60 
No. XXXVI.—CUSTOMS. 
By E. B. TYLOR, Esq., F.R.S. 
The distinction between a law and an authoritative custom 
may be best drawn with reference to the manner in which society 
compels obedience to it. If a judge or tribunal declares the 
rule, and punishes its infraction, it is a law ; if it is left loosely 
to public opinion to practically accept the rule, and to visit 
those who disobey with blame, insult, and social exclusion, it is 
a custom. Many customs are mere habits without authority. 
Many exist whose original meaning is hardly known or doubtful. 
All customs should be recorded, and, not least carefully, the ob¬ 
scure ones, in the expectation that close examination and com¬ 
parison with those of other districts will disclose their real 
meaning. The ethnological principle is daily growing more cer¬ 
tain, that all customs soever had originally a real and rational 
meaning; they may have now lost or altered this by passing 
into u survivals,” but when analogous examples have been col¬ 
lected from several districts, it is usually possible to trace the 
common cause to which all were originally due. 
1. What customs prevail as to salutation, by bowing, pros¬ 
tration, touching and shaking hands, kissing, rubbing noses, &c. P 
2. Do salutations differ according to rank and relationship P 
3. Do members of a family greet in the morning ? do husbands 
greet wives, &c. ? 4. How do friends and relations meet after 
long absence or danger—with shouting, weeping, &c.P 5. What 
are the forms of meeting between strangers and enemies in truce? 
6. What are the rules of politeness in the household and between 
strangers ? 7. Are there special phrases of compliment ? What 
rules of precedence ? 8. How are guests served P 9. What 
are the rules of right conduct and politeness between men and 
women ? 10. Do they eat together and associate ? 11. Are 
women consulted and honoured, or treated roughly and con- 
. temptuously ? 12. How are the aged treated ? 13. Are they 
honoured and cherished, or neglected ? 14. Are the hopelessly 
intirm old people and the mortally sick abandoned or put an 
end to ? 
15. What are the rules of hospitality as recognized between 
