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Myth, Ritual and Religion — Volume 1 by Andrew Lang
page 64 of 391 (16%)
relations of myths, where we have to determine whether the myths of
peoples whose speech is of the same family are special modifications
of a mythology once common to the race whence these peoples have
sprung. The philological method alone can answer here." But this
will seem a very limited province when we find that almost all
races, however remote and unconnected in speech, have practically
much the same myths.


[1] Rev. de l'Hist. des Rel., xii. 3, 260, Nov., Dec., 1885.



CHAPTER II.

NEW SYSTEM PROPOSED.

Chapter I. recapitulated--Proposal of a new method: Science of
comparative or historical study of man--Anticipated in part by
Eusebius, Fontenelle, De Brosses, Spencer (of C. C. C., Cambridge),
and Mannhardt--Science of Tylor--Object of inquiry: to find
condition of human intellect in which marvels of myth are parts of
practical everyday belief--This is the savage state--Savages
described--The wild element of myth a survival from the savage
state--Advantages of this method--Partly accounts for wide
DIFFUSION as well as ORIGIN of myths--Connected with general
theory of evolution--Puzzling example of myth of the water-
swallower--Professor Tiele's criticism of the method--Objections
to method, and answer to these--See Appendix B.

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