xxxjy KINGSGATE CASTLE 147 



edition of my book The Golden Bough as to the relation 

 of magic and religion agree with those which you had 

 put forward long before in The Origin of Civilisation. 



I read that work (fourth edition, 1882) many years 

 ago — I believe in 1885 — ^and no doubt it contributed to 

 form the opinions which I hold as to the evolution of 

 religion and society, for on looking through it again 

 to-day I see how cordially I endorse many of the con- 

 clusions you have come to on important points. I had 

 no recollection that you had indicated the opposition of 

 principle between magic (or, as you prefer to call it, 

 fetichism) and religion. . . . 



The further point of the priority of magic to religion 

 in the evolution of thought is one which, so far as I 

 remember, neither Mr. Jevons nor Sir A. Lyall main- 

 tained or even hinted at. 



When I argued for this priority of magic to religion 

 in the second edition of my book, I was not aware that 

 any one had done so explicitly before me, but I was 

 careful not to claim any originality for the view, as it 

 occurred to me that possibly some one might have drawn 

 the same conclusion before me (Golden Bough, Second 

 edition, vol. i. p. xvi). I am very glad to learn that you 

 had actually done so, and I shall take care to point this 

 out in the next edition of my book, if I ever see one 

 through the press. The reason why I am particularly 

 glad to find myself in agreement with you on this point 

 is that the priority of magic and religion is just one of 

 the things which appear to have met with least accept- 

 ance among my critics. They will perhaps treat the 

 theory more seriously when they find it is held by you 

 also. Anyhow our independent agreement seems to 

 confirm the probability of the theory. . . . 



I note the account in your book of the killing and 

 eating of the god, to which you refer me. Merolla's 

 description of the Congo custom, which you quote, 

 particularly interests me, because it relates to a custom, 

 very important for my argument, which was only known 

 to me through the briefer description in Labat's 

 Relation historique (see The Golden Bough, vol. ii. 

 p. 8, second edition). If I ever bring out a new edition 

 of my book, I will certainly quote or refer to Merolla's 

 description, mentioning that you had done so before me. 

 Merolla's " Voyage to Congo," as printed in Pinkerton's 



