Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 12.djvu/286

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272 NEW BOOKS. GUIDO VILLA. Einleitung in die Psychologic der Gegenwart ; nach einer Neubearbeitung der ursprilnglichen Ausgabe aus dem Italienischen ubersetzt. Von CHB. D. PFLAUM. Leipzig: Teubner, 1902. Pp. viii., 484. Signer Villa is to be warmly congratulated on the excellent German translation of his important work La Psicologia contemporanea, a notice of which appeared in this journal two years ago. As stated above, the original has undergone considerable revision an arduous, not to say irksome task, but carried through with successful energy and discern- ment. The superabundant bulk has been reduced by more than one quarter. The materials have been here and there re-arranged, and here and there developed and enriched. In particular, the second part of chapter iv., ' I metodi di esposizione,' has been detached, and forms, as chapter vii. : ' The synthesis and evolution of mental life,' a fitting sequel to the analysis of the three phases or functions of mind in chapter vi. The range of the work is now very complete, the translator having contributed a sketch of contemporary Russian psychology, and immensely enhanced its serviceableness besides by name and subject indices, by page head- lines and by a lucidity of style not inferior to that of the original. Those who cannot follow even lucid German may await in hope the appearance of an English translation, which is now, I believe, in process under the author's supervision. In view of this and of other future editions, one or two minor matters may be pointed out. In the historical survey of English thought, Hobbes should find a place (to whom in far narrower compass Prof. Hoffding's Psychology, e.g., does justice). And in so catholic a work, mention might be made of original departures like that of M. Arreat's monographs " Psychologic du Peintre," etc., and of M. Le Bon's " Psychologic de la Foule". A slight trace of imperfect re- vision seems apparent on page 393, where the promise of fuller treatment in the concluding chapter, now purged of re-arranged matter, is no longer kept. In this chapter, now containing an admirable resume of results established by modern psychology, one line perhaps might benefit by modification. The phrase (p. 471, 1. 10) . . . ' obwohl sie nichts mit dieser zu thun hat,' referring to psychological reality v. material reality, may be true in a way. But in view of the author's preceding expositions of thoroughgoing Parallelism, and, in particular, of the " very relative independence of psychical and physical sequences" (p. 458), the line given above, if quoted without context, might render him as liable to be misunderstood as the Bible or a politician's speech. Finally, it would be of special interest to English readers, and of general historical value, if so cultured a Wundtian and so discerning a critic were to juxtapose his discussion of British " psychology without soul," and of the conversion in Germany from the Substanzbegriff to some form or other of the Aktualitdt oiler psychischen Thatsachen, and estimate how far there is agreement in all but words. C. A. F. RHYS DAVIDS. Estetica come Scienza dell' Espressione e Linguistica Generate. Da BENEDETTO CROCE. Milano, 1902. Pp. xx., 550. Less than a third of this volume is occupied with the theory and the remainder with the history of aesthetics. ^Esthetic experience is, ac- cording to the author, cognitive, coinciding with intuitive as distinguished from conceptual knowledge. Stated otherwise, it is the consciousness of an image which may or may not correspond to an objective reality. To