The Art of Thinking. By T. Sharper Knowlson. (F. Warne
and Co. 2s. 6d.)—Mr. Knowlson gives plenty of good advice, and arranges it in an orderly fashion that will doubtless add to its usefulness. There are some specially good remarks about prejudice. The besetting temptations in various classes of men, theologians, scientists, &c., are pointed out and remedies sug- gested. We do not, indeed, always find ourselves in agreement with our author. There are chosen jugces in most subjects which we are not bound to reopen ; the Baconian authorship of Shake- speare's plays is one of them—this Mr. Knowlson seems to think an open question—the shape of the earth is another. And we strongly protest against the description of "national honour" as "a species of small-mindedness." Hellenism, the Civis Romanus sum, and the conviction of Anglo-Saxon destiny have been, and are, far too potent influences to be so summarily dismissed. Mr. R. G. White is quoted with approval when he writes : " Humani- tarianism used in the sense of widely benevolent and philan- thropic effort is mere cant, the result of an effort by certain people to elevate and appropriate to themselves a common feel- ing by giving it a grand and peculiar name." Why " cant " ? The word is misapplied when so used, for it has a distinct theo- logical and philosophical signification. But there need be no " cant" in the mistake.
Previous page
