wo categories--the emulative habit
of life and the habit of devout observances--are therefore to be taken
as complementary elements of the barbarian type of human nature and of
its modern barbarian variants. They are expressions of much the same
range of aptitudes, made in response to different sets of stimuli.

Chapter Twelve ~~ Devout Observances

A discoursive rehearsal of certain incidents of modern life will show
the organic relation of the anthropomorphic cults to the barbarian
culture and temperament. It will likewise serve to show how the survival
and efficacy of the cults and he prevalence of their schedule of devout
observances are related to the institution of a leisure class and to the
springs of action underlying that institution. Without any intention to
commend or to deprecate the practices to be spoken of under the head of
devout observances, or the spiritual and intellectual traits of which
these observances are the expression, the everyday phenomena of current
anthropomorphic cults may be taken up from the point of view of the
interest which they have for economic theory. What can properly
be spoken of here are the tangible, external features of devout
observances. The moral, as well as the devotional value of the life of
faith lies outside of the scope of the present inquiry. Of course no
question is here entertained as to the truth or beauty of the creeds on
which the cults proceed. And even their remoter economic bearing can not
be taken up here; the subject is too recondite and of too grave import
to find a place in so slight a sketch.

Something has been said in an earlier chapter as to the influence which
pecuniary standards of value exert upon the processes of valuation
carried out on other bases, not related to the pecuniary interest. The
relation is not altogether one-sided. The economic standards or canons
of valuation are in their turn influenced by extra-economic standards of
value. Our judgments of the economic bearing of facts are to some extent
shaped by the dominant presence of these weightier interests. There is
a point of view, indeed, from which the economic interest is of weight
only as being ancillary to these higher, non-economic interests. For the
present purpose, therefore, some thought must be taken to isolate
the economic interest or the economic hearing of these phenomena of
anthropomorphic cults. It takes some effort to divest oneself of the
more serious point of vie