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these libations in battles, when for the sake of the poet, the sacrificer, thou 
struckest down irresistibly ten thousands of enemies. 
“ The next hymn is one of many addressed to Agni as the god of fire, 
not only the fire as a powerful element, but likewise the fire of the hearth 
and the altar, the guardian of the house and the minister of the sacrifice, 
the messenger between gods and men : — * 
“ 1. Agni, accept this log which I offer thee, accept this my service : 
listen well to these my songs. 
“ 2. With this log, 0 Agni, may we worship thee, thou son of strength, 
conqueror of horses ! and with this hymn, thou high-born ! 
“ 3. May we thy servants serve thee with songs, 0 thou granter of riches, 
thou who lovest songs and delightest in riches. 
“ 8. Thou art wise, and thou hast been pleased ; perform thou, intelligent 
Agni, the sacrifice without interruption, sit down on this sacred grass ! ” f 
We confess that we are unable to see a truer knowledge of 
O 
God, or a deeper love to Him, in these hymns, which might 
be multiplied if space permitted. All desire of friendly 
relations is sunk in desire of cows, horses, and all other kinds 
of wealth and splendour, while the god to whom these prayers 
are addressed is degraded into one who is inspired with bravery 
and strength for battle by the libations lie had drunk. So 
that, if the chronological order which is supposed were fully 
established, yet the Veda would not exhibit the growth, but 
the decay, of religion. 
We are sorry that Mr. Muller at the beginning of the 
Uibbert Lecture came to the conclusion that no definition of 
religion could be given. After examining the definitions 
given by Ivant, Fichte, Schliermacher, Hegel, Comte, and 
Feuerbach, he says : — 
“ There seem to be almost as many definitions of religion as there are 
religions in the world, and there is almost the same hostility between tho.su 
who maintain these different definitions of religion as there is between the 
believers in different religions. What, then, is to be done ? Is it really 
impossible to give a definition of religion that should be applicable to all 
that has ever been called religion, or by some similar name ? I believe it is. 
and you will yourselves have perceived the reason why it is so. Religion is 
something which has passed, and is still passing through an historical evolu- 
tion, and all we can do is to follow it up to its origin, and then try to com- 
prehend it in its later historical developments.”* 
Such a definition as is here described, is impossible, in any 
case. The design of a definition is to shut out all that is only 
called, but is not in reality the thing to be defined. The 
above process is a conglomeration, not a definition. Kor do 
we see an insuperable difficulty in the number of species to be 
included in the genus. Disease is varied, both in locality and 
kind ; but for this reason a physician does not refrain from de- 
Ev. ii. 6. 
f Chips, i. pp. 30-4. 
X Uibbert Lecture, p. 21. 
