THE PATH OF DEGENERATION IN SOCIOLOGY 217 



flying banner and drums beating, and the day has 

 become merely a day of copious libations, and serves 

 as a pretext for poor workmen, the fathers of families, 

 to spend all the week drinking in public-houses." 



In conclusion then the cycle is complete ; a 

 corporation, unless suddenly dispersed, ends as it 

 began ; in the last stage of decline it resembles 

 the associations from which it originally developed, 

 the most recently established functions having been 

 the first to decay and disappear. 



2. A criticism of the supposed inverse path of 

 degeneration. 



These few examples suffice to show that in 

 certain cases the more recently formed institu- 

 tion are the first to decline and disappear, while 

 the older persist to the end. 



It must be remembered, however, that the con- 

 trary is at least as frequently the case. All changes 

 of legislation, either juridical or religious, follow, 

 but never precede, the economic transformations to 

 which they relate, whether these be social or ethical, 

 unless the transformations are ephemeral. " Imita- 

 tion," says Tarde, " proceeds from the more obvious 

 to the less obvious ; that is to say, ends and feel- 

 ings are imitated sooner than their means and 

 expressions." 



Title-deeds and armorial bearings survive no- 

 bility ; houses continued to be held as personal 

 or moveable property long after the disappearance 



