Aesthetics and Sociology

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22805, 2 September 1939, Page 18

Aesthetics and Sociology

A Short History of Culture. By Jack Mr Lindsay has set himself a stupendous task, the unification of all human culture into one - connected evolutionary sequence. Several excursions have been made into this vast, uncharted territory, and none has resulted in a more comprehensive and well contrived map of its varied scenes than Mr Lindsay’s. The very chapter headings are daunting to the man of moderate knowledge and give some idea of the scope. (Each is developed with a nimble and thorough exercise of logic, knowledge, and zeal.) Subjects like “The Toolmaker,” “Group Life,” “Birth-Mime,” “Sacrament,” ..'..'“Culture Hero,” and “Drama” show the development of the foundations; while the next stage or working-out is more historical" in basis, fuller of matters more generally known, and more amenable to ordinary criticism. Knowledge and judgment are as admirable as the ingenious synthesis in the consideration of Egypt, the .origin, of music, the Romany the

Lindsay. Gollancz. 408 pp. (15/- net.) Fool, Panurge, Dante, Shakespeare, Harlequin, Punch, Rubens, Bach, the novel. The book is ,a compressed tenth of the original conception, so compressed in order to suit non-experts. Mr Lindsay' would rather inform and inspire non-experts than convince or antagonise scientists. But the method has not been entirely successful. Less matter developed in greater detail would be more pleasing. There comes again and again the sensation of being hustled at speed through an art gallery where nearly all the pictures are exciting or interesting. Even the vast bibliography is inadequate compensation for this disappointment. Mr Lindsay is nothing if not positive and defiant in his contentions, and political conservatives will be offended, although he is not alone among scientists and writers in believing communism to be the salvation of the human'race. Mr Lindsay will not be a general favourite; but his enterprise and vigour should make his opponents thank him as much for stimulation as for the revelation of many new corners and bays in4he .world, pl_ culture.