Youth : its Care and Culture. By J. Mortimer Granville.
(David Bogue.)—We have before this entered a protest against Mr. Granville's philosophy, and we must repeat it. The fact is that he -does not do justice to himself. He speaks in one place as if the -development of the human being depended wholly upon circum- stances outside itself, but in another acknowledges in express terms the existence of an independent force in the will. The second -chapter is especially valuable and suggestive. It deals with the subject of inherited disease or weakness, and suggests the propriety of treatment addressed to tendencies probably inherent in the child, though not visible. This region of medicine is, of course, very difficult and obscure, and many practitioners would be quite at sea if their advice were asked on this point ; but it certainly is one which would well repay investigation. The rest of the book may be read with interest and profit. We think, however, that there is no little exaggeration in it. Were all Mr. Granville's statements true and all his cautions necessary, it would indeed be a most miserable thing to be a parent. Yet there is something in what he says. Fathers and mothers often forget in dealing with their children that they are dealing with beings in whom there are great potentialities of evil, which an injudicious treatment may foster and develope. They often encourage, or at least permit, for instance, a premature and unwholesome habit of sham love-making.
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