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e individual's lot is cast from the cradle to the grave in the iron mould of hereditary custom。
So far； therefore； as the public profession of magic has been one of the roads by which the ablest men have passed to supreme power； it has contributed to emancipate mankind from the thraldom of tradition and to elevate them into a larger； freer life； with a broader outlook on the world。 This is no small service rendered to humanity。 And when we remember further that in another direction magic has paved the way for science； we are forced to admit that if the black art has done much evil； it has also been the source of much good； that if it is the child of error； it has yet been the mother of freedom and truth。
Chapter 4。 Magic and Religion
THE examples collected in the last chapter may suffice to illustrate the general principles of sympathetic magic in its two branches； to which we have given the names of Homoeopathic and Contagious respectively。 In some cases of magic which have come before us we have seen that the operation of spirits is assumed； and that an attempt is made to win their favour by prayer and sacrifice。 But these cases are on the whole exceptional； they exhibit magic tinged and alloyed with religion。 Wherever sympathetic magic occurs in its pure unadulterated form； it assumes that in nature one event follows another necessarily and invariably without the intervention of any spiritual or personal agency。 Thus its fundamental conception is identical with that of modern science； underlying the whole system is a faith； implicit but real and firm； in the order and uniformity of nature。 The magician does not doubt that the same causes will always produce the same effects； that the performance of the proper ceremony； accompanied by the appropriate spell； will inevitably be attended by the desired result； unless； indeed； his incantations should chance to be thwarted and foiled by the more potent charms of another sorcerer。 He supplicates no higher power： he sues the favour of no fickle and wayward being： he abases himself before no awful deity。 Yet his power； great as he believes it to be； is by no means arbitrary and unlimited。 He can wield it only so long as he strictly conforms to the rules of his art； or to what may be called the laws of nature as conceived by him。 To neglect these rules； to break these laws in the smallest particular； is to incur failure； and may even expose the unskilful practitioner himself to the utmost peril。 If he claims a sovereignty over nature； it is a constitutional sovereignty rigorously limited in its scope and exercised in exact conformity with ancient usage。 Thus the analogy between the magical and the scientific conceptions of the world is close。 In both of them the succession of events is assumed to be perfectly regular and certain； being determined by immutable laws； the operation of which can be foreseen and calculated precisely； the elements of caprice； of chance； and of accident are banished from the course of nature。 Both of them open up a seemingly boundless vista of possibilities to him who knows the causes of things and can touch the secret springs that set in motion the vast and intricate mechanism of the world。 Hence the strong attraction which magic and science alike have exercised on the human mind； hence the powerful stimulus that both have given to the pursuit of knowledge。 They lure the weary enquirer； the footsore seeker； on through the wilderness of disappointment in the present by their endless promises of the future： they take him up to the top of an exceeding high mountain and show him； beyond the dark clouds and rolling mists at his feet； a vision of the celestial city； far off； it may be； but radiant with unearthly splendour； bathed in the light of dreams。
The fatal flaw of magic lies not in its general assumption of a sequence of events determined by law； but in its total misconception of the nature of the particular laws which govern that sequence。 If we analyse the various cases of sympathetic magic which have been passed in review in the preceding pages； and which may be taken as fair samples of the bulk； we shall find； as I have already indicated； that they are all mistaken applications of one or other of two great fundamental laws of thought； namely； the association of ideas by similarity and the association of ideas by contiguity in space or time。 A mistaken association of similar ideas produces homoeopathic or imitative magic： a mistaken association of contiguous ideas produces contagious magic。 The principles of association are excellent in themselves； and indeed absolutely essential to the working of the human mind。 Legitimately applied they yield science； illegitimately applied they yield magic； the bastard sister of science。 It is therefore a truism； almost a tautology； to say that all magic is necessarily false and barren； for were it ever to become true and fruitful； it would no longer be magic but science。 From the earliest times man has been engaged in a search for general rules whereby to turn the order of natural phenomena to his own advantage； and in the long search he has scraped together a great hoard of such maxims； some of them golden and some of them mere dross。 The true or golden rules constitute the body of applied science which we call the arts； the false are magic。
If magic is thus next of kin to science； we have still to enquire how it stands related to religion。 But the view we take of that relation will necessarily be coloured by the idea which we have formed of the nature of religion itself； hence a writer may reasonably be expected to define his conception of religion before he proceeds to investigate its relation to magic。 There is probably no subject in the world about which opinions differ so much as the nature of religion； and to frame a definition of it which would satisfy every one must obviously be impossible。 All that a writer can do is； first； to say clearly what he means by religion； and afterwards to employ the word consistently in that sense throughout his work。 By religion； then； I understand a propitiation or conciliation of powers superior to man which are believed to direct and control the course of nature and of human life。 Thus defined； religion consists of two elements； a theoretical and a practical； namely； a belief in powers higher than man and an attempt to propitiate or please them。 Of the two； belief clearly comes first； since we must believe in the existence of a divine being before we can attempt to please him。 But unless the belief leads to a corresponding practice； it is not a religion but merely a theology； in the language of St。 James； faith； if it hath not works； is dead； being alone。 In other words； no man is religious who does not govern his conduct in some measure by the fear or love of God。 On the other hand； mere practice； divested of all religious belief； is also not religion。 Two men may behave in exactly the same way； and yet one of them may be religious and the other not。 If the one acts from the love or fear of God； he is religious； if the other acts from the love or fear of man； he is moral or immoral according as his behaviour comports or conflicts with the general good。 Hence be