MAGIC. 47 



Of course, the wish to avoid walking under a ladder must 

 be due to some other cause than fear of magic, for we cannot 

 imagine that any member ever contemplates having to 

 stand under a high wooden structure with the unpleasant 

 addition of a rope round his neck. 



I hope I have shown that if we put out of our mind the 

 absurd, mystical and supernatural debasements of the middle 

 ages, and only consider primitive magic, which I have here 

 defined as acting or imitating the desired result as a hint 

 to Nature, then we most of us in moments of excitement 

 attempt little harmless acts of magic such as I have here 

 described . 



I hope that our members' efforts will always lead to the 

 desired results. 



