HABIT IN RELIGION. 461 



obtain ornaments or articles of clothing which came 

 from abroad. In Central Africa it is more fashionable 

 to wear a dirty rag of Manchester cloth, such as we 

 use for a duster, than their own beautiful aprons of 

 woven grass. An African chief will often commission a 

 trader to buy him a handsome saddle, or some curious 

 article of furniture, on condition that he will not supply 

 it to any one else, just as connoisseurs will pay a 

 higher price for a work of art when the mould has been 

 broken. Both in civilized and in savage life the selfish 

 desires of man are few, and are quickly satisfied. 

 Enormous sums are lavished upon cookery and wines, 

 but more from ostentation than from true gourmanderie. 

 The love of display, or the more noble desire to give 

 pleasure to their friends, has much to do with the 

 enthusiasm of those who spend fortunes on works of 

 art and objects of virtu; and there are few amusements 

 which can be enjoyed alone. Nihil est homini ami- 

 cum sine homine amico. All the actions of men 

 may therefore be traced first to the desire of preserving 

 life and continuing their species ; secondly to the desire 

 of esteem ; and thirdly to the effects of habit. In the 

 religious conduct of man there is nothing which cannot 

 be thus explained. First, men sacrifice and pray in 

 order to escape sickness and death ; or if they are a 

 little more advanced, that they may not be punished 

 in a future state. Secondly, they desire to win the 

 esteem and affections of the gods ; they are ambitious 

 of obtaining a heavenly reputation. And lastly, prayer 

 and praise, discipline and self-denial become habits, and 

 give pleasure to the mind. The rough hair shirt, the 

 hard bed, the cold cell, the meagre food, the long vigil, the 

 midnight prayer, are delights to the mind that is in- 

 ured to suffer ; and as other men rejoice that they 



