THE STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY. 459 



conclusions, respecting social phenomena, which alone constitute Social 

 Science. 



The sentiment which thus shudders with horror at bad deeds for 

 which there was much excuse, while to deeds immeasurably more 

 dreadful and without excuse it gives applause very slightly qualified 

 with blame, is a sentiment which, among other effects, marvellously 

 perverts men's political conceptions. This awe of power, by the 

 help of which social subordination has been, and still* is, chiefly main- 

 tained this feeling which delights to contemplate the imposing, be it 

 in military successes, or be it in the grand pageantries, the sounding 

 titles, and the sumptuous modes of living that imply supreme author- 

 ity this feeling which is offended by outbreaks of insubordination, 

 and acts or words of a disloyal kind ; is a feeling that inevitably gen- 

 erates delusions respecting governments, their capacities, their achieve- 

 ments. It transfigures them and all their belongings, as does every 

 strong emotion the objects toward which it is drawn out. Just as 

 maternal love, idealizing offspring, sees perfections but not defects, 

 and believes in the future good behavior of a worthless son, notwith- 

 standing countless broken promises of amendment ; so this power- 

 worship idealizes the State, as embodied either in a despot, or in king, 

 lords, and commons, or in a republican assembly, and continually hopes 

 in spite of continual disappointments. 



How awe of power sways men's political beliefs will be perceived, 

 on observing how it sways their religious beliefs. We shall best see 

 this by taking an instance supplied by people whose religious ideas are 

 extremely crude. Here is an abstract of a description given by Captain 

 Burton : 



" A pot of oil with a lighted wick was placed every night, by the half-bred 

 Portuguese Indians, before tbe painted doll, the patron saint of the boat in which 

 we sailed from Goa. One evening, as the weather appeared likely to be squally, 

 we observed that the usual compliment was not offered to the patron, and had 

 the curiosity to inquire why. ' Why ? ' vociferated the tindal (captain), indignantly, 

 'if that chap can't keep the sky clear, he shall have neither oil nor wick from 

 me, d n him ! ' ' But I should have supposed that in the hour of danger you 

 would have paid him more than usual attention? ' 'The fact is, Sahib, I have 

 found out that the fellow is not worth his salt : the last time we had an infernal 

 squall with him on board, and if he does not keep this one off, I'll just throw 

 him overboard, and take to Santa Caterina ; hang me, if I don't the brother- 

 in-law ! ' " (brother-in-law, a common term of insult). 1 



To us it seems scarcely imaginable that men should thus behave to 

 their gods and demi-gods should pray to them, should insult and 

 sometimes castigate them for not answering their prayers, and then 

 should presently pray to them again. Let us pause a moment before 

 we laugh. Though in the sphere of religion our conduct does not pre- 



1 Burton's " Goa," etc., p. 167. 



