128 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
" History of Crime," is a matter of considerable importance to sociolo- gists. The criminologist proper has very largely regarded the anatomical aspects of his subject. His contact with criminals has been occasional and brief. He has seen the criminal after his capture or incarceration, has measured him and applied other tests to make it possible to recognize him again, and his methods have resulted in theories of a criminal type of man rather more than in anything else. But the detective spends his life in studying the habits of criminals while they are at large and members of society, and he is in a better position to get at the criminal on the side of his interests and mental make up. Consequently the standpoint of the detective will probably in the end give better results to the sociology and pedagogy than will that of the criminal anthro- pologist.
Mr. Pinkerton's analysis and classification of motives in the roost celebrated murder cases in history are a valuable contribution to the literature of this subject, and his personal knowledge of the causes celebres of the present generation makes his treatment of these particu- larly interesting. Two additional volumes of this series will be issued soon, and their appearance will be awaited with interest.
W. I. THOMAS.
The Oneida Community : A Record of an Attempt to Carry out the Principles of Christian Unselfishness and Scientific Race- Improvement. By ALLAN ESTLAKE. London: George Redway, 1900. Pp. vi+158.
THIS is a defense rather than a history of an interesting experiment in marital and economic communism, by a member of the communistic community. "If the public interest warrants, it will be followed by a very much more complete and authoritative work, containing volumi- nous details which have necessarily been omitted from the present pamphlet." A faithful and full narrative history of this movement would, indeed, be of great interest, though it is doubtful whether a sympathetic member of the community would be able to report the facts in a scientific way. The writer claims that the experiment was entirely successful in all respects, that communism in marriage was deliberately abandoned as the result of public criticism, not because it worked unsatisfactorily, and that the "Oneida Community, Limited," is still prospering greatly in a business way. The most interesting light thrown upon human nature by the sketch is the degree to which normal habits may be modified through suggestion.
W. I. THOMAS.
