The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-01

in such objects. places or actions may
communicate itself by direct or second
airy contact to the incautious. AS out
Of the primordial taboo arises the sys-
TEN Of prohibitions which may be local.
lied in time and space, so out OF the
automatic magic arises a strong system
of volitional magic, sympathetic or
homeopathic, according to principles OF
Its employment upon which we have
not here space to dwell. In either form
II Is possible for q man to prepare him
self, or in default therec: to employ an
already equipped agent, to employ the
magic Of inanimate objects to work
upon another to his harm.
In the fear which the plain man must
have when he approaches the great In
whom the taboo lnheres or when he
seeks the resources Of the magic for the
harm Of his neighbor lies the oppor-
tunity for the reckless and the adept.
Agents arise who have conquered fear.
or who delude themselves with the be-
lief Of acquired Immunity. and these
make their market In assuming con-
tracts to work magic. From those who
specialize In worthy objects develops
the class Of the priest and the hero
plant, from such as devote their efforts
to malefic magic the sorcerers and
witches and soothsayers arise.
Faith Is prime requisite. II the
taboo and magic are to be operative.
Yet faith Is not lacking to the man OF
primitive type. In matters which lie
outside the petty ring Of his experience
he Is always disbelieving. but within
his experience his faith is abject and
wholly ASSOCIATED from whatever power
of reasoning he may be found to pos
sess There is abundance Of evidence
in the experience Of all who have en-
gagged at all intimately with the life Of
savages that the power Of the sorcerer
Is unlimited in Its effect upon him to
whom he addresses It. 1t is enough
for the person selected as the object OF
such stimulation of the divine magic to
know that he has been picked for a
victim. 1t takes care OF itself and &C.
complshes itself. for the victim dies
without a protest merely through the
impress upon his vital sense.
In this section Of his work Or. Frazer
comes very close to our own time and
our own place, for he subjects to careful
record and brilliant Interpretation our
familiar superstitions. A superstition Is
but a faith that has lost fashion and
]
are recorded In which an old faith has
been overlaid by two or even three new
faiths in turn. yet has had sufficient vi
tality to remain with scarcely abated
force as a superstition. They enter into
our common life In all sorts OF ways.
sometimes we regard them as no more
than custom. sometimes we smile On a
superior fashion at them as foolish mat
tiers OF no moment, generally we regard
them as picturesque survivals in whole
ignorance Of that from which they sur
vve.
1t is here that 1.-THE G6lden Bough"
will appeal most strongly to the general
reader. Ethnology has become a highly
specialized science with the world for its
field. the world because II is more or
less completely surrounded by men.
Outlandish manners and customs may
not interest all alike and much within
this great and encyclopedia work may
repel those who are injurious as to the
manners and customs Of strange men
and who forget the wise legend OF WILL
am Of Wykeham Manners makyth
man" But to read the lesson OF the
magic Of spilling the salt or walking
under a ladder or being the thirteenth
ut table will certainly interest those
Gallios who believe in none OF these
things. yet slyly practise them. Here
will be found the story of the Christmas
and the Easter festivals in their primi-
tive source. many OF the customs OF
childhood, many of the beliefs OF sailors,
all duly set forth In origin and develop
ment.