New-York tribune., 1874-06-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

tain eish,een hundred pages by a physician OF some
emnence the author Of several wellknown proiesSon
works and Of an essay on "Ancient Pagan anu ''ou'
Chrirtau symbolsm" will disappoint those VINO eNpco
subscription Of religions 1t belongs IN the sauo sou.
"a, class with Hggius's "Anacaypsis" and "Oe'uo
Druidsp Bryants "Ancent Mythology LuMu
"Culte de Venus" and similar books by saiVer'e' b.
Bonomi whose design is to trace religious - ~
tbeir origin. The author is man OF extensive sn
hold thought aud clear expression, forc'pio '
not an elegant writer; not a man or proiounu ,.
,on A vond seem but we'll acquainted WIN the reSu
OF others research, and gifted WIN e'i0.s IT,
mowers and remarkable intellectual inuepenueuoe' @
..n,a,ons which agree substance with those Oh 'nc
800 ,.mad writer's are curious, and In many respects
-, .ssod bevond the region OF speculation into that
>, co,tded knowledge The object OF the work Is W
sbow that the cultus OF all religions, ihciuu"s '"o
Christian rites. symbols embems ana inssni", IN
down from common source. and represeh'cu a' ' n
pr,mve nature worship which culture ana tne eenu'
of nations have transformed so as TO pe recos"N"o
Nv only nv experts Those acquainted with the great
works OF Higgins and Bryant need not De tod wha' rs
conclusions in detail are. The chief pecuiary Vi "
Ipman's work is one Of method Starting win an III
oury "How II comes to pass that John ana JACK arc
svnonymousi" he led on through the wilderness Vi
,roner names till by a long and devious way he reached
the following positions /. That proper names lnuiea'e
the name and nature Of the deities worshpeu py 'o
peope bearing Them are in fact descriptive OF reeous
ideas O. That changes in proper names Indicate
stories To maintain these propositions Is the purpose
~ the yolumes To make his method clear the author
adopts the form OF vocabulary, arranged IN aiphaoeu
cal order after the manner OF dictionary each WORD
being traced TO root and followed out In It's branches
They who have given the least attention 10 pathological
researches know they have for students
and are aware of the danger OF being mised by resem
blances and aualogies DR.. Inman frankly confesses
that he had put his guard against such danger
His friends accused him of being the dupe OF his passion
for symbohcal interpretations, which saw mysterious
meaning ring OF necktie; land by their advice
he made no use OF large part of the materials he had
accumulated What he has published is enough TO Illus
trae his theory OF the common descent OF all religious
symbols from two three natural forms How sue
cessfuy he has done it shall not give our opinion
The lovers of the symbols in question Will
regard his conclusions wild and his method of arrv-
tDg at them iusye The cool, rational critical peo'
pe who in the language OF the dedication, Thirst for
knowledge and are deferred from seeking II by the
fear imaginary dangers" will accept as probable the
results OF the investigations the people who stand
outside the church. who regard instituted relglon as
an anomaly in modern CIVILIZATION an inheritance IRON
an misunderstood, and misused past an
incumbrance respects, and in some respects
fraud will rejoice in the unfinchng analysis that re-
duces all forms of faith TO common substance, ana
substance it is neither pleasant nor edifying to conte-
plate In a word the book Will give particular grath'
cation the foes Of rualism in every shape 1t such
book as the socaed "iufdel" will take great comfort
a. and the devout Christian will be in equal measure
scandalzed by. Fortunately Its bulk and cosness will
keep it from those who would abuse IL.
Had the author confined himself to his avOwed pnr-
pose of disclosing the ideas concealed in words and
signs concealed eectualy that they never could
by any saacity have been suspected there, he would
have done service which candid men would appreciate
ut its WORTH and believing men might acknowl-
edge The origin Of symbolism is very curious subject,
and, treated like other subject Of antquaran're
search in truthful scientific spirit need not be ofIen
sve to any mind. For symbols owe their meaning TO
him that them and by their actual significance are
justified What they may have meant at first, inlheir
rudimenary forn, among uncutlvated people is OF no
consequence to those who associate them with sent
their authors and inventors could not have enter
The devout Christian who reveres the
the symbol of sacrifice need not be disturbed at learning
stood the bed OF the Nile, and indicated
BY Its transverse beam the hight OF the rivers overflow
ing and regeneratng tide. Every symbol that dates
back remote antiquity. religious symbols all do,
takes many meanings as the growing mind OF hui
manly alixes to it, Even when the identity Of the
symbol its different epOchs he certified it not
always can be, so completely do they become trans
formed the of centures-ther primitive use by
sensual people more commits spiritual people 10
sensuahty than the crude meanings attached by the
initerate to dogma compromise the philosopher who
holds it in different spirit.
Such books Dr. lnmans properly belong to the de-
partmen OF archaeology, and should never be intro
duced into the sphere of polemcs.
This transgresson the author Of Ancient Faiths has
committed. Under the words Canon" "InspratioD,"
"Revelation" and others OF equally general
scope, which contain nothing TO his legitimate
aud avowed purpose, he gives the reader ex-
tended dissertations on the accepted beliefs
OF Christendom, which. however able and sugges
tive, show hostile aumus that casts suspicion on
the motive OF his genuine work The articles David"
"Danlel,o Elijah" Elisha" Jacob" Moses" ana
several others like these discuss questions in Old Testa
history with than the freedom OF Colenso.
apply the rules OF to ancient chronicles
In style that reminds Mr. Emerson's criticism
Theodore Parker-hat lie missed the poetcal signil-
Of what he judged The essays magazines of
weapons for the dOuoter, aud In a separate volume
would be interesting certainly they powerful
but they are out of place where they
tits but fair add the dscaims all inen-
ton the foundations of religion; the
trary be processes. with apparent sincerity, to desire
their strengthening He profoundly impressed with
the belief that ought be based upon fable"
In his Judgment sit behooyeS all earnest men who believe
and admire the Savior in preference any body of
he they what they may, to do their utmost strip
away from religion false garb, aud 10 attempt to
to that simplicity with which lie presented it
man." While iu his view, it very probable that
all forms OF temple worship, attended by ritual, sacri
nce mysteries &C. have been constructed upon sexual
and mundane IDEAS" he yet feels bound express
doubt whether certain religions have not been in their
origin wholly free from this faint" Yet these, though
originally pure like Christianity. for example shave
gradually been corrupted by from without
by their professors adopting many of the symbols
DythOlOgical ideas Of more ancient cult" To
those therefore who separate substance from form
and who can retain the former while dscardng the
latter, "Ancient Faiths Will prove at instructive
and interesting.
HISTORY ESSAYS ORATIOSS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS OF
THB SIXTH GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE kyANGBL-
lCAL ALLIANCE Edited By Rev. D. D., and
T. PRiEs d. syo % 773 Harper Brotbers