RUDIMENTAKY FORM OF RELIGION. 35 



sociology, I have, for some years past, directed much at 

 tention to the modes of thought current in the simpler 

 human societies ; and evidence of many kinds, furnished 

 by all varieties of uncivilized men, has forced on me a 

 conclusion harmonizing with that lately expressed in this 

 Review by Prof. Huxley namely, that the savage, con 

 ceiving a corpse to be deserted by the active personality 

 who dwelt in it, conceives this active personality to be 

 still existing, and that his feelings and ideas concerning 

 it form the basis of his superstitions. Everywhere we find 

 expressed or implied the belief that each person is double ; 

 and that when he dies, his other self, whether remaining 

 near at hand or gone far away, may return, and continues 

 capable of injuring his enemies and aiding his friends. 1 



1 A critical reader may raise an objection. If animal-worship is to be ra 

 tionally interpreted, how can the interpretation set out by assuming a belief 

 in the spirits of dead ancestors a belief which just as much requires explana 

 tion ? Doubtless there is here a wide gap in the argument. I hope eventually 

 to fill it up. Here, out of many experiences which conspire to generate this 

 belief, I can but briefly indicate the leading ones : 1. It is not impossible that 

 his shadow, following him everywhere, and moving as he moves, may have 

 some small share in giving to the savage a vague idea of his duality. It needs 

 but to watch a child s interest in the movements of its shadow, and to remem 

 ber that at first a shadow cannot be interpreted as a negation of light, but is 

 looked upoa as an entity, to perceive that the savage may very possibly con 

 sider it as a specific something which forms part of him. 2. A much more 

 decided suggestion of the same Mud is likely to result from the reflection of 

 his face and figure in water : imitating him as it does in his form, colors, mo 

 tions, grimaces. When we remember that not unfrequently a savage objects 

 to have his portrait taken, because he thinks whoever carries away a represen 

 tation of him carries away some part of his being, will see how probable it is 

 that he thinks his double in the water is a reality in some way belonging to 

 him. 3. Echoes must greatly tend to confirm the idea of duality otherwise 

 arrived at. Incapable as he is of understanding their natural origin, the 

 primitive man necessarily ascribes them to living beings beings who mock 

 him and elude his search. 4. The suggestions resulting from these and other 

 physical phenomena are, however, secondary in importance. The root of this 

 belief in another self lies in the experience of dreams. The distinction so 

 easily made by us between our life in dreams and our real life, is one which 

 the savage recognizes in but a vague way ; and he cannot express even that 

 distinction which he perceives. When he awakes, and to those who have seen 



