darwin and modern science-第128章
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only a force； it is also an action； a quality； a state； at once a substantive； an adjective； and a verb。 It is very closely neighboured by the idea of sanctity。 Things that have mana are tabu。 Like orenda it manifests itself in noises； but specially mysterious ones； it is mana that is rustling in the trees。 Mana is highly contagious； it can pass from a holy stone to a man or even to his shadow if it cross the stone。 〃All Melanesian religion；〃 Dr Codrington says； 〃consists in getting mana for oneself or getting it used for one's benefit。〃 （Codrington； 〃The Melanesians〃； page 120； Oxford； 1891。）
Specially instructive is a word in use among the Omaka （See Prof。 Haddon； 〃Magic and Fetishism〃； page 60； London； 1906。 Dr Vierkandt （〃Globus〃； July； 1907； page 41） thinks that 〃Fernzauber〃 is a later development from Nahzauber。）； wazhin…dhedhe； 〃directive energy； to send。〃 This word means roughly what we should call telepathy； sending out your thought or will… power to influence another and affect his action。 Here we seem to get light on what has always been a puzzle； the belief in magic exercised at a distance。 For the savage will； distance is practically non…existent； his intense desire feels itself as non…spatial。 （This notion of mana； orenda； wazhin…dhedhe and the like lives on among civilised peoples in such words as the Vedic brahman in the neuter； familiar to us in its masculine form Brahman。 The neuter； brahman； means magic power of a rite； a rite itself； formula； charm； also first principle； essence of the universe。 It is own cousin to the Greek dunamis and phusis。 See MM。 Hubert et Mauss； 〃Theorie generale de la Magie〃； page 117； in 〃L'Annee Sociologique〃； VII。）
Through the examination of primitive ritual we have at last got at one tangible； substantial factor in religion； a real live experience； the sense； that is； of will； desire； power actually experienced in person by the individual； and by him projected； extended into the rest of the world。
At this stage it may fairly be asked； though the question cannot with any certainty be answered； 〃at what point in the evolution of man does this religious experience come in？〃
So long as an organism reacts immediately to outside stimulus； with a certainty and conformity that is almost chemical； there is； it would seem； no place； no possibility for magical experience。 But when the germ appears of an intellect that can foresee an end not immediately realised； or rather when a desire arises that we feel and recognise as not satisfied； then comes in the sense of will and the impulse magically to intensify that will。 The animal it would seem is preserved by instinct from drawing into his horizon things which do not immediately subserve the conservation of his species。 But the moment man's life…power began to make on the outside world demands not immediately and inevitably realised in action （I owe this observation to Dr K。 Th。 Preuss。 He writes （〃Archiv f。 Relig。〃 1906； page 98）； 〃Die Betonung des Willens in den Zauberakten ist der richtige Kern。 In der Tat muss der Mensch den Willen haben； sich selbst und seiner Umgebung besondere Fahigkeiten zuzuschreiben； und den Willen hat er； sobald sein Verstand ihn befahigt； EINE UBER DEN INSTINKT HINAUSGEHEN DER FURSORGE fur sich zu zeigen。 SO LANGE IHN DER INSTINKT ALLEIN LEITET； KONNEN ZAUBERHANDLUNGEN NICHT ENSTEHEN。〃 For more detailed analysis of the origin of magic； see Dr Preuss 〃Ursprung der Religion und Kunst〃； 〃Globus〃； LXXXVI。 and LXXXVII。）； then a door was opened to magic； and in the train of magic followed errors innumerable； but also religion； philosophy； science and art。
The world of mana； orenda； brahman is a world of feeling； desiring； willing； acting。 What element of thinking there may be in it is not yet differentiated out。 But we have already seen that a supersensuous world of thought grew up very early in answer to other needs； a world of sense… illusions； shadows； dreams； souls； ghosts； ancestors； names； numbers； images； a world only wanting as it were the impulse of mana to live as a religion。 Which of the two worlds； the world of thinking or the world of doing； developed first it is probably idle to inquire。 （If external stimuli leave on organisms a trace or record such as is known as an Engram； this physical basis of memory and hence of thought is almost coincident with reaction of the most elementary kind。 See Mr Francis Darwin's Presidential Address to the British Association； Dublin； 1908； page 8； and again Bergson places memory at the very root of conscious existence； see 〃L'Evolution Creatrice〃； page 18； 〃le fond meme de notre existence consciente est memoire； c'est a dire prolongation du passee dans le present；〃 and again 〃la duree mord dans le temps et y laisse l'enpreint de son dent；〃 and again； 〃l'Evolution implique une continuation reelle du passee par le present。〃）
It is more important to ask； Why do these two worlds join？ Because； it would seem； mana； the egomaniac or megalomaniac element； cannot get satisfied with real things； and therefore goes eagerly out to a false world； the supersensuous other…world whose growth we have sketched。 This junction of the two is fact； not fancy。 Among all primitive peoples dead men； ghosts； spirits of all kinds； become the chosen vehicle of mana。 Even to this day it is sometimes urged that religion； i。e。 belief in the immortality of the soul； is true 〃because it satisfies the deepest craving of human nature。〃 The two worlds； of mana and magic on the one hand； of ghosts and other…world on the other； combine so easily because they have the same laws； or rather the same comparative absence of law。 As in the world of dreams and ghosts； so in the world of mana； space and time offer no obstacles； with magic all things are possible。 In the one world what you imagine is real； in the other what you desire is ipso facto accomplished。 Both worlds are egocentric； megalomaniac； filled to the full with unbridled human will and desire。
We are all of us born in sin； in that sin which is to science 〃the seventh and deadliest；〃 anthropomorphism； we are egocentric； ego…projective。 Hence necessarily we make our gods in our own image。 Anthropomorphism is often spoken of in books on religion and mythology as if it were a last climax； a splendid final achievement in religious thought。 First； we are told； we have the lifeless object as god （fetichism）； then the plant or animal （phytomorphism； theriomorphism）； and last God is incarnate in the human form divine。 This way of putting things is misleading。 Anthropomorphism lies at the very beginning of our consciousness。 Man's first achievement in thought is to realise that there is anything at all not himself； any object to his subject。 When he has achieved however dimly this distinction； still for long； for very long he can only think of those other things in terms of himself； plants and animals are people with ways of their own； stronger or weaker than himself but to all intents and purposes human。
Again the child helps us to understand our own primitive selves。 To children animals are always people。 You promise to take a child for a drive。 The child comes up beaming with a furry bear in her arms。 You say the bear cannot go。 The child bursts into tears。 You think it is because the child cannot endure to be separated from a toy。 It is no such thing。 It is the intolerable hurt done to the bear's human hearta hurt not to be healed by any proffer of buns。 He wanted to go； but he was a shy； proud bear； and he would not say so。
The relation of magic to religion has been much disputed。 According to one school religion develops out of magic； according to another； though they ultimately blend； they are at the outset diametrically opposed； magic being a sort of rudimentary and mistaken science （This view held by Dr Frazer is fully set forth in his 〃Golden Bough〃 （2nd edition）； pages 73…79； London； 1900。 It is criticised by Mr R。R。 Marett in 〃From Spell to Prayer〃； 〃Folk… Lore〃 XI。 1900； page 132； also very fully by MM。 Hubert and Mauss； 〃Theorie generale de la Magie〃； in 〃L'Annee Sociologique〃； VII。 page 1； with Mr Marett's view and with that of MM。 Hubert and Mauss I am in substantial agreement。）； religion having to do from the outset with spirits。
But； setting controversy aside； at the present stage of our inquiry their relation becomes； I think； fairly clear。 Magic is； if my view （This view as explained above is； I believe； my own most serious contribution to the subject。 In thinking it out I was much helped by Prof。 Gilbert Murray。） be correct； the active element which informs a supersensuous world fashioned to meet other needs。 This blend of theory and practice it is convenient to call religion。 In practice the transition from magic to religion； from Spell to Prayer； has always been found easy。 So long as mana remains impersonal you order it about； when it is personified and bulks to the shape of an overgrown man； you drop the imperative and cringe before it。 〃My will be done〃 is magic； 〃Thy Will be done〃 is the last word in religion。 The moral discipline involved in the second is momentous； the intellectual advance not striking。
I have spoken of magical ritual as though it were the informing life…spirit without which religion was left as an empty shell。 Yet the word ritual does not； as normally used； convey to our minds this notion of intense vitalism。 Rather we associate ritual with something cut and dried； a matter of prescribed form and monotonous repetition。 The association is correct； ritual tends to become less and less informed by the life…impulse； more and more externalised。 Dr Beck （〃Die Nachahmung und ihre Bedeutung fur Psychologie und Volkerkunde〃； Leipzig； 1904。） in his brilliant monograph on 〃Imitation〃 has laid stress on the almost boundless influence of the imitation of one man by another in the evolution of civilisation。 Imitation is one of the chief spurs to action。 Imitation begets custom； custom begets sanctity。 At first all custom is sacred。 To the savage it is as much a religious duty to tattoo himself as to sacrifice to his gods。 But certain customs naturally survive； because they are really useful； they actually have good effects； and so need no social sanction。 Others are really useless； but man is too conservative and imitative to abandon them。 These become ritual。 Custom is cautious； but la vie est aleatoire。 （Bergson； op。 cit。 page 143。）
Dr Beck's remarks on ritual are I think profoundly true and suggestive； but with this reservationthey are true of ritual only when uninformed by personal experience。 The very elements in ritual on which Dr Beck lays such stress； imitation； repetition； uniformity and social collectivity； have been found by the experience of all time to have a twofold influence they inhibit the intellect； they stimulate and suggest emotion； ecstasy； trance。 The Church of Rome knows what she is about when she prescribes the telling of the rosary。 Mystery…cults and sacraments； the lineal descendants of magic； all contain rites charged with suggestion； with symbols； with gestures； with half…understood formularies； with all the apparatus of appeal to emotion and willthe more unintelligible they are the better they serve their purpos
