The sun., 1881-01-30

reader. It may bo opened anywhere with tho
certainty that the eye win light on something
curious or suggestive. while those who give
these volumes the close examinat they do
serve will be impressed by the grasp with which
great variety OF matter has been handled and
all tho intricacies and Emergencies OF a capa-
cious theme pursued in strict accordance with
the principles OF orderly consecutive develop
ment. After discussing in n preliminary Sec
ton such fundamental questions as the origin
OF deism. the dawn OF dualism the genesis OF
demons and tho causes leading to the degrada-
tion OF deities into devils. Mr.. Conway specifies
tho physical obstructions encountered by man
in his progressive adaptation to his sur
roundings. These obstacles are classified un-
der such generic catogories as hunger. heat.
cold. darkness disease. and death. and n chap
ter is devoted to the numerous forms which
each obstruction has assumed in the imagin-
ings OF men at different epochs and among diff
feront races. Subsequently the author invest-
gates tho decline OF Demons, their shrinkn2e
into myths and folklore. their relapse into
forces Of nature. either through the increase
OF knowledge and quickening OF the power of
eNuct observation as with tho Greok philoso-
pliers. or through tho advent OF purer, sim
pier Religious system. us in the case OF Con-
tucIaniem. Buddhism. XOroastrianism. the
later Judaism taught after tho return from
Bahvlonia. Christianity and Islam. OF n
| special interest are certain chapters in the
| second volume-such, for instance as those on
| titled "Witchcraft" and the Curse on Knowl-
| edge" which trace tho process by which out
worn phantoms that once stood for physical OBJ
struetions now surmountcd have been turned
| to account by the sacerdotal class, and mado to
| do duty as promoters OF technical wrongs, and
artificial evils regarded as prejudlcial to tho in
| tcrcs;s o. a priesthood. The process Of trans
| formation is often obscure. but Mr.. Conway
illustrates tho not untrcduent outcome by re-
minding us how a simple word for misbelieyer
-" miscreant'-h2s como. under sacerdotal In
ngSncc 10 eo the destination Of Lac Srimin9; na,,,,
as well US philosophic purpose It Is be-
cause there are not few surviva,s even even
iIciai fS SntH spectrSs. Of Yu tho hdeous deusons
which once 10y liko an incubus. on NJ. the (,
worth while to prosecute the abors whose re-
suits are recorded in this volume. He Is care
alright R or de1de mankind. and which privi.
| legged casses may still have occasion to foster
from those great ethnieal aud human confsep,
genuine hatred OF wrong or mark tho advance OF
humanity in self-con1usst and the evolution o.
order. Among tho vestiRes OF superstition re-
nlarko in our own time; Mr.. Conway places
the dread OF science too often exhibited by tht
and the general tendency cvinced by the sacsr,
dotal class to describe intellect as a snare.
He reminds US TINT IN van ae{dens % picture npro o
sented in the garb of u university man OF III,
time. From his head falls a streamer. whicl
coils on the ground to a serpent. From tina
serpent to the skeptcal scholar with his pesti
lent demand Tor a miracle. Mr.. Conway think
/, the process OF evolution may easily be traced
; IIo recalls also how the Bishop OF 81. Andrew 8
during the Shak kespeare tercentenary iestlva
at Stratford- on Avon. declared that there s no
, n word in the Bible wArrAnting homage 10 In
. tollert Now ne matter of fact. the homaC
I paid TO solomon was certainly not RENDERED
on account OF his moral character. Tn
, author suggests that tho Bishops boast hesid
the grave Of the most intellectual EnElshmal
was IN itself n survival. for which Christian
rather than Hebrews arc responsible. OF III
I curse alleged to have boon hurled by lealou
! Jehovah on mans first effort to obtain knowl
. edge. Referring to the traces OF belief II
7 ! witchcraft lingering in our own day, tho write
/ says that no rcmombers the terrible persecu
tions to which. in n small Nirginian village
b, | scarcely moro than thirty years ago. an oil
4 | white woman was subjected because OF her rcl
, utation us a witch. SO intolerabu were her sui
1 | fcrinGs that ono morning sho wnded INTO IN
y Rnppuhannock River and drowned herset
1 | We hardly need to add that the poor creature
. suicide was commonly INTERPRETED rs a comics
sion in accordance with the dictum OF Danit
= Webster.