New-York tribune., 1870-10-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ROCK. Barf., r rs. syo pp. $50 D. Appleton Il co.
The doctrine of human progress, which m one
shape oE another seems nov To have become Il co'"-
mon conviction Oi the age, has opened to mN'S,'S"-
tion series of novel questions, ami gwen Tvs"
interest aud impulse 10 others which have long poe''
pending in the world of inquiry. Thequestioh vi '"'
extent To which the principle of progress or e'o'"
ton operates whether il is limited to man. Oh "
ganic life on is a Universal law of natnre' 'n'
tior of the Causes aud conditions 0i liS E' f
folding whatever it, scope. ana OF t'o an
the doctrine upon former systems " "P' -.
tbcse are considerations which have p''" 80
=, ,,..,, ON or,ssinp the earnest attention
81 ,h ,,os, ,,h;losopbical thinkers Of the age ih'
- -, ~ this research is the field of BIOLOGY,
.,5 CONSISTS in a scientific inquest INTO the laws VI
life MAST and present. upon the CLONE IL mas "'e"
,,,ost a,ti,rI, cultivated by such men ms Darwin
UuxL,y. IycT. Cope and Spencer-the latter having
.I.,o,d himself to The subject III IFS largest ana
profoHndest aspects. :,
Among the old subjects which by becoming impr-
,ate,i in this discussion have recently assumed
new prominence. is that of Ethnology. which treats
Of the natural history Of races. Ii there is definite
law of progress m human affairs; if humanity Is
undergoing c1and secular of evolution, IT Is
of the highest moment TO ascertain if possible the
starting point of the movement that is, the lowest
STATE mental social. and physical in which man Is
found But this is no very easy task. " is obvious
for variouS reasons that the common evidence upon
this subject must he unsafe rs a basis OF valid
scientific conclusions. The observation of men, anu
the right interpretations Of their actions constitute
The most difficult task of human judgment Besides,
The evidence i'm this case has generally been collected
by very incompetent observers, who bad TO concep-
tion either of its importance or of its true USES
Again. a great deal of the testimony of travellers
regarding the customs and conditions of savage
tribes is worse than loose aud Irrelevant; II Is
tainted with gross eXagGeTations. The widespread
craving for the wonderful, and the Vulgar creduty
about marvellous things if only they occW tar
enough away has simulated narrators to work up
their stories of savage tribes So rs to annse and
astonish their readers The result is that ordi-
nary data for forming conclusions respecting the
actual condition of the primitive races of men is in
ihe highest degree untruStworthy and much OF 1t
worse than worthless.
1t was Indispensable therefore, in the present
emergency of thought. that this subject should be
renvesgated. aud that our evidence III relation TO
II should undergo rigorous revision. The present
work of Sir John Lubbock on the mcuia and social
condition of Savagcs has been prepared from this
point of view and the author has earned the thanks
of all students in this department of research by his
inexoIsibe clearing away of rubbish. and by the
scientific spirit and method which ne has carried
into It's treatment such proceeding is of great
importance not only in forming present opinion. but
i'm rnidinc future observation as The whole field Of
chronological research j. sill open and accessible. s."
that all it's questions can Dee brought To- the test of
actual facts
Sir John Iubbock> hook is therefore hv means
an abstract philosophical disuusi,i"u upon the
origin of civilization; it Is rather com
pressed and me,hOdical digest m the evidence
relating +" the art religion morals. language laws,
and social habits oi the races which Are lowest in the
order "i Development. But though his pages are
more occupied with dclmcatiou than with analysis.
and ri superficial glance would seem 10 he merely
crowded with ioUs statements about saysgcs, yet
he is far from losing sight of the theoretical bearings
~ hs materials a, a caI,ful pern,al of his book will
sufficiently show. In his work on Prehistoric Time,
he has presented thc E, idcncc which remains of th
condition of mankind before the historical period
and hc there assumed. a>he did also in a Subscquen
criticism of Archbishop WhatI,, that The highc
races have been developed from the primitive stat
by a law of progress inherent in nature aud bInani
ty. These views were cGntgoycrtcd by the Duke u
Argvll ana called forth his work on lImcva Man
which maintains that The lowest savage are dc
generated from q higher state, which thr lr1,,
primitive condition Of the race.
The present work of Sir John I.ubl"ch bears de
rlhNcIN upon tliai !~>it. ana ne uCNbtN dpl"nhI'
fo sec;alrcyicw of ic Duke Of Areyll's argument
He close, with the following summary OF their rc
spoctiyc positions:
The Duke ends h., Wogl tn ,he cAprts> ioI "f belle
that man, "evcn ~ MS Eo>i ovili1ed condition. - ca
hic of de- radiation i, hs uowledee may decay. m,
that his religion bc lost" that this is udi
viGals do uoi al courr dci' Iat il holds good viii
more noble. IL to me- aIc the concluding pa,
sages or Lord DuHraNcu'- "ucHig address 10 he Cam
brian ri.coiuciral tio. that We iouk bach
through tie entire period 81 ii. ,, history man.
exhibited iu he result "f ,r'hTo gi'l invest ieIlion,
scarcely ia 10 perrci," tEa tho whole EXHIBITS one
grand Schemc "i progression. which, notwithstanding
partial periods Of decline has for IT, end thc
his higher In az cs. aGd for n object tie continual
npnlaton Of thc dcsi-n ttc po"p, The WISDOM and the
Ioonfess. thccle that. after giving he Arguments Of
ihe Ddle Of Ars my mosi attrnvc sad candid oou>id-
"r%ton, se" ~" 'c''"" g" adopt hN melancholy conrlu
non, but remain persuaded that The past history Of
man has on the Whole heeh one "t "Si"sN ana That, IN
20 with couhl'ucc and With hope.
81. john Iubbock', chapters cn She religious con
diiou oi The lowest are peculiarly interesting
.nd instructive The following passage indicates
ls plan Of treating the subject:
Hitherto il ba, Lc an usp.,l {, hastily religions accord
ing TO the nature of the Object wor,hpcd: Fclichi>m,
ioT instance bcins tle Worship o isHimaic objects,
ever seems L" ne !" ht ~" estimate IN which The Deity
ismld Tue hr-i cdt siagr- ia Religions huJ lt may.
AGesn u,dcf-tdnjing 10y Ibis tenn uot . denial of
the existence oi D'i}, aut eH th>eH,e ol any dcfuc
Fhchtsa' Tie stage in which ,rau -uIlosc. he cui
for, 9 the btiiy u COMPLY With hi- desire.
h0trrf roisftp, 60! if'HisV; ju which udtuId .lecfs
trtrS iakcf, >ioHr-. animals. Sc.. wrr,liilyd
Sh0mCHsD 900 which re suVcli. ritics arc far u;o.
powerful th'n ltJr. JHH - % different udiur,. Their
place 81 abode a's"is Car away, .uid accessible only o
SilIuaHs.
!dc!Gfrr "r Nlh'v h'vlolr"il'lisH; Ia which the g0d-
take 'iill more c' t' n'turc of nc. here. how
ever, hni' PuH'fti. Ih's are st aupb. 10 10 rspa-
sion They aIo pan - nature. and not orators Iho
arr represented hl ilEt-e ,r idols.
IN tue ne,t sto-c ir beiy .icaiied q, the I,thor
merely part 81 l,ature II. hccr,e~ ir t,c H.,
time a really Supernatural hning.
The last Sage t. wtth will f,f,r b. ia, IL, ,l.l
morality is associated with religion ~
II will perhaps staitle the dey0,,e, OF th, light
VI nature 10 learn thai in lis c.laiclnau i.
niIhnni rtlrinu nl .lIlA kind