THE DOCTRINE OF LUNAR SYMPATHY 655 



are not. Some flowering plants turn to the moon as others turn to the sun, 

 and eels wiU apparently not migrate against the moon's rays. On the 

 other hand, Fox found that moonlight had no effect on the growth of melons, 

 marrows, and other fruits. The modern Egyptian belief in this effect is thus 

 a remnant of an old superstition. The moon is our near neighbour and able 

 to influence us, but the primitive estimate of this influence was exaggerated 

 by uncritical preconceptions. The vast primitive guess that anything might 

 respond to the moon's phases does contain, however, some guesses that can 

 be verified. 



Inanimate things, since they too had social qualifications, were often 

 supposed to be influenced by lunar sympathy. It may be presumed, though 

 the unexpected may happen, that modern science will not discover any 

 increase in stocks or stones corresponding to the waxing of the moon. 



