This book deals with the Psychology of Genius and the relation between Genius and Insanity."The psychological analysis of famous poets will show that the intellectual function is no whit less important a factor of poetic genius than fancy itself, although the latter is the one immediately employed in the act of composition. We have seen that creative fancy works with the material which former impressions of sense have left behind as their remains or residua. The more comprehensive ...

It is often said that the pleasure of form as contrasted with that of color is an intellectual pleasure arising from the perception of relations (unity in variety, proportion, etc.). In a sense this is true, for, as I hope to show in the course of this essay, the appreciation of form as compared with the enjoyment of color is saturated, so to speak, with the more refined sort of intellectual activity. But the fact that certain varieties of the arts of form, more especially outline drawing,...

This book deals with the cause and psychology of laughter.“We laugh under the most diverse circumstances. Curious incidents of the most various character, some absurdly trifling and others rising into different degrees of importance, will provoke the feeling that prompts laughter, or the emotion of the ludicrous; for it is this with which we have to do, rather than with the audible explosion. Our inquiry is into the interior cause, into the moral element in the incident that provoke...

A Danish philosopher has said: “In his whole life man achieves nothing so great and so wonderful as what he achieved when he learnt to talk.” When Darwin was asked in which three years of his life a man learnt most, he said: “The first three.”A child’s linguistic development covers three periods—the screaming time, the crowing or babbling time, and the talking time. But the last is a long one, and must again be divided into two periods—that of the “little language,” the child’s own...

Children's Ways by James Sully is a foundational and insightful exploration of childhood behavior, perception, and emotional development. Written by one of the early pioneers of psychology, the book shines a thoughtful light on how children think, learn, react, and grow, offering timeless observations that continue to inform modern developmental science.Sully draws from real-life examples, careful study, and compassionate understanding to examine the stages of chil...

What are the causes and effects of fear among human and all beings capable of feeling it? What are the signs of fear and the physical phenomena that accompany it?Fear acts in two ways. At times it paralyzes and makes motionless; at other times it excites and gives extraordinary strength.Fear is, finally, a protection against death. But salutary as it is, and inspired by nature, the feeling is one that must be energetically contended against, because it is an emotion of the lo...

In "Children's Ways," James Sully presents a comprehensive exploration of child psychology, illuminating the inherent behaviors, emotions, and cognitive processes of children. Sully adopts an empirical and observational style, keenly analyzing various aspects of childhood development, including play, learning, and emotional responses. Positioned within the late 19th-century context of burgeoning psychological study, Sully's work draws from contemporary advancements in neuroscience and educ...

In "Illusions: A Psychological Study," James Sully embarks on a profound exploration of the interplay between perception and reality. Drawing on contemporary psychological theories and philosophical inquiries, Sully delves into the mechanisms of human thought and the nature of illusion. With a literary style that is both accessible and intellectually rigorous, this work fits within the late 19th-century context of burgeoning psychological research, where the boundaries between science and ...

In "Illusions: A Psychological Study," James Sully delves into the intricacies of human perception and experience, offering a profound exploration of the illusory nature of reality. Using a blend of empirical investigation and philosophical inquiry, Sully employs a clear and engaging literary style to dissect various forms of illusions'—visual, auditory, and cognitive'—highlighting how these phenomena shape our understanding of truth. The book situates itself within the context of late 19t...

…The present volume takes a wide survey of the field of error, embracing in its view not only the illusions of sense dealt with in treatises on physiological optics, etc., but also other errors familiarly known as illusions, and resembling the former in their structure and mode of origin. I have throughout endeavoured to keep to a strictly scientific treatment, that is to say, the description and classification of acknowledged errors, and the explanation of these by a reference to their ps...

In "An Essay on Laughter: Its Forms, Its Causes, Its Development and Its Value," James Sully offers an insightful exploration of laughter, delving into its multifaceted dimensions. Written in the late 19th century, Sully employs a methodical and analytical literary style, merging philosophical inquiry with psychological observation. The work situates laughter within both social and individual contexts, examining its evolutionary significance and its varying manifestations across cultures. ...

Delve into the fascinating world of child development with "Children's Ways" by James Sully. This insightful book offers a comprehensive look into the behavioral patterns, emotions, and cognitive processes of children. Sully masterfully blends scientific observation with tender understanding, revealing the hidden intricacies of a child’s mind.Sully’s work explores the playful, curious, and often unpredictable ways children perceive and interact with the wor...