H4: CEREMONIAL INSTITUTIONS. 



now living, now dead, now apotheosized extends 

 as a propitiation of men who are less powerful; and, 

 continuing to spread, finally becomes a propitiation of 

 equals. 



How, as tacitly expressing subordination, the visit comes 

 to be looked for by one who claims superiority, and to be 

 recognized as an admission of inferiority by one who pays 

 it, is well shown in a story which Palgrave narrates. Fey- 

 sul, king of the AVahhabees, ordered his son Sa ood to pay a 

 visit to A bd- Allah, an elder brother. &quot; I am the stranger 

 guest, while he is an inhabitant of the town, replied 

 Sa ood, and it is accordingly his duty to call first on 

 me. &quot;... Feysul entreated Abd-Allah &quot; to fulfil the 

 obligation of a first visit. But the elder son proved no less 

 intractable.&quot; 



Peoples in various parts of the world supply facts having 

 kindred meanings. The old traveller Tavernier, writes that 

 &quot; the Persians are very much accustom d to make mutual 

 Visits one to another at their solemn Festivals. The more 

 noble sort stay at home to expect the Visits of their In 

 feriors.&quot; So in Africa. Of a rich Indian trader, living 

 at LTnyanyembe, Grant says &quot; Moosah sat from morn till 

 night . . . receiving salutes and compliments from the rich 

 and poor.&quot; Passing to Europe we have, in ancient Rome, 

 the morning calls of clients on their patrons. And in an old 

 French book of manners translated into English in the sev 

 enteenth century, we read &quot; A great person is to be visited 

 often, and his health to be inquir d after.&quot; 



These instances sufficiently indicate that gradual de 

 scent of the visit of ceremony which has finally brought it 

 down to an ordinary civility a civility which, however, still 

 bears traces of its origin; since it is regarded more as due 

 from an inferior to a superior than conversely, and is taken 

 as a condescension when paid by a superior to an inferior. 

 Evidently the morning call is a remote sequence of that 

 system under which a subordinate ruler had from time to 



