442 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



nation, which, though less sanguinary in its observances, had the mili- 

 tant structure carried out far more completely, so that its industrial 

 organization formed j^ai't of the political organization, gave a lower 

 status to women, who did the hard work, and who, in the upper ranks 

 at least, had to sacrifice themselves on the deaths of their husbands. 



The highest societies, ancient and modern, are many of them ren- 

 dered in one way or other unfit for comparisons. In some cases the 

 evidence is inadequate ; in some cases we know not what the antece- 

 dents have been ; in some cases the facts have been confused by 

 agglomeration of different societies ; and in all cases the coojierating 

 influences have increased in number. Concerning the most ancient 

 ones, of which we know least, we can do no more than say that the 

 traits presented by them are not inconsistent with the view here set 

 forth. The Accadians, who before reaching that height of civiliza- 

 tion at which phonetic writing was achieved, must have existed in a 

 settled populous state for a vast period, must have therefore had for a 

 vast period a considerable industrial organization ; and it seems not 

 improbable that during such period, being powerful in comparison 

 with wandering tribes aroimd, their social life, little perturbed by 

 enemies, was substantially peaceful. Hence there is no incongruity 

 in the fact that tliey are shown by their records to have given their 

 women a relatively high status : wives owned property, and the hon- 

 oring of mothers was especially enjoined by their law^s. Of the Egyp- 

 tians something similar may be said. Their earliest wall-paintings 

 show us a people far advanced in arts, industry, observances, mode 

 of life. The implication is irresistible that, before the stage thus de- 

 picted, there must have been a long era of rising civilization ; and 

 since this era was passed in an isolated fertile tract, mostly surrounded 

 by such nomadic hordes only as the deserts could suj^port, the Egyp- 

 tians were relatively strong, and may not improbably have long led a 

 life largely industrial. So that, though the militant type of social 

 structure evolved during the time of their consolidation, and made 

 sacred by their form of religion, continued, yet industrialism must 

 have become an important factor, influencing greatly their social 

 arrangements, and diffusing its appropriate sentiments and ideas. 

 And the position of woman was relatively good. Though polygyny 

 existed, it was unusual ; matrimonial regulations were strict, and 

 divorce difficult ; " married couples lived in full community ; " women 

 shared in social gatherings as they do in our own societies ; in sundry 

 respects they had precedence given to them; and, in the words of 

 Ebers, " many other facts might be added to prove tlie high state of 

 married life." 



Ancient Aryan societies illustrate well the relationship between 

 the domestic regime and the political regime. The despotism of an 

 irresponsible head, which characterizes the militant type of structure, 

 characterized alike the original patriarchal family, the cluster of fami- 



