PRESENTS. 101 



throughout the same stages of progress in Europe, the 

 scattering of largesse to the people by the kings, dukes, and 

 nobles, was similarly a concomitant of that servile position 

 in which such return as they got for their labour in addi 

 tion to daily sustenance, was in the shape of presents rather 

 than in the shape of wages. Moreover, we still have in vails 

 and Christmas-boxes to servants, &amp;lt;fcc., the remnants of a 

 system under which fixed remuneration was eked out by 

 gratuities a system itself sequent upon the earlier system 

 under w r hich gratuities formed the only remuneration. 



Thus it becomes tolerably clear that while from presents 

 offered by subject persons, there eventually develop tribute, 

 taxes, and fees; from donations made by ruling persons 

 there eventually develop salaries. 



376. Something must be added concerning presents 

 passing between those who do not stand in acknowledged 

 relations of superior and inferior. 



Consideration of these carries us back to the primitive 

 form of present-making, as it occurs between members of 

 alien societies ; and on looking at some of the facts, there is 

 suggested a question of much interest Whether from the 

 propitiatory gift made under these circumstances there does 

 not originate another important kind of social action? 

 Barter is not, as we are apt to suppose, universally under 

 stood. Cook, speaking of his failure to make any exchange 

 of articles with the Australians, says &quot; They had, indeed, 

 no idea of traffic.&quot; And other statements suggest that 

 when exchange begins, the thought of equivalence between 

 the things given and received scarcely arises. Of the 

 Ostyaks, who supplied them &quot; with plenty of fish and wild 

 fowl,&quot; Bell remarks &quot; Give them only a little tobacco and 

 a dram of brandy, and they ask no more, not knowing the 

 use of money.&quot; Remembering that at first no means of 

 measuring values exists, and that the conception of equality 

 of value has to grow by use, it seems not impossible that 

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