MAN'S KNOWLEDGE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 17

MAN'S KNOWLEDGE

OUTLINE IN ONE VOLUME

A MODERN ENCYCLOPAEDIST

(By "Sextus Redux.")

Tho gathering into books of man's knowledgo about himself, about his life on earth, and about the phenomena of the universe in which he lives, is not a new process; it goes back at least as far as Aristotle, in the limited world of his day, when even Alexander's conquests went no further East than the Biver Indua and civilisation extended no further West tlfan tho Pillars of Hercules. Even that knowledge dcclinod in the Dark Ages, but when learning revived in tho Keuasccnce there was a great leap forward, accelerated by the discovery of tho New World. Tho advancement of learning has progressed mightily since Bacon, and there seems no limit to its forward march. The lirst real encyclopaedia was that of the groat group of French scientists, writers, aiid philosophers in tho eighteenth century. AVhocvcr has seen tho original edition will know that it "was a very considerable work indeed —about twenty or thirty fat volumes —and could be said justly to cover in a fairly full manner things as they were known up to that time. Since then there have been numerous encyclopaedias up to tho latest edition of the "Britanniea" in its thirty and odd volumes. While not exhaustive, standard encyclopaedias do cover tho ground and are invaluable as works of reference. But they arc tho work of a host of brains, and ono has yet to come across the man who has read a great encyclopaedia from Ato Z. Can knowledge be summarised by ono man. in ono volume? Mr. H. G. Wells has done it so well in regard to tho story of man in his "Outline of History" that it has become a best-seller and continues to sell. But to do it not only with history, but with science and literature and art and religion and philosophy, that would be a work indeed —something beyond tho many. "Outlines" and "Stones" issued, in monthly parts or " v wholp, since the war. LARGE CLAIMS. Well, Mr. Clement Wood, a distinguished American, has tried it. Within the space of COS pages, including the index, under tho title, "The Outline of Man's, Knowledge," the author gives us, as the jacket states, "a history of mankind from the beginning, and an account of man's principal achievements in science, literature, art, religion, and philosophy. It is not only intended for those who have not had leisure for much reading, but also for those who are provided with a good \ickground of general knowledge." In other words, tho book is intended for I he general reader, and, as such, may be reviewed. .In his introduction the ;;uthor says:' This book gives the latest' fruits c,r man's researches in very important inquiries .after truth, together with the relationships between these facts. The material has been gathered in a lifetime of study—this uuthor's lifetime; it. represents tho thinking achievements of the lifetime of the human race. This book is not a fragmentary outline, but' a •complete systcmatlsatlon of nil man's knowledge, with a logical ■ framework- In which every fact can lie promptly placed, available for immediate use in a moment ot need. . . The young man of woman, boy or girl, will find it an invaluable systematiser of information and methods ot thinking. By giving the right start in knowledge, -it will check an early spendthrift wasto of time: and what is man's life on earth but an inheritance of days and hours, to be spent hut once, with death merely tlio end r.r the priceless inheritance? What saves time saves life: this book does that. These are very large claims to make. It would be a very paragon of a book that -would come up to such specificalions.The author's "logical framework into which every fact can be promptly placed" becomes clear after reading a hundred pages or so. Thus of the outbreak of tho Great "War: Tho peoples of all the nations w*re taught !>y all the sources of information availablo to I hem that the prospective war was a holy one, iv defence of some high code of international morality, or some injured national honour; that each land was waging * defensive war. So the peoples came up to the slaughtering block, (p. 147.) And this of the period after tho war: Tot, after all, this war was believed by millions to bo a war to end war; to make the world safe for democracy; to preserve the rights of little nations; and to end tho militaristic attitude of Prussia, or rrussianlsra. Its conclusion has seen kings, autocracies, dictators, and despoilers left in control, or stealing back to power at tho first opportunity: it has seen many little nations outrageously despoiled; and has witnessed an inevitable increase in the I'russianistlc spirit in England, France, the United States, and others of tho Allies—a spirit which to-day threatens the future peace of the world, as surely as preparedness and imperialism threatened it in tho dark decade between 1004 and 1914. THE POINT OF VIEW. The discerning reader will begin to see' the point of view. Let Mr. Wood continue:: A glance at the newspaper headlines on any typical, day furnishes a revealing cross-section ot the minds of tho men of to-day. These newspaper captions Indicate with what appalling effectiveness the propaganga iv favour of war Is dressed up, to control tho minds of the people generally; and how slightingly and slurringly efforts towards peace are regarded. Man has learned to organiso hatred, in tho form ot wars and racial prejudices, with dreadful thoroughness; man has not yet learned to organise the love-forces. Imperialism still rules tlio world. Tho greater capitalistic nations *ti!l liold much of Iho world in subjection and prey on them. England-holds unwilling India, Egypt, Ireland, and other subjects. America has tlio Philippines, and a. wary hand already despoiling Mexico and Latin American countries. Each powerful nation has Us claws half-opened against Its next prey. ... Military aggression still rules. The world in still hatefully over-armed; and tho warmakers, hailed as national heroes, denounce \ seekers, for world sanity and peace as "pacifists," Iraitora, and hy. worse names. The race for military, naval, ami air supremacy stilt' continues. Tho economic system of Capitalism still dominates most of the world, defended as moral and beneficial by its supporters, denounced by radical Labour, (pp. 133-D3, et sen.) Tho point of view of tho author is quite clear now. It is that of the international Socialist, and, as such, is as partial as tho very propaganda ho denounces. In his "Outline of History" Mr. Wells was accused of a Socialist bias, but Mr. Wood' goe? far further. Tho S9t«e trend can be seen in his account of science and in his judgments on literature. In his development of tho organic ■ sciences (pp. 234-298) he seems to take as gospel the theories of sex and tho psycho-analysis of Freud and his school. The psychologist is by no means so compliment in sis acceptance. American literature receives atten- . tion and space out of proportion to its value in the eyes of the outside world, but then tho book is written by an American. Mr. Wood says some notnblo things. Of Joseph nergcshcinicr he says: Ttergesheimcr In his first Nlnrics. "The Lay AnlhoD.v," "Mountain Blood," "The Thrco ■Rlack Fenneys," and the group called "Gold and Iron," proved himself possessor of a splendid colourful stylo and an artistic reslraint. And IhPii the shadow of cheap magazine approval fell across him; and ended Iho promise in a. irolclon wnllow of mem popularity. The American popular magazine is no Impotent f'.irrc: h«r service is a fouler plague In the spirit Hum the Mack riaguo which half killed Europe. To pursue Mr. AVood's method through art, miißic, and philosophy would take too long. He docs not

think much of philosophy and philosiophevs, for he says (p. 5151):

riiilosophy, like all thinking, is roolcrl In the mind's appotlto to master facts, and to pander generalisations among tho conquered facts. But tho Achiever among men does not philosophise—ho Is too busied and hewildered hy tho multiplicity of facts, llvlnc and dead, whoso natures ho must control.

FAILURE OF PHILOSOPHY.

As Mr. Wood never seems "bewildered by tho multiplicity of facts," one might deduce that ho was a philosopher were it not for tho next sentence:

It Is the failure who philosophises, tho man from whose hands the reins of practical affairs slip, or who abandons them. . . I'hilosopliy is always thinking muddied by futility.

These quotations will give the reader some idea of the nature of the book and the point of view of its author. Through all the vast range of man's knowledge, complete and incomplete, Mr. Wood hardly ever hesitates. It is the world from his point of view that wa see' in the book. To anybody of average intelligence "The Outline of Man's Knowledge" will provide genuine entertainment, for it is written throughout in a lively stylo and the arrangement and compression aro exceedingly well done. There is a danger, however, that in the hands of the uninformed this book will become a sort of gospel to be quoted on all sort of occasions, as the author puts it, "available for immediate use in a moment of need," a sort of Karl Marx applied to things in general. It is for that reason a warning has been given..

"The Outline of Man's Knowledge" is published by Tho Richards Press, Ltd., London, and is excellently printed and bound.