New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-28


bilious to succeed In whatever he attemps and does not
mean to be outdone by any man. A man among men
he has the feeling Of MASTER and 10 disposed 10 dect
others and take tho responsibility He docs not tre'
nor Will he be ried with-must BIO at the head OF MS
own affairs His mind IA Of wholesale rather than OF
retail character He give of broad ideas ana gen.
sra principles and in whole loaves better than IN
crumbs His strength in himself, in his wonderfully
strong organization. in bis and in the human ana
divine aids he Is continually receiving
The Eclectic Magazine for this month con-
tains as usual Of the most interesting papers IN
the British periodicals. including "A Month IN japan
csc Farm House." from Temple Oar" Modern skep-
ticism and Its Fruit" from "Blachvood," German
Home Idfs.v from Frazer" and "Narcotics," from
"Chambers" The number 10 embeIIiscd with portrait
of Professor W. ID. Whitney, Yale College.
THE NATIVE EAGEs OF THE PAS cW sraTEs
III. $40 pp. 7o6 ID. Appleton q Co.
In the progress of this great work MIR. Ban
croft has now reached different order OF ideas from inc
urely material ptOns which relate to the amman
development Of the savage tribes He has traced 'no
intercourse of their urcultyaed minds with the elements
o, Nature described their advancement in the rude
mechanic arts and watched tho dawn OF civilization IN
the ARRANGEMENTS OF domestic society In tho present
volume he domain beyond the limits OF mereT
positive science and undertakes to deal Win specuao"s
of transc character. He starts with the pos
tulate that faculty of speech is the fret ndicaoh vi
the superiority Of to the animal Creation In con-
mon with man. animals possess all the organs OF sensa-
ton They sec hear feel taste, and SMELL They nave
even the ORGANS of speech bnt they have not speech The
higher order OF animals have even certain degree w III
tellcctual perception They possess the acy or me-
ory and the passions Of love and hatred joy and sor
row. gratitude and revenge. But they lack the power OK
connected thought and abstract reasoning. Another
h,Ittp
worship The Wild beast, in order to escape the Storm
lies bowling TO his DEM the awestricken savage
has recourse TO prayer TIC primitive man perccives
hand behind the lightning, hears voice abroad III the
thunder FOR which the brute has neither eye nor car
This essential feature OF humanity IS first displayed In
mythical phenomena. II prompts the first struggle OF
spiritual manhood ind expression. Language Is
symbol significant OF thought mythology is symbol
significant of soul With this view of the origin OF Iayths
In the universal elements II humanity, which nc Illus
ttes by elaborate analytic exposition, MI Bancroft
proceeds to classify and describe the principal myths
which are found among the aboriginal tribes OF the
Pacific In bis treatment OF this subject he has collected
an immense variety of curios details showing what may
be called all lra.inctvo or at least universal belief In
the cy ofspcror and Of future state OF exist
ence but blended with fabulous and absurd concep
tons "a to leave NJ definite boundary between the
domains OF religion and superstition 1t Is Interesting 10
note the variety which Is found in the mythical traditions
ever, in the efficacy of necromantc and magical
rites, evncng faith in the supernatural which
can scarcely be parallelcd among the belieyers
in modern splrualism The EsklmOs, for instance,
90 not recognize any supreme being, but only
host Of supernatural agents. varying in name, power,
and character, bEt mosy evil. Intercourse with the
spiritual world is carried through the medium Of the
sagIans, OF fnctionaries answering TO the med
icine OF eastern Indian tribes. Their Whole rchgion
may be described vague terror which finds it's ex
preston the arts of witchcraft. The Tnneh, great
people extending nearly to tho Arctic Ocean and to the
Pacific, appear to have no conception OF supreme
powc: but believe IN spirits fairies which inhabit the
earth the sea- and the air. and are Instrumental both for
good anil evil They have regular order OF shamans
but any one whom tie spirit moves can exercise their
functions Tire conurer shuts himself up In HIS tent
and absans from food for several days. BY this pro-
cess his earthly thins away and his eyes are
opened TO the perception OF spirits Tho Hadihs be-
cvo the great solar spirit to be tie creator and ruler OF
the universe not the material sun, however, who Is
shining walking around the fixed Garth, and wear
ing O radiant There is also an evil spirit
provided with hoofs and horns. They have no
worship ani cherish sense Of responsibility to any
deity for their actions belief in COLLINS spectors and
sorccry is the sum OF their religion The idea of futdrc
state In it, most common form, the life OF earth
Transferred to heaven. The soul was regarded a. sub
icct to the the body and to be supplied by
the SAME means. In the Mexican heaven there were
various degrees OF happiness. Each was appointed TO
his pace according his rank and deserts in this life.
The hi ;tborn warrior who fell gl0ri0usy in battle did
not meet Oh equal terms the bascborn rustic who died in
his bed Even in the most blissfu abode Of the bravo
the ordinary occupations OF life not dispensed with
After their usual singing AMI dancing the again
took no his bow and the woman her spindle. The lower
heavens were the abode of the great mass OF those who
had lived an life and died natural death.
These passed their time in dreamy condition, or state
OF torror or followed their pursuits by twilight. Among
the northern tribes some have been found who did not
believe In the immortality Of the SOUL or IN future reward
and punishment Others believed that there vas future
state which the good and wicked treated accord
ing their deserts. In tribes pictured
rivers guarded by huge gates and flowing out Of
dar. lake-the gloom Ct death. Tho good enter the
stream right which sparkes in constant sunshine,
and supplies them with an abundance Of salmon and
berries The wicked pass in to the left, and suffer cold
and starvation its bleak snow-clad banks Many of
Nevada tribes thought that several heavens awnit the
SOUL with degree OF bliss in proportion to the
its OF the dead person. Some supposed that before tho
soul could enter the evergreen praiTes to live s second
sc cxpiatc its sins In the form OF animal
They imagined that by eating prario-dogs and other
game, they wond shorten the preparatory term Others
who considered large game as the embodied spirits Of
certain generations abstained from their esf fearing
that such fare would hasten their meamophosis. Old
men, whose term of life nearly run, not de-
tered by these fears. There was peculiar panheistic
notion among certain tribes Death regarded
invisible entity constituting the air, which also formed
tho soul of man, or his breath, the special
seat Of which was in the heart. As man be-
came dccrcpit, his soul gradually absorbed
in its original element, until 1t completely
lost identity Such the "yearings after the
invisible" which resulted in myths and be,.efs which to
our understanding, childish and extravagant But"
remarks the author, "doubtess myths would be the
to them. From the beginning of time men have
gIappled with shadows, have accounted for material
certaintes, by immateral uncertainties Let be
tent to gather and preserve these pershGblc phantoms