The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-15
SOME NEW hooks.
A GERMANY, yIcw OF Americana,

There Is no doubt that English men
learned a good deal about themselves,
that, perhaps. they had not suspected,
from reading Taine's English Notes.
We now have chance OF gaining some
self- knowledge in a similar way. The
opportunity is offered in a large octave
volume Of some six hundred pages entitled
The Americans, by HUGO MuESsrERRERo.
pro. assor Of psychology at Varyerd Uni
versity Mcclure, Phillips 4 Coz. This book
1t ehould be kept in mina, @as written
for a German audience, though 1t IL with
80 authors dimdent approval that IN
EngliAh translation has been made by Mr.
Edwin ID. Holt. one OF HarVards corps
OF instructors In a singularly modest
and winning preface. Prof Munsterberg
dsolaims any intention OF producing an
exhaustive treatise. For scientific study
Of all the facts relating TO the United States,
he Is inclined TO think that division on
labor would be needful; the historian the
politician, the economist, the Jurist, tho
engineer and many another would nave
10 cooperate In a scholarly investigation
of American events. The author, for his
part processes 10 be only "a psychologist;
he has not ,et out 70 discover new material
The sole aim Of his book is TO study the
American man and his inner tendencies,
and it Is suggested that perhaps an 40
ourate name for the volume would have
been -The Philosophy of Americanism.
Por such a relatively humble task. Prof.
M0nsterberg submits that an outsider may
be, after all. not quite unsuited, since
country's characteristics forces make them
selves more easily felt by him than by
those who have breathed the country's
atmosphere from their childhood. lnas-
much as the author himself tells us where
the accent OF his book les we shall invite
attention less 10 the chapters on economic
and political problems than to those headed
respectively The Spirit Of Self Direction.
The Spirit Of Self Realization and The
Spirit of self Assertion" We may give
at the outset the keynote OF the work by
saying that il IA extremely optimistic
Herein IT. ia the antithesis OF the authors
former book on american Traits. Are
tho two volumes irreconcuablep On the
contrary, according to Prof Munsterberg,
they are meant to he alike the twin pict-
ures of a stereoscope, which must be seen
together if one is TO get the full plastic
effect Of reality. 1t is certainly impor-
tant." he says, to remind the nation fire.
quently that there arc political corrup-
ton and pedagogical laundering in the
world. but sometimes it Is also worth while
TO say that Americanism is something
noble and inspiring. even for outsiders,
with whom. naturally, other impulses
are stronger BY way of introduction,
it remains only TO add that the book before
US has been translated faithfully from the
edition that appeared in Germany six
months ago. The events and statistical
figures of the last few months have not
been inserted, the author holding that the
philosophy OF Americanism is independent
of the happenings of yesterday. The only
changes IN the translation are abbreyla-
tons, except that certain chapters when
dealt with the COMMUNICATIONS are lett
out, as being more suited to an esoteIlc
discussion for Germans. SO far as Gel maui
American remains German he falls short
OF being a typical American.