56 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



have a general certificate signed by certain professors, and setting 

 forth his object, also to be renewed every year ; and that" special cer- 

 tificates might be severally obtained for reading certain excepted dia- 

 logues, for copying from them, for publishing them, or, in rare cases, 

 for translating them. 



However reasonably such a system might be administered, who 

 can doubt the result would be a diminution of the number of scholars, 

 and a check to the progress of learning ? 



Now this is what legislation has done for physiological experi- 

 ments. The act (39 and 40 Victoria) was hastily drawn and hurriedly 

 discussed ; for noble lords and honorable gentlemen who had been 

 taught from childhood to vivisect for unscientific purposes were eager 

 to hurry off to their own merry vivisections, for which they were ready 

 provided with license and certificates. And it works as might be 

 expected. Some shrink from seeing their names figure in disreputable 

 newspapers, and receiving more or less savagely abusive anonymous 

 letters. Others have no laboratories, and find difficulty in licensing 

 their houses. Others are refused the certificates they require. 



In one case two thoroughly qualified men were anxious to cany 

 out an important investigation on the treatment of snake-bites. They 

 procured venomous snakes from a distance, and applied for the special 

 certificates necessary. Considerable delay ensued ; various objections 

 were raised, and set at rest ; and at last all the certificates were ob- 

 tained ; but meantime the snakes had died. 



MYTHOLOGIC PHILOSOPHY.* 



By Major J. W. POWELL. 



IL 



IV. — Outgrowths from Mtthologic Philosophy. 



THE three stages of mythologic philosophy that are still extant in 

 the world must be more thoroughly characterized, and the course 

 of their evolution indicated. But in order to do this clearly, certain 

 outgrowths from mythologic philosophy must be explained, certain 

 theories and practices that necessarily result from this philosophy, and 

 that are intricately woven into the institutions of mankind. 



Ancientism. — The first I denominate ancientism. Yesterday was 

 better than to-day. The ancients were wiser than we. This belief in 

 a better day and a better people in the elder time is almost universal 

 among mankind. A belief so widely spread, so profoundly enter- 



* An Address delivered before the American Association for the Advancement of Sci- 

 ence, at Saratoga, New York, August 29, 1879, by Major J. W. Powell, Vice-President of 

 Section B. 



