The Evening critic., 1883-06-01
"THE CRITICS" TABLE.

DYNAMIC SOCIOLOGY, OR APPLIED SOCIAL
SCIENCE, as based upon otatical sociology
and the less complex sciences. BY LESTER
+. WARD, A. NJ. In two volumes. New York:
89s.
The author OF the above work is citizen OF
Washington, and belongs to the corps OF scion
tilc men to whom the Smithsonian Institution,
the National Museum and the Geological Sur.
very furnish congenial employment. AL
though, like oil these gentlemen, a specialist,
Mr.. Ward does not believe In narrowing
whole life down to the minute study Of q sim
In the work before us he shows that
his observation and reading have taken n
very wide range. He has made his study of
natural history include that of man and of
society, and his book is a bold attempt to
combine into one great system of mutually
dependent objects not only all the forms OF
animal and vegetable life, but even inanimate
things, the minerals, the rocks, the elements,
and the celestial bodies. Selling upon the
new conception OF universal development or
PIRATE niche In his progressive scheme OF hav.
Ing man In his highest social stage at Its head.
In showing how this system Of things has been
evolved, the higher from the lower forms, our
author is in entire harmony with most OF the
modern philosophers who set out with the
facts OF the known universe as tho basis
St Se her eas iaaa S%ss but 81 this to point a
verge from the main path OF the most ad-
vanced modern thought, and to Introduce cer-
tain new elements which he regards as being
10 man any divine attributes not originally at
tained through spontaneous evolution like all
the rest, he does maintain that the develop
ment OF the psychic faculty, and especially
the appearance Of the rational intellect OF
man, introduced a set OF factors into the gen.
eral problem OF evolution which, notwith-
standing large amount OF extravagant lauda-
tion, have not yet been assigned their true
value.
Even the great English philosopher, Her.
bert Spencer, is found deficient at this point.
Tho failure to recognize the true potency of
these factors has rendered even this most pro-
found philosophic system practically sterile
so far as the good OF man Is concerned. Tho
main object of Mr.. Wards book is to show pre-
cisely how human reason differs from all
other agencies OF evolution, by Just what
ready done that Is wholly distinctive from all
that other influences have accomplished, and
then from these established facts to demon.
strate that II may be made to do much more
still in the future.
A largo part of the work is devoted to the
herculean task OF overthrowing the errors OF
human reason which counteract and now so
nearly nentralize its normal and legitimate
influence. In this he necessarily antagonizes
OF men and cannot fall 10 call down the wrath
OF many upon him, but nothing is clearer to
the reader than that this labor is unsought
and forced upon him; that he performs 1t
bravely as duty and not as pleasure, and
that his impulses, whether rightly or wrongly
guided, are both honest and philanthropic.
The subjects discussed are always of the high
est interest, and the learning aud ability
brought TO their treatment must command
thinkers, whatever their private convictions
may be,