Evolution of the Conscious Faculties. By J. Varendonek. (George Allen
and Unwin. 128. 6d.) Amongst the modern psychologists who " count " Dr. Varendonck miist certainly be reckoned. Up till recently the
New Psychologists have largely occupied themselves with the Unconscious, a territory which they, with Freud at their head, discovered and explored with the enthusiasm of pioneers. The results of their discoveries led many of us to consider psychology and psycho-pathology as almost synonymous terms ; it is, therefore, a grateful task to give a short apprecia- tion of a modern psychologist who takes the Conscious as his theme. Dr. Varendonck shows in his previous work, The Psychology of Day-Dreams, and in the book under review, that the study of man's conscious faculties need be no sterile academic one ; in his hands the investigation of normal mental processes proves itself to be a fertile field of valuable specula. tion and a fascinating realm of research. The exigencies of space forbid of a summary of the author's theories and con- clusions ; but we hope that our readers will be thereby pro- voked to acquaint themselves with them at first-hand by reading Dr. Varendonek's book. We can promise that they will find therein a contribution to psychology which combines great originality with scientific caution and a correct regard for the work of others with the intellectual independence proper to the pioneer.
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