Magic Science and Religion 8 1 



a constant revelation of their wonder-working power. They 

 both are surrounded by taboos and observances which mark off 

 their acts from those of the profane world. 



Now what distinguishes magic from religion ? We have taken 

 for our starting-point a most definite and tangible distinction : we 

 haVe defined, within the domain of the sacred, magic as a practical 

 art consisting of acts which are only means to a definite end 

 expected to follow later on ; religion as a body of self-contained 

 acts being themselves the fulfilment of their purpose. We can 

 now follow up this difference into its deeper layers. The practical 

 art of magic has its limited, circumscribed technique : spell, rite, 

 and the condition of the performer form always its trite trinity. 

 Religion, with its complex aspects and purposes, has no such simple 

 technique, and its unity can be seen neither in the form of its acts 

 nor even in the uniformity of its subject-matter, but rather in the 

 function which it fulfils and in the value of its belief and ritual. 

 Again, the belief in magic, corresponding to its plain practical 

 nature, is extremely simple. It is always the affirmation of man's 

 power to cause certain definite effects by a definite spell and rite. 

 In religion, on the other hand, we have a whole supernatural 

 world of faith : the pantheon of spirits and demons, the benevolent 

 powers of totem, guardian spirit, tribal all-father, the vision of 

 the future life, create a second supernatural reality for primitive 

 man. The mythology of religion is also more varied and complex 

 as well as more creative. It usually centres round the various 

 tenets of belief, and it develops them into cosmogonies, tales of 

 culture-heroes, accounts of the doings of gods and demigods. 

 In magic, important as it is, mythology is an ever-recurrent 

 boasting about man's primeval achievements. 



Magic, the specific art for specific ends, has in every one of 

 its forms come once into the possession of man, and it had to be 

 handed over in direct filiation from generation to generation. 

 Hence it remains from the earliest times in the hands of specialists, 

 and the first profession of mankind is that of a wizard or witch. 

 Religion, on the other hand, in primitive conditions is an affair of 

 all, in which everyone takes an active and equivalent part. Every 

 member of the tribe has to go through initiation, and then himself 

 initiates others. Everyone wails, mourns, digs the grave and 

 commemorates, and in due time everyone has his turn in being 

 mourned and commemorated. Spirits are for all, and everyone 



