the same attention as standard works, both ancient and modern, of a more strictly literary character. This series, in so far as it renders philosophical works more easily accessible, is a step in the right direction, and will doubtless prove useful.
Yet I must confess to a prejudice which I doubt not is shared in by many — against presenting a system of philosophy by means of excerpts. To substitute such abridgments would be to put the part in place of the whole, and it would be extremely unfortunate if they ever should supersede in any degree, the use of the complete text. They are, and must necessarily be, interpretations, inasmuch as the author selects the passages which seem to him to best represent the main line of thought. All the arguments which can be urged as to the superiority of a first hand acquaintance with a system, over any knowledge gained through histories of philosophy, will lead us to prefer the complete text to an abridgment. Of course, it is impossible for the average student in a course on the History of Philosophy to read any large portion of the original. Many teachers will prefer, however, that he have the unabridged text in his hands, and read certain chapters or portions which they may direct. From turning over the complete work and reading a chapter here and there, he gains, in my opinion, a more exact knowledge of its spirit, and a juster conception of its proportions than he could from a number of selected passages.
The series would find a larger circle of readers if it could have been published at a much lower rate, even if the present plan had to be modified. For example, the complete text of Locke's Essay can be obtained for little more than ($1.25) the price of the abridgment.
The volume before us appears to me, in the main, an excellent piece of workmanship. The introduction contains an interesting account of the principal events of Locke's life and the general tendency of his philosophy. The classified list of his writings, and a short bibliography increase the value of the book. The selections are generally representative and have been made with excellent judgment. The author as a rule quotes the whole of a paragraph, and thus avoids giving any impression of abruptness. He has also contrived very skilfully to preserve the continuity between the paragraphs and thus to render the book quite readable.
I cannot help thinking that the first book of the Essay has suffered more from abridgment than any of the others. The formal and somewhat artificial arguments against innate ideas which Professor Russell presents to us in the two and a half pages he devotes to this book, represent very inadequately Locke's splendid protest against dogmatism and formalism. That book was, as Professor Campbell Fraser says, "expressly put by Locke as a protest against the tyranny of traditional
