The Portland daily press., 1875-04-26
Recent Publications.

OUTLINE OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. by
By Dr. M, E. Cazelles. Translated from the French
by Rev. o. B. rockingham. With an Appendix
BYE l.. Youmans, M. d. New York; ID. Appleton
g. Co. For sale by Bailey & Noyes
The ESSAY by NJ Cazeles written shortly af-
ter the first publication of Herbert Spencer's
works in France is intended, says the author,
"to indicate the place that Mr.. Spencer occu-
pies among contemporaneous thinkers, not to
pass under review all the elements Of his phil
osophy nor to follow him into all the questions he
has seen fit to to treat After an introduction
of which the aim is to prove that neither faith
nor science can solve the problem of the uni
verse and that it can be solved only SO far as
"to construct an abstract expression and SYM
boil of the synthesis of the worlds phenomena"
the author goes on to give an outline OF Mr..
Spencer's system of philosophy, and thus sums
up his work. "Starting from positive science,
the different branches whereof he MR. Spen-
cer) traces in their concentric progress up to
their widest congratulations, he attaches these
concentrations to the loftiest abstract concep-
tions that they all suggest, and brings them
back together to the principle which oficates
in the double capacity of supporting all the
seriousness. Finally, by way of deduction, he
derives from this first principle the laws which
sum IN the movement of things, and POUNDS,
on an undeniable truth, a theory OF develop
ment which he afterward veriies by the differ
emit orders of knowledge and by the history of
the cosmos"
This review of Mr.. Spencer falls far below
the works of Mr.. Spencer himself in intelligi-
bility. An almost absolute lack of illustrations
robs the book of that characteristic which would
enable one not well versed in philosophical stud
es to read with pleasure. A further difficulty
is met with in the style in which much of it is
put into English; the complexity of the SEN
fences and the suspension of the idea over
many lines frequently make a second reading
necessary, when the thought would not require
il.
The appended essay by Mr. Youmans is in
marked contrast with that of M. Cazelles in
style and in matter for the most part. 1t is a
review of Mr.. Speneer's Intellectual growth
and REPUTATION of the remark of Mr.. Higgin-
son land similar remark from Mr.. Emerson, M.
Taine, and others)t hat cit seems rather absurd
to attribute to him, as scientific achievement,
any vast enlargement or further generalization
of the modern scientific doctrine of evolution"
The essay is a. high tribute to Mr. Spencer's
ability and attainments, and is a fine example
of clear and vigorous English.
The INVASION OF THE CRIMEA. By Alexander w.
Kinglake. Volume III. Battle Of Inkerman.
New York: Harper s. Brothers. For sale by Lor-
ing, Short g. Harmon.
Kingake's fondness for detail renders his
third volume of more interest to the military
student than to the general reader The book
is in fact a monograph on the battle OF lnker-
man-an exhaustive monograph, ably and
brilliantly written it is true, and of great value
to the future. But most readers are 10th,
while history is making so fast, to attempt the
mastery of 344 pages of description of one en-
gagemeut aud an indecisive engagement at
that. That the book will be the history of
the battle of Inkerman is not to be doubted,
for Mr.. KiDglake has absolutely left nothing
for anyone else to say.
A PARAGRAPH HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
By Edward Abbott. Boston: Roberts Brothers.
For sale by Lorng, Short & Harmon.
This little volume will be found very handy
work for reference, presenting, as it does, the
main facts in the country's history in chrono-
logical order. from the discovery of the conti-
nent up to the present time. 1t simply aims to
be skeleton of American history; but it is
perfect skeleton; no bones are missing, and all
are wired together in the highest style Of the
art. The brief notes on contemporaneous his
tory, scattered along the margin, are very ser
yiceable as a means of grouping historical
events.