Current Literature [pp. 382-391]

1874.] CURREiVT LJTERATUi?E. 389
written from the stand-point of the sensation- the highest thought of the time, as thought
al, or experiential, as opposed to the ideal widens with the ever - growing experience,
philosophers "-attempts to reconcile sci- and if it no longer attempts to imprison the
ence and metaphysics. Believing that ev- mind in formulas which do not contain the
ery philosophical opinion must have some whole of positive knowledge, he addresses
truth sustaining it, he attempts to assign due himself to the task of preparitlg the way for
weight to adverse arguments- " for exam- a doctrine which will respect the claims and
ple, those which affirm and those which de- satisfy the needs of both religion and science.
ny the possibility of metaphysics, or the existence of innate ideas; the facts which favor, A FIRST BOOK ON GEOLOGY. By ~Viiliam
and the facts which exclude, the spiritualist H. Davis. New York: G. P. Putnam's
hypothesis and the materialist hypothesis." Sons.
He agrees with those philosophers who re- ESSAYS ON POLITIcAL Eco~o~~. By M.
ject both spiritualism and materialism, but Frederick Bastiat. New York: G. P.
does not agree with them in their conclusions Putnam's Sons.
that we know nothing whatever of mind or These two little volumes belong to "Putmatter. He holds, with their antagonists, nam's Popular Manuals," an admirably well.
that we know a great deal of both. He can selected series of short treatises on scientific
not agree that philosophy gains any refuge subjects. The former is a most compact
from difficulties by invoking the unknowa- and reliable text-book for beginners. Geolble; "though it may admit the existence of ogy is becoming a popular science. It adthe unknowable, this admission is transcend- dresses itself so much to the eye, and so conental, and leaves all the purposes of philoso- stantly excites wonder and stimulates curiosphy unaffected.... Deeply as we may ity, that it insistse upon being known. It is
feel the mystery of this universe and the lim- a "sensational" science, and whether one
itations of our faculties, the Foundations of studies it merely to be entertained, to extract
a Crced can only rest upon the known and from it such happy novelties of literary illus.
knowable." tration as Holmes and Harte have used, or
Having thus explained his object in at- with a serious purpose of learning all about
tempting to reconcile the old feud between the physical history of the globe, it alike rethe positivists and transcendentalists, Mr. pays the labor. Davis' book is a good intro.
Lewes proceeds to lay down a scientific duction to more elaborate works, and is commethod in metaphysics, accepting all the mendable accordingly. It is sufficiently il.
tests and conditions of that method, and lustrated, and will help any smart boy or girl
keeping within the range of experience. He to the practical study of rocks and fossils.
still claims to be a positivist, but thinks the Mr. Bastiat's little treatise is an address,
rejection from positive philosophy of the prob- in the most familiar form, to the workmen of
lems of matter, force, cause, life, mind, oh- Paris, and aims to explode the false ideas of
ject, and subject, is somewhat arbitrary, and political economy advanced by the Socialist
aims in his new work to extend positive pro. democratic leaders. It is just as appropri
cedures to these outlying questions. In short, ate, however, for perusal in America as in
Mr. Lewes attempts to found a new philoso. France, for there is here, as there, a misphy that shall reconcile intuition and experi. chievous tendency to transfer from the indi.
ence, just as Herbert Spencer has founded, vidual to the government many of the funcor endeavored to found, a philosophy based tions of trade and finance, and to substitute
entirely on experience. If Mr. Lewes can arbitrary enactments for the immutable laws
accomplish his aim, he will, indeed, have of commerce, of supply and demand, of inlaid "the foundations of a creed" which trinsic as opposed to factitious values. If no
shall call on science for its proofs, and not man could be elected a law - maker in Cali.
rely implicitly on faith. Believing that re- fornia, for instance, until he had studied a
ligion will survive the advance of science sound work on political economy, we should
and regulate the future course of human de. not have repeated at every legislative session
velopment, if only it can be made to express the absurdity of trying to regulate the price