in that systematic and complete
anthropomorphisation of nature which has given rise to mythology, may
be more succinctly described. Gathering together the conclusions already
obtained, we find that daily or frequent experience of the phenomena
of shadows and dreams has combined with less frequent experience of the
phenomena of trance, ecstasy, and insanity, to generate in the mind of
uncultured man the notion of a twofold existence appertaining alike to
all animate or inanimate objects: as all alike possess material
bodies, so all alike possess ghosts or souls. Now when the theory
of object-souls is expanded into a general doctrine of spirits, the
philosophic scheme of animism is completed. Once habituated to the
conception of souls of knives and tobacco-pipes passing to the land
of ghosts, the savage cannot avoid carrying the interpretation still
further, so that wind and water, fire and storm, are accredited with
indwelling spirits akin by nature to the soul which inhabits the human
frame. That the mighty spirit or demon by whose impelling will the
trees are rooted up and the storm-clouds driven across the sky should
resemble a freed human soul, is a natural inference, since uncultured
man has not attained to the conception of physical force acting in
accordance with uniform methods, and hence all events are to his mind
the manifestations of capricious volition. If the fire burns down his
hut, it is because the fire is a person with a soul, and is angry with
him, and needs to be coaxed into a kindlier mood by means of prayer or
sacrifice. Thus the savage has a priori no alternative but to regard
fire-soul as something akin to human-soul; and in point of fact we find
that savage philosophy makes no distinction between the human ghost
and the elemental demon or deity. This is sufficiently proved by
the universal prevalence of the worship of ancestors. The essential
principle of manes-worship is that the tribal chief or patriarch, who
has governed the community during life, continues also to govern it
after death, assisting it in its warfare with hostile tribes, rewarding
brave warriors, and punishing traitors and cowards. Thus from the
conception of the living king we pass to the notion of what Mr. Spencer
calls "the god-king," and thence to the rudimentary notion of deity.
Among such higher savages as the Zulus, the doctrine of divine ancestors
has been developed to the extent of recognizing a first ancestor, the
Great