Studies in Early Celtic Nature Poetry by Kenneth JacksonReview by: M. F. Ashley-MontaguIsis, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Dec., 1936), pp. 186-187Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/225076 .

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i 86 isis, XXVI I

correlation and its accessory statistics; the variate difference (and sum) method of calculating r; the determination of intraclass and interclass correlation coefficients; the coefficient of substratum heterogeneity; and biserial and equivalent probability correlation. HARRIS' contributions to the advancement of the frontiers of biometric methodology show the liveliest appreciation of practical needs and reflect great credit on one whose chief mathematical tool was simple algebra. His work was characterized throughout by its stimulating effects upon his colleagues and associates. Nearly one-half of his titles report cooperative research.

May i 8, I 93 6. C. A. KOFOID.

Kenneth Jackson.-Studies in early Celtic nature poetry. xii-4-2o4 pp. Cambridge: At the University Press; New York: The MACMILLAN

CO., 1935, $3.75, This volume will be of interest to readers of Isis because of the author's

suggestion that certain of the twelfth century Irish and particularly Welsh gnomic poems examined therein represent a " beginning of science, where the nature gnomes are the rudiments of physics and botany and zoology, and the human gnomes a crude psychology." (p. I36). A gnome is defined by iVMr. JACKSON as " a sententious statement about universals, as well about the world of nature (' nature gnome ') as about the affairs of men (' human gnome ') " (p. I25). Since these gnomes were, it is believed, first written down long after they originally came into being, it is very probable that they are of some antiquity, hence both their importance and their interest is considerable for an under- standing of the early sciential processes of thought of these peoples.

Mr. JACKSON takes exception to SIEPER'S statement that Celtic poetry is " unendlich primitiv," objecting that " primitive poetry may be defined as an expression in crude verse form, without conscious literary art, of the singer's own immediate needs in an uncultured stage of society " (p. 79). The conscious literary artificiality of a great deal of Celtic poetry Mr. JACKSON considers to be a far from primitive characteristic. If Mr. JACKSON is right then there is no such thing as primitive poetry, or poetry that is primitive, for all the knowledge that we at present possess of the' poetry ' of so-called existing primitive peoples, from the Australian to the Zuni,-and that knowledge is by no means inconsiderable,-proves very strikingly that none of these peoples use their varieties of chants and songs in any other but a highly formalized manner. This is true of the most primitive forms of which we have any knowledge, namely, the curious chants of the Bushmen of South Africa, in which a highly artificial and systematized repetitive from is obligatory. (i) What SIEPER

Cf. ECKART VON SYDOW, Dichtu zgen der Naturvdlker, Vienna, 1936.

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REVIEWS I87

probably meant was that the content of Celtic poetry was infinitely primitive. This, of course, is an overstatement, but if by primitive we are here to understand the manifestation of an early form of human thinking and reflection, then certainly the content of Celtic poetry is primitive.

Mr. JACKSON'S collection of Celtic poetry together with his introductions and analyses constitutes a valuable addition to the field of Celtic studies.

New York UJniversity. M. F. ASHLEY-MONTAGU.

Ernest Wickersheimer.--Dictionnaire biogrpzphique des mwdecins en France an Moyen Age. 2 vOls V1III1-46i +867, leaf errata. Paris, E. DROZ, 1936. Frs. fr. Ioo.

"Here is brought together what I have been able to find out about the physicians, surgeons, barbers and empirics, which have been cited, some erroneously, inside of the actual frontiers of France, from the fifth century on to the end of the fiftee'nth." Given the high competence of the authfor, the long years of painstaking search among archival and literary sources, and an unparalleled familiarity with the international literature on the subject, the appearance of this work will cause immense satisfactionu among the ever increasing number of the students of medieval medicine. For long years to come it will be an indispensable tool, and also correct a great number of errors which are continuously repeated from works less adequately documented. Gratefully we can but congratulate the author on this remarkable achievement. Also the publisher ; 7ho has already given us numerous useful publications in this domain deserves the highest praise for producing at a very reasonable price, and in best typographical style and clearness, this book.

The names are arranged alphabetically (K is ranged among the C, Y among the I) and each notice is followed by precise bibliographical references which we are glad to see include those from LYNN THORNDIKE'S

complete four volumes of his monumental History of magic and experimental science. That the alphabetical order is determined by the given, baptismal, nomen, and not by the often better known family name, also that this is given in the French vernacular and not in the more familiar Latin form, is an innovation, probably not altogether welcome to some. When by this method the reader is confronted for instance by the formidable array of more than 1700 Jean, in about 550 cases plain Yean without any other name, he may well wonder if not by a distinction-i of fean from Johann, Johannes, loannes, John, Jehan, Hans, Giovanni or other forms as found in the originals, or by the substi- tution of the family name or place name serving as such, the search might not be facilitated. I look for MONDEVILLE, nothing under M,

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