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NEW BOOKS. 269 imperil success so far as they are concerned. On the other hand, Psy- chology is at present in a transitional state, and this makes it difficult for the psychologist to reach a compact and clear-cut outline of his subject without some degree of mental friction. He cannot help disagreeing more or less even on important questions, and he can scarcely help feeling a certain amount of irritation at seeing the law laid down on such points in the dogmatic way which is necessary in a primer. I, for instance, feel a disposition to quarrel with Prof. Titchener's pro- cedure in many respects. When he impresses on the mind of the learner the view that the mind is a "sum of processes" I recognise of course that he is relatively justified as against certain other views which we both hold to be erroneous. But I feel strongly that the statement ought to be modified and supplemented. I myself should have included in the definition not only actual conscious processes but the whole system of permanent possibilities of conscious process, which are called mental capacities, powers, dispositions, etc. I should also have expounded at some length the peculiar nature of the unity and continuity of conscious process which prevent mind from being a mere Heraclitean flux. Again, Prof. Titchener throughout his book assumes the presence of free repro- duction of ideas at every stage of mental development. The free rein- statement of qualitatively identifiable copies of sensation complexes is regarded by him as the most primitive form of reproduction the essential condition of learning by experience. I on the contrary hold that past experience may mould and shape practical adjustment to a present situation without recall of ideal images, and I hold that this may and does happen as a primary process and not merely as the result of the dropping out of ideal links which have previously existed. This is not the place to argue such points with Prof. Titchener. The fairer course is to consider his work from a different point of view. In the first place we have to ask, Will the reader for whom the book is in- tended derive substantial benefit from it? I have no hesitation in answering this question by an emphatic affirmative. The reader for whom the book is specially intended and others for whom it is not speci- ally intended may derive from it a substantial body of knowledge and a real increase of clearness and insight. If they fail to do so, it will not be the fault of the author. For systematic lucidity and easy mastery of exposition, Prof. Titchener's book has no rival on its own ground. If primers of Psychology are to be written (and I think they should be) he is certainly the man to do it. In conclusion I would draw attention to the feature of Prof. Titchener's work which is likely to contribute very greatly to its usefulness. I refer to the " Questions and Exercises " appended to each chapter. These are drawn up with admirable judgment and ingenuity. The student who works through them seriously and strenuously cannot fail to acquire real psychological power and insight. Prof. Titchener is to be congratulated on his skilful performance of a difficult task. G. F. 8. Mental Affections : An Introduction to the Study of Insanity. By JOHN MACPHERSON, M.D., F.R.C.P.E. London : 'Macmillan & Co., Ltd. ; New York: the Macmillan Company, 1899. Pp. x., 380. Dr. John MacPherson's Mental Affections is intended to be "an intro- duction to the study of insanity ". It is this and more. The book is elaborated from Lectures, which obviously aimed at two things mainly