39 SIR MONIER MONIBR-WILLIAMS. 
Buddhism,—that is to say, if we examine Buddhism before 
Christianity, we do not find those resemblances which are pointed 
out, and perhaps purposely exaggerated, to support the idea that all 
religions are of human origin. We have heard about the ascension 
of Buddha, and that is compared with the Ascension of Christ. 
We are also told of the footmarks on the mountain, and so on; but 
it has been shown that these resemblances had their origin 400 or 
500 years after the existence of Christianity. Therefore, it is possible 
that something has taken place in the history of Buddhism which 
resembles what in natural history is termed mimetic analogy. We 
know that there are particular insects which owe their safety from 
their natural enemies to the fact that they closely resemble another 
Species possessed of an armature or means of self-defence,—it 
may be some essential oil, the smell of which is not liked, and 
which prevents the insect being seized as prey,—the insect which 
has a resemblance to it thereby escaping capture. It may be that 
the Buddhists of later times, haying found a living, vital force in 
Christianity, have endeavoured to give life to their system of 
philosophy by copying a virtue, not innate in their own doctrine, 
but which is possessed by Christianity. This is in favour of 
Christianity, for the better does not imitate the worse. If you will 
allow me to make some comparison between the nature of Christi- 
anity and that of Buddhism, I would say that Christianity is essen- 
tially and professedly an intervention on the part of the Divine 
Being for the good of His creatures ; while Buddhism is an effort on 
the part of man himself to work out a deliverance from experienced 
evils. There is no sort of connexion between the two things, and 
the case is not altered because we find that in the pursuit of this object 
the professors of Buddhism have attained what are undoubtedly some 
noble conceptions, have worked on principles which may to some 
extent call forth our admiration, have made careful observation of 
the character of the human mind and of nature generally, and 
have carried out their observations with intense thought and 
care. The essential difference between the two systems is not 
thereby affected. The position of the Buddhist is, after all, not 
greatly dissimilar from that condition which we find prevailed in 
ancient times, and which finds its illustration in the efforts of the 
Babel builders to reach heaven by the construction of a material 
fabric. In one case you have a number of men seeking to reach 
celestial spheres through physical instrumentality, while in the 
ether you have the idea that man can by mental and moral process 
