New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
INFANT PSYCHOLOGY.


THE FIRST THREE YEARS or cHILDIlooVSDD' A,i icy
Bernaid Perez. Edited and Translated ps 1 aaes
NJ. Christie With an Intr sS essonneDschein 81
Co. syracuse G. W. Bardeeh -. -
init, r,easant volume should be full Of interest," ho'
only for tho student of psychology ana .n0 o.
hut for parents generally. For IL relaoS " s.
tsrs which concern every father and mother anu ua
eos ,,nich are az attractive important Inc kesn-
a., rvsnchman who wrote the work has not, hKe
marvin and Others, confined his observation W ono
chIId or one family of children, but has drawn mas
Facts from a wide circle, putting unaer coh@puaoi
all preceding sadies OF che same Alno' anu '''% %
.and comparing them By his own experiences. Inc
.nsral result IS broadly executed inquiry into tne
Sevoloyment of the human mind during the first years
~ childhood. M. Perez, indeed Supplements MS
smprcai Studies with metaphysics, snd-somewha'
after the manner OF those oldfashioned historians
bo pre wont to Introduce the annals OF particular
country or kingdom with preliminary essay gong
hack to the creationhe begins by somo amusing pu'
carceiy relevant spsculatons TO the possible pos
session of consciousness by tho infant seVerai moh
before It was born. On the whole 1t may DO as wen
10 confns tho inquiry TO the period succeeding tnSs
event.
orate painstaldng The reader Is made 10 observe
s actions of the baby from the hour OF Its birth,
and nothing which can contribute TO the sum Oh
psychological knowledge or inference Is paSsed over
as insignificant No doubt there are some con-
illusions which viii be disputed. We question whether
the statement that all babies born blind and DEAF
and remain so for several days, VIII be subscribed to
generally But IN regard to sight, NJ. Perez does not
admit that the following of Light by the infants
eyes soon after birth proves his ability TO see HIS
position is that for time the child has only such
dim, vague perception of the surrounding world as
n man over whose eyes cataracts arc growing "oua
have. Perhaps the child can distinguish the light
from darker parts of the room, but II Is contended
that he docs not perosive any clearly defined object
thus early. So, too, while IT is incontestable that
babies are sensitive to sounds and especially to loud
ones It is the shock Of the Observation-Disclosures dis
t,,rbs them and not any conscious hearing of sounds
But what VIII mothers say to the bold assertion that
babies as rule do not laugh before the sxty-ffth
days That they cry and this the moment they enter
the world NJ Perez oheerully admits and no thinks
that they really have enough TO cry for
Ono man OF science wrote to author in a dis
Outraged way. He disappointed in HIS baby,
which seemed to him dreadful little animal which
did nothing but feed and sleep. He could find no
traces of mind in It sioth and greedness were its
sole characteristics. He supposed that in time It
would develop intelligence but its calow youth
he considered distinctly unnterestng and Insignificant
NJ Berez rebukes him roundy, and proceeds to shower
upon his devoted head stories Of babies who took
notice. most previously, who made eloquent
gestures, who exhibited preferences, who evinced
O Hiding for music and bright coors, who showed
jealousy and anger and pleasure, at almost any age
from two or three weeks upward. Still 1t must be
confessed that the general impression conveyed by the
study Of infant psychology not atterfng to the heir
of oil the ages 70 the foremost es of time 1t Is useless
TO seek for the germs OF any innate moral ideas in
him. HIS first notion of justice is distinctly orude
and primitive He can perceive when he is wronged,
but not when he wrongs another Altruism is far
from him. For the time he is absorbed In self which
yet ne cannot be said to comprehend. 1t IS per
haps the automatic life protecting the vital processes,
but II certainly is not 10 outward appearance
growth In other than material qualities.
The subject Of young children's dreams is an IN
teresting one, and 1t touched here but not fully
treated. The explanations offered of unpleasant
childish dreams moreover do not cover the ground
While doubtless many such dreams may DO traced to
distorted remembrances of familiar matters, there are
others which more obscure. a case might be
cited Of a child who when two years old continually
dreamed that myriads of dreadful ayes watching
him. ana would up screaming Hero 1t is evident
that the suggestion lay beyond everyday matters,
though 1t may impossible to identify IT, Mr.. sully has
written very interesting and suggestive Introduction
to the picture gallery Of babynature skIlfully ar
ranged by NJ. Perez The drift of the arguments,
some of which are not strong they appear TO be
thought toward support of the evolutionary theory,
bnt inclined to consider that the most significant
evidence IN the work is thar which indicates the mani
festaton Of individuality at extremely carly periods
This evidence tends to show that there IS almost
much difference between the characters OF children
few months old between those of adult men and
women, and that while the influence OF heredity is
apparent there is much which cannot be credited to
beredty.
There is much OF special interest to teachers in this
careful and candid study, and it throws light
upon the educational problem In more than par
tcular. The translation is easy and good and the
book as whole must be regarded valuable cOntri-
button to the least explored yet perhaps
structive, branch Of psychology.