REVIEWS.
Die Amerikaner. Von HUGO MUNSTERBERG, Professor an cler Harvard Universitat. Erster Band, "Das politische und wirtschaftliche Leben," pp. xii + 494; Zweiter Band, "Das geistige und sociale Leben," pp. 336. Berlin : Ernst Sieg- fried Mittler & Sohn, 1904.
THE publication of these volumes is a notable international event. They reinforce the department of literature in which De Tocqueville (Democracy in America) and Bryce (American Commonwealth) are eminent. Like these previous writers, the present author addresses primarily not an American public, but readers on the other side of the Atlantic. Professor Miinsterberg, however, has a task incomparably more complex than that which confronted the French interpreter nearly three-quarters of a century ago, and he plans a much more comprehensive analysis than that which the later British author attempted. At the same time his opportunities to qualify himself for his undertaking have been far ampler than those of either of these predecessors.
To estimate the work fairly one should have thorough knowledge of the " subjective environment " of the Germans with respect to America, as well as complete insight into our own conditions. One should be able to judge the version of American life not by use of any single standard which we may regard as absolute. The work presents a problem of relativity. Considering the state of knowledge about America among the Germans, and their modes of thinking in general, is it calculated to give them more accurate information about us, and means of judging us more correctly? So far as my limited acquaintance with the Germans entitles me to an opinion upon this question, I must answer it without reserve in the affirma- tive. Professor Miinsterberg has not renounced his German citizen- ship. He does not ask his readers to join him in the worship of strange gods in order to find a bond of sympathy with strange devotees. He does not echo the boasting and bluster which Euro- peans have too much reason for regarding as basic Yankee traits. Speaking as a German to Germans, he asks his countrymen to apply
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