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The title of Dr. Webster's book is peculiar in that it tells exactly what the book is about, and yet strangely does not suggest its character. From hearing the title alone one might suspect a more or less purely literary production. As a matter of fact the work is a very careful anthropological investigation of the existing evidence bearing upon the origin and development of days of rest, of which our present-day Sabbath is the modern type.
The author takes up a critical examination of these various rest days, deals with the history of market days, various holy days, special tabooed days such as those occurring after the death of relatives, and relates all of these to systems of recording time, based particularly upon the phases of the moon. His discussion of the lunar calendar is an exceedingly interesting and valuable one. Finally such special problems as the Babylonian Evil Days, the Hebrew Sabbath, and special unlucky days, are considered.
In general the author concludes that the origin of days of rest, which have at various times and among various peoples developed to such an extent as not infrequently to include the larger portion of the year, is in tabooed days, and that the relationship of these two definite time intervals, such as the week or the lunar month, or on the other hand the dedication of those days to Gods, are secondary matters. The book is an exceedingly well put together anthropological study and shows very well the development of rest days, particularly in decadent civilizations as a response to the pleasure principle.
White