THE MIGRATION OF SYMBOLS. 785 



tive to symbols, that form is not all. It is the intention that 

 makes the symbol, and by this symbolism is dependent upon psy- 

 chology, at the same time that its history deserves a place by 

 itself in the general picture of the development of human civiliza- 

 tion. A word is to be said from this point of view concerning 

 other migrations ; those in which a symbol passes, no longer from 

 one country to another, but, upon the same soil, from one religion 

 to the one that succeeds it. In the most frequent case, it is popu- 

 lar pressure that introduces into the new civilization symbols 

 consecrated by long veneration. Sometimes the innovators them- 

 selves use the advantages offered by symbolism to disguise the 

 novelty of their doctrine under ancient forms, and, when neces- 

 sary, to transform into allies emblems or traditions which they 

 are not able to destroy by a direct attack. . Thus Constantino 

 chose as his standard the Labarum, which could be claimed at 

 once by the worship of Christ and by that of the sun. The same 

 policy was attributed to the first king of Norway. According to 

 an old song of the Shetland Islands, Hakon Adalsteinfostri, com- 

 pelled to drink to Odin at an official banquet, drew the sign of the 

 cross on his cup, and, when his guests reproached him for it, told 

 them that it was the sign of the hammer of Thor. We know, in 

 fact, that in German and Scandinavian countries the cross of 

 Christ was more than once disguised under the form of a two- 

 headed hammer, and that in more than one inscription in Egypt 

 it put on the appearance of the key of life. 



Such symbolical adaptations have been especially frequent in 

 Buddhism, which has never been restrained from adopting the 

 symbols and even the rites of anterior or neighboring religions. 

 In some of its sanctuaries it has gone so far as to carve the cere- 

 monies of the worship which natives of India gave to the sun, 

 fire, and serpents, and connect such rites with its own traditions. 

 The solar wheel thus became the wheel of the law ; the sacred 

 tree represented the tree of knowledge under which Sakya-Muni 

 attained perfect illumination ; the serpent Naza was transformed 

 into a guardian of the footprints of Vishnu, which were afterward 

 attributed to Buddha. Some years ago the remains of a Buddhist 

 sanctuary were discovered at Bharut, in which the bas-reliefs 

 represented emblems and religious scenes, accompanied by in- 

 scribed legends. The news gave great joy to the Anglo-Indian 

 archaeologists. They expected to be given interpretations of 

 Buddhist rites and symbols, formulated by the Buddhists them- 

 selves one or two centuries before the Christian era. But a closer 

 examination showed that the shrine was only an ancient temple 

 of the sun, which had been taken possession of by the Buddhists. 

 They were satisfied to put over the pictures of solar worship in- 

 scriptions connecting them with their own faith. 



vol. xxxvn. — 57 



