STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM. 107 



gradually formed and developed. In fact, in the case 

 of the higher historical races it is important to make 

 a more explicit and accurate study of the fetish 

 religion, that is, of the mythical animation of any 

 special phenomenon or thing. Although the scope 

 of such religion is superstitious veneration, or abject 

 fear, yet it is impossible that it should not induce 

 a more precise and less confused notion of the rela- 

 tive condition of things. In this way observation 

 becomes more accurate, and the intrinsic use of the 

 thing is often recognized. By the gradual exercise 

 of such analysis in the case of all or most phenomena, 

 man obtains a clearer knowledge of his environment. 



While a juster estimate of the empiric value of 

 special objects is obtained in this manner, the subse- 

 quent, though sometimes mistaken classification of 

 their specific types enables the mind to arrange his- 

 knowledge of natural things in a more synthetic and 

 orderly way, and by such classification man is always 

 tending towards a more universal unity : he places 

 the general forms of phenomena in an ideal harmony, 

 which fancifully symbolizes their laws. 



In the succeeding chapters we shall see how this 

 process is accomplished, and how it leads up to the 

 explicit exercise of the reason. A more definite em- 

 piric knowledge, and the harmonious classification of 

 specific types with a view to unity, are a proof of a 

 relatively greater improvement, both in civilization 

 and morality. This is abundantly shown in all those 



