Mr. Edmond Holmes is well known for his numerous and
earnest studies of spiritual religion, made from the point of view of the " higher Pantheism." In Experience of Reality : a Study of Mysticism (Cobden-Sanderson, 5s.) he develops his doctrine of the ultimate identity of the human self and the Universal Self, and treats the Mystic Way as a stage in the endless journey of the soul. " The true mystics " he considers, " are all Pantheists at heart "—a proposition which most of them would indignantly reject. It will be clear from this that Mr. Holmes' conception is not that of the Christian mystics, whose philosophy is indeed subjected by him to considerable criticism, though he seems to have read few of their original texts. He says many things that are impressive, and some that are true ; though it can hardly be claimed that any of these are particularly new. Those interested in mystical religion will read his essay with profit ; though they may not agree with its doctrine, it will perform the valuable office of obliging them to examine with care the foundations of their
own.
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