THE IDEAS AND SOUKCES OF MYTH. 29 



consciousness and emotions. It must therefore be 

 evident that this vague and continual animation of 

 things ought to be found also in animals, especially 

 in those of the higher types, in whom consciousness, 

 the emotions, and the intelligence are implicitly iden- 

 tical with those of man. Consequently, that which 

 is at first sight absurd becomes obvious and natural, 

 and the fact is only strange and inexplicable to those 

 who have not carefully considered it. 



We must, however, declare that this primary fact 

 is not irreducible, and that science ought not to be 

 content to stop there, but should endeavour to explain 

 and resolve it into its elements, so as to be able to 

 say we have reached the point at which the genesis 

 of myth really begins. This aim can only be attained 

 by the decomposition by analysis of the primitive fact. 

 Since intelligence in its essential elements, and in 

 its innate and iihplicit exercise, appears to be the 

 same in man and in animals, it is necessary to reduce 

 the analysis of animal nature to a primary psychical 

 fact, in order to see whether by this fact, which is 

 identical also in man, the generating element of myth 

 is really revealed. 



I propose to show that this research will reveal 

 truths hitherto unattained, and explain the general 

 law, not merely of the extrinsic process of science and 

 of myth, but also of civilization. 



Starting from this wide basis, we must trace, step 

 by step, the dawn, development, and gradual dis- 



