New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-30

the ease and naturainess wherevi;h soreereF
turns into dragon or Il butterfly. my 80
bearing in mind these two tricks OF thoasil
throughout his study OF primitive and cu''u.eu
morals VIII nc surprised at the ease Win "iii0l
magic. supernatural DEGREES. averging FORCES
disregard OF property rights. holiness OF opJeo''
and hundred other phenomena explain ''ie''i-
selves
The light thrown upon early ana later con-
ceptions of souls and spirits is parucu'a'iS -
tense. although the reader will have 20 pFoceeu
slowly through many OF the learned piSS,'9e7
whence the illumination radates. On the long
thrashed question, whether animlsn IS tie ~"
est and original form Of religion, Mr.. Hophoue'
takes the conservative view, well restrained DS
hosts of facts. that during the earliest s'S'seS
OF animism human fancy fashions monsters an,
heroes. which are not pe-sonifcatiops OF No
forces, but merely fitting ideas 2rOJee'eA
naTve,y into the thinkers real world -
tive religion. then. is anTnism suppiens"'eu -
crude reflection and poetry.
If history has any right &c decide, deeds ''o
right wrong solely according to their enc
and not on account OF any mysterious n7'-, -.
or other code. Even the lowest tribes eo'iue'''iI
wrongdoings on the ground that they Drlns
harm. Very often the harm is wrought M NJ,
ly by some avengiag spirit; this does not l''''l
cate any belief i'll a supernatural dictator "a
conduct. hut only reveals the savage nina man
ing the act and its results into creature.
This same mental trick explains the Ine'HouS
atonement. retribution, blessing, cursihs an
taking oath. In all these procedures INNS
must be given. taken or manipulated 50 "S -
bring about the desired results. RioiculouS "
magic seems TO us. it is rational ehousn
simple minds. Bad people are lniec'eu VIZ
spirit. persons seeking a blessing are ie"-i'
IN
and these spirits may be forced 10 move or ac'
bv various methods differing not essentaily
from modern scientific ones. one might say w,
much truth that the chief difference pet"ee'i
magic and science is that the former ala no'
find the true controls over Spirits, whereas '''0
latter has
It is a long story to traces the growth OF co,i-
duct from such crude beginnings upward "
modern philosophy OF life. Yet the end OF tue
tale. as told by Mir. Hobhouse. is very Oi'VA
its climax. ,.o,
In a short summary the writer brushes
some of the most dearly loved theories "a =.
sic. speculative moralists Morality as Sc" "
the light Of history mas not grown OUT u any
lofty striving toward higher ends nut Is !"
;ts incention an instinct. Men act spohtahe-
o,,sIx and II their acts are suited to their oc-
ooeioos men prosper and in the long run gai"
the ascendency over their brethren WIN Poo'0'
instincts So, too men are originally neither e6o
lists nor altruists, as some cobweb splhHe'S
have rs believe. Everything goes first OF an
b,- irnnuIse. AT a higher stage acts are thous"'
% in The light Of their effects. But even ne'e
the Inherited nervous structure is the cDue'-
ling condition explaining morality. ACTS are
done bv habit. not morally. From prli"I'i'e
custom ethical growth may he concel\eo %
nroceeding along three lines; it Is an eVo'u'''"
IN ethical ideas. in human character OF III s'o'"'
relations Rut in all this progress there Is no
nrospect that man can ever reach a maj en-"
bevond which his ideas abou; the world OF ms
r,o~olitv cannot advance. This is not mercy
a 6eniai Of supernaturalism; il Is an asseE'''H
~ mans supremacy in the field OF ms own
ufe II explains how new conditions wh'cn
bera+ofore have never been known ana welSHeN'
may enter into mans ethical calculations 50
as 70 modify ancient maxims profoundly. MT
1obbouse IS convinced that man makes MS
morals for himself, and ne looks upon thls 'ac'
ae an example of the much greater one now
edavs so widely accepted by students tha'
"tbis slowly wrought out dominance OF mlhd N
,btnqs IS the central fact of evolution 10
,,bornsoeyer this appeals. the present DOCK VIII
ia \ mine % welcome information And 10 those
,bo have never INDUCED in philosophical specu-
teton Mr. Hobhouse's study affords an excel
Io-t Introduction into the least abstruse branch