darwin and modern science-第175章
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cereal intoxicant。
Dancing then is to the savage WORKING； DOING； and the dance is in its origin an imitation or perhaps rather an intensification of processes of work。 （Karl Bucher； 〃Arbeit und Rhythmus〃； Leipzig （3rd edition）； 1902； passim。） Repetition； regular and frequent； constitutes rhythm and rhythm heightens the sense of will power in action。 Rhythmical action may even； as seen in the dances of Dervishes； produce a condition of ecstasy。 Ecstasy among primitive peoples is a condition much valued； it is often； though not always； enhanced by the use of intoxicants。 Psychologically the savage starts from the sense of his own will power； he stimulates it by every means at his command。 Feeling his will strongly and knowing nothing of natural law he recognises no limits to his own power； he feels himself a magician； a god； he does not pray； he WILLS。 Moreover he wills collectively （The subject of collective hallucination as an element in magic has been fully worked out by MM。 Hubert and Mauss。 〃Theorie generale de la Magie〃； In 〃L'Annee Sociologique〃； 19023； page 140。）； reinforced by the will and action of his whole tribe。 Truly of him it may be said 〃La vie deborde l'intelligence； l'intelligence c'est un retrecissement。〃 （Henri Bergson； 〃L'Evolution Creatrice〃； page 50。）
The magical extension and heightening of personality come out very clearly in what are rather unfortunately known as MIMETIC dances。 Animal dances occur very frequently among primitive peoples。 The dancers dress up as birds； beasts； or fishes； and reproduce the characteristic movements and habits of the animals impersonated。 So characteristic is this impersonation in magical dancing that among the Mexicans the word for magic； navali； means 〃disguise。〃 K。 Th。 Preuss； 〃Archiv f。 Religionswissenschaft〃； 1906； page 97。） A very common animal dance is the frog…dance。 When it rains the frogs croak。 If you desire rain you dress up like a frog and croak and jump。 We think of such a performance as a conscious imitation。 The man； we think； is more or less LIKE a frog。 That is not how primitive man thinks； indeed； he scarcely thinks at all； what HE wants done the frog can do by croaking and jumping； so he croaks and jumps and； for all he can； BECOMES a frog。 〃L'intelligence animale JOUE sans doute les representations plutot qu'elle ne les pense。〃 （Bergson； 〃L'Evolution Creatrice〃； page 205。）
We shall best understand this primitive state of mind if we study the child 〃born in sin。〃 If a child is 〃playing at lions〃 he does not IMITATE a lion； i。e。 he does not consciously try to be a thing more or less like a lion； he BECOMES one。 His reaction； his terror； is the same as if the real lion were there。 It is this childlike power of utter impersonation； of BEING the thing we act or even see acted； this extension and intensification of our own personality that lives deep down in all of us and is the very seat and secret of our joy in the drama。
A child's mind is indeed throughout the best clue to the understanding of savage magic。 A young and vital child knows no limit to his own will； and it is the only reality to him。 It is not that he wants at the outset to fight other wills； but that they simply do not exist for him。 Like the artist he goes forth to the work of creation； gloriously alone。 His attitude towards other recalcitrant wills is 〃they simply must。〃 Let even a grown man be intoxicated； be in love； or subject to an intense excitement； the limitations of personality again fall away。 Like the omnipotent child he is again a god； and to him all things are possible。 Only when he is old and weary does he cease to command fate。
The Iroquois （Hewitt； 〃American Anthropologist〃； IV。 I。 page 32； 1902； N。S。） of North America have a word； orenda； the meaning of which is easier to describe than to define； but it seems to express the very soul of magic。 This orenda is your power to do things； your force； sometimes almost your personality。 A man who hunts well has much and good orenda； the shy bird who escapes his snares has a fine orenda。 The orenda of the rabbit controls the snow and fixes the depth to which it will fall。 When a storm is brewing the magician is said to be making its orenda。 When you yourself are in a rage； great is your orenda。 The notes of birds are utterances of their orenda。 When the maize is ripening； the Iroquois know it is the sun's heat that ripens it； but they know more； it is the cigala makes the sun to shine and he does it by chirping； by uttering his orenda。 This orenda is sometimes very like the Greek thumos； your bodily life； your vigour； your passion； your power； the virtue that is in you to feel and do。 This notion of orenda； a sort of pan…vitalism； is more fluid than animism； and probably precedes it。 It is the projection of man's inner experience； vague and unanalysed； into the outer world。
The mana of the Melanesians （Codrington； 〃The Melanesians〃； pages 118； 119； 192； Oxford； 1891。） is somewhat more specialisedall men do not possess manabut substantially it is the same idea。 Mana is not only a force； it is also an action； a quality； a state； at once a substantive； an adjective； and a verb。 It is very closely neighboured by the idea of sanctity。 Things that have mana are tabu。 Like orenda it manifests itself in noises； but specially mysterious ones； it is mana that is rustling in the trees。 Mana is highly contagious； it can pass from a holy stone to a man or even to his shadow if it cross the stone。 〃All Melanesian religion；〃 Dr Codrington says； 〃consists in getting mana for oneself or getting it used for one's benefit。〃 （Codrington； 〃The Melanesians〃； page 120； Oxford； 1891。）
Specially instructive is a word in use among the Omaka （See Prof。 Haddon； 〃Magic and Fetishism〃； page 60； London； 1906。 Dr Vierkandt （〃Globus〃； July； 1907； page 41） thinks that 〃Fernzauber〃 is a later development from Nahzauber。）； wazhin…dhedhe； 〃directive energy； to send。〃 This word means roughly what we should call telepathy； sending out your thought or will… power to influence another and affect his action。 Here we seem to get light on what has always been a puzzle； the belief in magic exercised at a distance。 For the savage will； distance is practically non…existent； his intense desire feels itself as non…spatial。 （This notion of mana； orenda； wazhin…dhedhe and the like lives on among civilised peoples in such words as the Vedic brahman in the neuter； familiar to us in its masculine form Brahman。 The neuter； brahman； means magic power of a rite； a rite itself； formula； charm； also first principle； essence of the universe。 It is own cousin to the Greek dunamis and phusis。 See MM。 Hubert et Mauss； 〃Theorie generale de la Magie〃； page 117； in 〃L'Annee Sociologique〃； VII。）
Through the examination of primitive ritual we have at last got at one tangible； substantial factor in religion； a real live experience； the sense； that is； of will； desire； power actually experienced in person by the individual； and by him projected； extended into the rest of the world。
At this stage it may fairly be asked； though the question cannot with any certainty be answered； 〃at what point in the evolution of man does this religious experience come in？〃
So long as an organism reacts immediately to outside stimulus； with a certainty and conformity that is almost chemical； there is； it would seem； no place； no possibility for magical experience。 But when the germ appears of an intellect that can foresee an end not immediately realised； or rather when a desire arises that we feel and recognise as not satisfied； then comes in the sense of will and the impulse magically to intensify that will。 The animal it would seem is preserved by instinct from drawing into his horizon things which do not immediately subserve the conservation of his species。 But the moment man's life…power began to make on the outside world demands not immediately and inevitably realised in action （I owe this observation to Dr K。 Th。 Preuss。 He writes （〃Archiv f。 Relig。〃 1906； page 98）； 〃Die Betonung des Willens in den Zauberakten ist der richtige Kern。 In der Tat muss der Mensch den Willen haben； sich selbst und seiner Umgebung besondere Fahigkeiten zuz
