CHAPTEK I. 



CEKEMONY IN GENERAL. 



343. If, disregarding conduct that is entirely private, 

 we consider only that species of conduct which involves 

 direct relations with other persons ; and if under the name 

 government we include all control of such conduct, however 

 arising ; then we must say that the earliest kind of govern 

 ment, the most general kind of government, and the govern 

 ment which is ever spontaneously recommencing, is the 

 government of ceremonial observance. More may be said. 

 This kind of government, besides preceding other kinds, and 

 besides having in all places and times approached nearer to 

 universality of influence, has ever had, and continues to 

 have, the largest share in regulating men s lives. 



Proof that the modifications of conduct called &quot; man 

 ners &quot; and &quot; behaviour,&quot; arise before those which political 

 and religious restraints cause, is yielded by the fact that, be 

 sides preceding social evolution, they precede human evolu 

 tion : they are traceable among the higher animals. The dog 

 afraid of being beaten, comes crawling up to his master; 

 clearly manifesting the desire to show submission. E&quot;or is 

 it solely to human beings that dogs use such propitiatory ac 

 tions. They do the like one to another. All have occasion 

 ally seen how, on the approach of some formidable New 

 foundland or mastiff, a small spaniel, in the extremity of its 

 terror, throws itself on its back with legs in the air. Instead 

 of threatening resistance by growls and showing of teeth, as 

 it might have done had not resistance been hopeless, it spon- 



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