THE UNSEEN WORLD, AND OTHER ESSAYS. 12mo, pp. 349, $2.00.
Contents: The Unseen World; The To-morrow of Death; The Jesus of History; The Christ of Dogma; A Word about Miracles; Draper on Science and Religion; Nathan the Wise; Historical Difficulties; The Famine of 1770 in Bengal; Spain and the Netherlands; Longfellow's Dante; Paine's St. Peter; A Philosophy of Art; Athenian and American Life.
We think every one will remark, while examining this volume, the variety of subjects treated; and if anybody has formed an opinion that Mr. Fiske is a man who cares for nothing but myths and philosophy, he will find occasion to correct it. Many of these papers are critical reviews of important books widely different in their subjects; but to each study the writer seems to have brought, besides an excellent quality of discriminating judgment, full and fresh special knowledge, that enables him to supply much information on the subject, whatever it may be, that is not to be found in the volume he is noticing. To the knowledge, analytical power, and faculty of clear statement, that appear in all these papers, Mr. Fiske adds a just independence of thought that conciliates respectful consideration of his views, even when they are most at variance with the commonly accepted ones.—Boston Advertiser.
Of all the criticism and discussion called forth both in this country and in England by that remarkable little book, "The Unseen Universe," Mr. John Fiske's "Unseen World" is at once the most profound, the most comprehensive, and the most lucid.... The mere statement of a thought in his perspicuous and translucent language gives it, in most cases, a new meaning and an added force.—Appletons' Journal.
They are all striking compositions, and deserving of a place in the fore rank of this kind of literature. It is not often that more robust and healthy reading can be found between the covers of a single volume.—San Francisco Bulletin.
The vigor, the earnestness, the honesty, and the freedom from cant and subtlety in his writing are exceedingly refreshing. He is a scholar, a critic, and a thinker of the first order.—Christian Register.
Mr. Fiske has won for himself a foremost place among American writers on physical science; and the present volume of essays bears testimony not only to his ability as a physicist, but to his versatility of mind and critical powers as well.—Canadian Monthly.
He is one of our foremost religious thinkers.—Times (New York).