Mr. Lawrence Hyde's volume The Learned Knife (Gerald Howe, 12s.
6d.) is ambitious ; it is a critique of science and of the whole of modern thought. There is intelligence enough displayed, however, to justify Mr. Hyde's ambition. The chief thesis of the book is that in the whole scientific out- look, especially in sociology, the first possibility, the first necessity, is overlooked and even, by the rules of procedure, denied a title to be considered. Mr. Hyde bases his own
hopes for a true and organic society on " personal regenera- tion." Society in itself exists, he argues, for the sake of the fulfilment of personality among the men who make it up. His view leads him to lay great stress on the intuition in man, and on his desires to attain a deeper spiritual life. In analysis Mr. Hyde is profound, but he never quite arrives at a con- sideration of real social problems. By such concentration up-on individual life he seems to leave the difficulties of order in society untouched. . None the less his book is of importance, and it can be cordially recommended.
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