568 



NATURE 



[January 20, 19 16 



the euhemeristic views of the late Sir A. Lyall, 

 which regard most of the gods of Hinduism as 

 deified men, are fully accepted. The mana of Dr. 

 Marett resolves itself into a development from 

 relic worship, and his dogma that religion de- 

 velops from the undifferentiated to the differen- 

 tiated is criticised on the ground of the com- 

 plexity of savage society, and in particular its 

 highly developed system of relationship. 



It would be premature to discuss these posi- 

 tions, which are still the subject of acute contro- 

 versy, and the forces now on the defensive may 

 be in a position to make a successful counter- 

 attack. This much may be said : while Prof. 

 Ridgeway has doubtless succeeded in proving that 



introductory chapter, in which the learning,- 

 acumen, and wit of the author are conspicuous. 

 The material on dance and drama among bar- 

 baric and savage races is of the highest value, and. 

 must be studied by all future historians of the 

 stage. The facts from India, due to help re- 

 ceived from Sir John Marshall and the staff of 

 the Archaeological Survey, are of special interest,' 

 and the fine collection of photographs taken for 

 this work is admirable. Two of the illustrations 

 are here given, by the courtesy of the publishers. 

 When we are told that the Shiah form of Islam 

 is dominant in India, it may be pointed out that 

 though this sect is more active and fanatical than 

 that of its rivals, the Sunnis, the latter holds a 

 decided numerical superiority. It is to be 

 regretted that the proofs of the chapter on 

 Hindustan were not read by a competent 

 Oriental scholar, who would have been able 

 to detect some irritating perversions of 

 names which detract from the scientific 

 accuracy of the work. 



THE METRIC SYSTEM AND 

 DECIMAL COINAGE. 



T 



Fig. 2.— The Buffoon {Tchou). From "The Dramas and Dramatic Dances < 

 European Races.' 



the cult of the dead has exercised potent influence 

 on the development of drama — indeed, his leading 

 opponent, Prof. Murray, admits that "it can be 

 shown that every extant tragedy contains some- 

 where towards the end the celebration of a tabu 

 tomb " — many will hesitate to refer such a com- 

 plex as dance and drama throughout the world to 

 a single concept ; and, to take India alone. Sir 

 A. Lyall 's view, which excludes the cult of spirits 

 other than human, leaves unexplained the devo- 

 tion to Siva, who was in origin a storm god, later 

 developed into a deity of fertility, or to the still 

 potent spirits of mountain, river, or spring. 



We have almost exhausted our space in dis- 

 cussing the important problems raised in the 

 NO. 2412, VOL. 96] 



HERE are probably few readers of 

 Nature who do not realise that what 

 is being referred to in the Press as "The 

 War after the W^ar " is nothing more; 

 than a tardy appreciation of the "war 

 before the war " which Germany has 

 been waging against England for a 

 quarter to half a century in the 

 applications of science to commerce. 

 It has been stated over and over again 

 that German firms have been ousting 

 British trade in many countries by issuing 

 price lists containing quotations in the 

 metric system of weights and measures. 

 A further element of success has been 

 that the enterprising Germans have in 

 many cases told prospective purchasers 

 the exact amount of money in their own 

 currency which they would have to 

 pay in order to have the goods de- 

 livered at their house, free of car- 

 ^°"' riage, customs dues, or all other 

 charges. 

 Now scientific men have been preaching the 

 adoption of the metric system for years. The 

 advantages which this country would gain by dis- 

 carding British weights and measures, and using 

 those which have now become international, are 

 well known to every thinking man. In these cir- 

 cumstances it must be regarded as regrettable 

 that the Electrical Review, in a series of articles 

 entitled " Decimal Coinage and the Metric 

 System" (October 15 to November 26), has asso- 

 ciated these undoubted claims for standardisation 

 of units with the advocacy of a change of monetary 

 system which nobody understands, and which does 

 not appear calculated to advance the cause of 

 international uniformity. 



