Books: Bright Star

THE SCIENTIFIC OUTLOOK—Bertrand Russell—Norton ($3).

Bertrand Russell is still at his priestlike task. Not only bright but steadfast, he surveys civilization with a calm and rationalistic eye, preaches to an increasing congregation the virtues of Reason. Russell's lucidity has rarely faltered, but of late years his published sermons have seemed at times a little thin. Now he admits his recent books were "mainly pot-boilers"; but says of The Scientific Outlook: "For my part, though I says it as shouldn't, I think it is a very good book." Its purpose: "To show up...