h the Geographical and Zoological Societies. Perhaps the position
of spiritualism in England offers the nearest analogy to a Chinese
religion. There are, I believe, some few persons for whom spiritualism
is a definite, sufficient and exclusive creed. These may be compared
to the Buddhist clergy with a small minority of the laity. But the
majority of those who are interested or even believe in spiritualism,
do not identify themselves with it in this way. They attend seances as
their curiosity or affections may prompt, but these beliefs and
practices do not prevent them from also belonging to a Christian
denomination. Imagine spiritualism to be better organized as an
institution and you will have a fairly accurate picture of the average
Chinaman's attitude to Buddhism and Taoism. One may also compare the
way in which English poets use classical mythology. _Lycidas_, for
instance, is an astounding compound of classical and biblical ideas,
and Milton does not hesitate to call the Supreme Being Jove in a
serious passage. Yet Milton's Christianity has never, so far as I
know, been called in question.

There is an obvious historical parallel between the religions of
the Chinese and early Roman Empires. In both, the imperial and
official worship was political and indifferent to dogma without being
hostile, provided no sectary refused to call the Emperor Son of Heaven
or sacrifice to his image. In both, ample provision was made outside
the state cult for allaying the fears of superstition, as well as for
satisfying the soul's thirst for knowledge and emotion. A Roman
magistrate of the second century A.D. may have offered official
sacrifices, propitiated local genii, and attended the mysteries of
Mithra, in the same impartial way as Chinese magistrates took part a
few years ago in the ceremonies of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.
In both cases there was entire liberty to combine with the official
religious routine private beliefs and observances incongruous with it
and often with one another: in both there was the same essential
feature that no deity demanded exclusive allegiance. The popular
polytheism of China is indeed closely analogous to the paganism of the
ancient world.[569] Hinduism contains too much personal religion and
real spiritual feeling to make the resemblance perfect, but in dealing
with Apollo, Mars and Venus a Roman of the early Empire seems to have
shown the mixture of respect and scepticism which is charac