426 THE ORIGIN OF TRADITION 



traditions coming into contact will rarely wholly overwhelm one 

 another ; there will be a perpetual taking over by one tradition 

 of some elements from the other so that each tradition will be 

 enriched as it could not have been enriched had it depended 

 entirely upon the environment which gave birth to it. Further, 

 the fact that implements, skilled processes, customs, and institu- 

 tions of a strange nature are now and again coming under the notice 

 of each race acts as a stimulus to thought and invention quite 

 apart from the advantage that may be gained by the absorption 

 of what is valuable into its tradition. It is probable that in this 

 stimulus to thought we have to recognize one of the most important 

 factors making towards progress. 



There is no space to pursue this subject here. It may perhaps 

 be noticed that, when two cultures come into contact, all the 

 elements do not spread with equal rapidity. It has been observed, 

 for instance, that, when a tradition comprising greater skill comes 

 into contact with a less full tradition, ' it is the recognition of the 

 superiority of the natural objects and arts which prevails and 

 makes possible the acceptance of other elements of an introduced 

 culture.' ^ Certain general principles can be made out but there 

 is much that requires elucidation. There is a considerable body 

 of evidence in favour of the view that megalithic buildings have 

 been derived from one centre. If this is so, it is a remarkable 

 example of the fact that an art of an obviously impressive though 

 not useful nature can pass from one race to another without any 

 noticeable assimilation of other elements of the culture where the 

 art was first practised. Again, if this is so, it is not improbable 

 that useful arts which in their way are equally impressive may 

 have similarly proceeded from one centre. It is remarkable also 

 that mythology can apparently spread from one culture to another. 

 To whatever source we may attribute their origin there seems 

 little doubt that in North America, for instance, tales and legends 

 have spread from one side of the continent to the other after 

 very different economic systems had been evolved and without 

 any marked spreading of other elements in the traditions at the 

 same time.^ 



6. Having thus indicated the manner in which contact influences 

 the origin, growth, and transmission of tradition we may turn 



» Rivers, 'Contact of Peoples', Essays and Studies presented to W. Ridgeway, 

 p. 478. ^ Boas, J. A. /., vol. xl, p. 536. 



