
an underlying objective existence, whether such phenomena are 
faithful copies of noumena, if such exist, it cares little. The 
man of special science, like the man of business and the man of 
pleasure, is content, for the most part, to occupy himself with 
the phenomena, inquiring no further. Moreover, [the religious 
world pays itself the doubtful compliment of avoiding and de- 
nouncing all such trains of thought as possibly “ leading to 
infidelity.” 
I he claim put forward on behalf of Dr. Lewins is, that he has 
originated “ a complete and self-contained system of philosophy, 
sufficient in itself for all things, not alone as bringing about a 
reconciliation of that dualism of mind and matter which has been 
the stumbling-block to thinkers of all generations, but as giving 
a sufficient answer to the problems of the universe, and furnishing 
a rule and guide for life.” 
Claims no less high, the author admits, have been put forward 
on behalf of other systems which have, each in turn, been found 
wanting. He declares that “ the persistent effort to abolish the 
antagonism between mind and matter, subject and objeft, ego 
and non-ego, and to unite the contending theses of Materialism 
and Idealism into one harmonious whole,” is the distinguishing 
feature of the philosophic work of the present day. He holds 
also that Dr. Lewins is working on parallel lines with Mr. Herbert 
Spencer, whose I ransfigured Realism is pradtically identical, 
up to a certain point, with Hylo-Idealism. Perhaps it would 
have been well if Mr. McTaggart had distinctly shown at what 
point the divergence between these two great thinkers begins, 
