20 JULY 1878, Page 24

The Survival, with an Apology for Scepticism. (Remington.) — This is a

curious book, which we cannot pretend to estimate. The author tells us that he bad, as we understand, a strong spirit of what may be called ascetic Christianity, and then makes the extraordinary state- ment, "It lasted about fourteen years, and then one night exhaled during sleep." This momentary " unconversion," if the term may be allowed, is an experience that, perhaps, demands examination, but we may be allowed to doubt whether it does not rather belong to the pro- vince of the physician than of the philosopher. The volume contains an " introduction," and extracts from a diary, which extends over about sixteen or seventeen years. We must be content to leave it with this notice.