23 JULY 1864, Page 22

Substance and Shadow; or, Morality and Religion in their Relation

to L. An Essay upon the Physics of Creation. By Henry James.

(Triibner and Co.)--By morality the author explains that he means not what is commonly understood by that word, but the sense of moral freedom—by religion, such a sense of forfeiture of the Divine favour

as urges man to sacrifice all, even life, to regain it. These he regards as concurring to promote the realization of man's spiritual destiny on earth, i. e., perfect brotherhood among men, and religion as standing in

the same relation to morality therein as shadow does to substance. The author's views seem to be founded on those of Swedenborg. They are of course very unorthodox—we think very wild, and we are sure very hard to comprehend. The book will not suit any but lovers of eccentric theological philosophy, whom we mast refer to the work itself.