Cox's Popular Psychology

Abstract

NO doubt many of the Serjeant's friends will read his popular introduction to the study of psychology, and think it very profound, and many of them, especially his lady friends, charmed with the vague denunciation of “Scientists” and materialists, the religious element, the quackery of science, and the scraps of poetry, will be able to tell him in all sincerity that they think it “a very nice book.” But from those whose opinion is worth the paper it is written on, Mr. Cox has nothing to hope. The first sentence of the preface declares that “The study of psychology has not kept pace with the progress of the physical sciences.” The truth of this statement must be painfully brought home to every real student of psychology, by the fact that a man possessing the intelligence and general culture of Mr. Cox could write such a book, and that educated people will be found to read it. We can agree with the author that there is at the present time room for a work presenting the leading truths of mental science in, if possible, a popular shape. But surely one qualification of the writer who would make such a book for the benefit of the “many persons who desire to obtain some knowledge of psychology, but who are deterred from its study by the pondcrous volumes of abstruse argument. . . intelligible only to the far advanced philosopher,' must be, that he is himself up with the best science of the day, that he has made himself acquainted with “the ponderous volumes of abstruse argument.” Unfortunately Mr. Cox does not appear to have taken this view of the matter. In setting himself to produce an “outline of the science of psychology written in plain language,” he has, in plain language, attempted work for which he is no more qualified than an ordinary farm labourer is qualified to translate Homer into the vernacular of his native village.

What am I?

A Popular Introduction to Mental Philosophy and Psychology. Vol. I. The Mechanism of Man. By Edward William Cox., Serjeant-at-law. (Longmans and Co.)