“MotherofGod，“andsoforth。Beforeher，Neith，theVirginoftheWorld，whosefigurebendsfromtheskyovertheearthlyplainsandthechildrenofmen，wasacclaimedasmotherofthegreatgodOsiris。ThesaviourMithra，too，wasbornofaVirgin，aswehavehadoccasiontonoticebefore；andontheMithraismonumentsthemothersucklingherchildisanotuncommonfigure。[3]
[1]ForthisinterpretationofthewordAndromedaseeThePerfectWaybyEdwardMaitland，prefacetoFirstEdition，1881。
[2]ContraJovian，BookI；andquotedbyRhysDavidsinhisBuddhisim。
[3]SeeDoane'sBibleMyths，p。332，andDupuis'OriginsofReligiousBeliefs。
TheoldTeutonicgoddessHerthatheEarthwasaVirgin，butwasimpregnatedbytheheavenlySpirittheSky；andherimagewithachildinherarmswastobeseeninthesacredgrovesofGermany。[1]TheScandinavianFrigga，inmuchthesameway，beingcaughtintheembracesofOdin，theAll-father，conceivedandboreason，theblessedBalder，healerandsaviourofmankind。Quetzalcoatl，thecrucifiedsaviouroftheAztecs，wasthesonofChimalman，theVirginQueenofHeaven。[2]EventheChinesehadamother-goddessandvirginwithchildinherarms[3]；
andtheancientEtruscansthesame。[4]
[1]R。P。Knight'sAncientArtandMythology，p。21。
[2]SeeKingsborough'sMexicanAntiquities，vol。vi，p。176，whereitissaid“anambassadorwassentfromheavenonanembassytoaVirginofTulan，calledChimalman……announcingthatitwasthewilloftheGodthatsheshouldconceiveason；
andhavingdeliveredherthemessageheroseandleftthehouse；
andassoonashehadleftitsheconceivedason，withoutconnectionwithman，whowascalledQuetzalcoat]，whotheysayisthegodofair。”Further，itisexplainedthatQuetzalcoatlsacrificedhimself，drawingforthhisownbloodwiththorns；andthatthewordQuetzalcoatlotopitzinmeans“ourwell-belovedson。”
[3]Doane，p。327。
[4]SeeInman'sPaganandChristianSymbolism，p。27。
Finally，wehavethecuriouslylargenumberofBLACK
virginmotherswhoareorhavebeenworshiped。NotonlycaseslikeDevakitheIndiangoddess，orIsistheEgyptian，whowouldnaturallyappearblack-skinnedordark；butthelargenumberofimagesandpaintingsofthesamekind，yetextant——especiallyintheItalianchurches——andpassingforrepresentationsofMaryandtheinfantJesus。Sucharethewell-knownimageinthechapelatLoretto，andimagesandpaintingsbesidesinthechurchesatGenoa，Pisa，Padua，Munichandotherplaces。ItisdifficultnottoregardtheseasveryoldPaganorpre-ChristianrelicswhichlingeredonintoChristiantimesandwerebaptizedanew——asindeedweknowmanyrelicsandimagesactuallywere——intotheserviceoftheChurch。“GreatisDianaoftheEphesians“；andthereisIbelievemorethanoneblackfigureextantofthisDiana，who，thoughofcourseavirgin，isrepresentedwithinnumerablebreasts[1]——notunlikesomeofthearchaicstatuesofArtemisandIsis。AtParis，faronintoChristiantimestherewas，itissaid，onthesiteofthepresentCathedralofNotreDame，aTemplededicatedto'ourLady'
Isis；andimagesbelongingtotheearliershrinewouldinallprobabilitybepreservedwithalterednameinthelater。
[1]Seeillustration，p。30，inInman'sPaganandChristianSymbolism。
AllthisillustratesnotonlythewidediffusionofthedoctrineoftheVirgin-mother，butitsextremeantiquity。
Thesubjectisobscure，andworthyofmoreconsiderationthanhasyetbeenaccordedit；andIdonotfeelabletoaddanythingtothetentativeexplanationsgivenapageortwoback，exceptperhapstosupposethatthevisionofthePerfectManhovereddimlyoverthemindofthehumanraceonitsfirstemergencefromthepurelyanimalstage；andthataquitenaturalspeculationwithregardtosuchabeingwasthathewouldbebornfromaPerfectWoman——whoaccordingtoearlyideaswouldnecessarilybetheVirginEarthitself，motherofallthings。
AnyhowitwasawonderfulIntuition，slumberingasitwouldseeminthebreastofearlyman，thattheGreatEarthaftergivingbirthtoalllivingcreatureswouldatlastbringforthaChildwhoshouldbecometheSaviourofthehumanrace。
Thereisofcoursethefurthertheory，entertainedbysome，thatvirgin-parturition——akindofParthenogenesis——
hasasamatteroffactoccasionallyoccurredamongmortalwomen，andevenstilldoesoccur。IshouldbethelasttodenythePOSSIBILITYofthisorofanythingelseinNature，but，seeingtheimmensedifficultiesinthewayofPROOFofanysuchassertedcase，andtheabsencesofarofanythoroughlyattestedandverifiedinstance，itwould，I
think，beadvisabletoleavethistheoryoutofaccountatpresent。
ButwhetheranyoftheEXPLANATIONSspokenofarerightorwrong，andwhateverexplanationweadopt，thereremainstheFACToftheuniversalityovertheworldofthislegend——
affordinganotherinstanceofthepracticalsolidarityandcontinuityofthePaganCreedswithChristianity。
XI。RITUALDANCING
Itisunnecessarytolabortheconclusionofthelasttwoorthreechapters，namelythatChristianitygrewoutoftheformerPaganCreedsandisinitsgeneraloutlookandoriginscontinuousandofonepiecewiththem。IhavenotattemptedtobringtogetherALLtheevidenceinfavorofthiscontention，assuchworkwouldbetoovast，butmoreillustrationsofitstruthwilldoubtlessoccurtoreaders，orwillemergeasweproceed。
Ithinkwemaytakeitasproved1thatfromtheearliestages，andbeforeHistory，agreatbodyofreligiousbeliefandritual——firstappearingamongveryprimitiveandunformedfolk，whomweshouldcall'savages'——hascomeslowlydown，broadeninganddifferentiatingitselfonthewayintoagreatvarietyofforms，butembodyingalwayscertainmainideaswhichbecameintimetheaccepteddoctrinesofthelaterChurches——theIndian，theEgyptian，theMithraic，theChristian，andsoforth。Whattheseideasintheirgeneraloutlinehavebeenwecanperhapsbestjudgefromour“Apostles'Creed，“asitisrecitedeverySundayinourchurches。
“IbelieveinGodtheFatherAlmighty，Makerofheavenandearth:AndinJesusChristhisonlySonourLord，whowasconceivedbytheHolyGhost，bornoftheVirginMary，sufferedunderPontiusPilate，wascrucified，deadandburied。HedescendedintoHell；thethirddayheroseagainfromthedead，Heascendedintoheaven，andsittethontherighthandofGodtheFatherAlmighty；fromthenceheshallcometojudgethequickandthedead。I
believeintheHolyGhost；theholyCatholicChurch；
thecommunionofSaints；theForgivenessofsins；theResurrectionofthebody，andthelifeeverlasting。Amen。”
HerewehavetheAll-FatherandCreator，descendingfromtheSkyintheformofaspirittoimpregnatetheearthlyVirgin-mother，whothusgivesbirthtoaSaviour-hero。
ThelatterisslainbythepowersofEvil，isburiedanddescendsintothelowerworld，butarisesagainasGodintoheavenandbecomestheleaderandjudgeofmankind。
WehavetheconfirmationoftheChurchor，inearliertimes，oftheTribebymeansofaEucharistorCommunionwhichbindstogetherallthemembers，livingordead，andrestoreserrantindividualsthroughtheSacrificeoftheheroandtheForgivenessoftheirsins；
andwehavethebeliefinabodilyResurrectionandcontinuedlifeofthememberswithinthefoldoftheChurchorTribe，itselfregardedaseternal。
Onehasonly，insteadoftheword'Jesus，'toreadDionysusorKrishnaorHerculesorOsirisorAttis，andinsteadof'Mary'toinsertSemeleorDevakiorAlcmeneorNeithorNana，andforPontiusPilatetousethenameofanyterrestrialtyrantwhocomesintothecorrespondingstory，andlo！thecreedfitsinallparticularsintotheritesandworshipofapagangod。Ineednotenlargeuponathesiswhichisself-evidentfromallthathasgonebefore。Idonotsay，ofcourse，thatALLthereligiousbeliefsofPaganismareincludedandsummarizedinourApostles'Creed，for——asIshallhaveoccasiontonoteinthenextchapter——IthinksomeveryimportantreligiouselementsarethereOMITTED；butIdothinkthatallthebeliefswhichAREsummarizedinthesaidcreedhadalreadybeenfullyrepresentedandelaboratelyexpressedinthenon-ChristianreligionsandritualsofPaganism。
Further2Ithinkwemaysafelysaythatthereisnocertainproofthatthebodyofbeliefsjustmentionedsprangfromanyoneparticularcentrefarbackandradiatedthencebydisseminationandmentalcontagionovertherestoftheworld；buttheevidencerathershowsthatthesebeliefswere，forthemostpart，theSPONTANEOUSoutgrowthsinvariouslocalitiesofthehumanmindatcertainstagesofitsevolution；thattheyappeared，inthedifferentracesandpeoples，atdifferentperiodsaccordingtothedegreeofevolution，andwerelargelyindependentofintercourseandcontagion，thoughofcourse，incases，considerablyinfluencedbyit；andthatonegreatandall-importantoccasionandprovocativeofthesebeliefswasactuallytheRISEOFSELF-CONSCIOUSNESS——thatis，thecomingofthemindtoamoreorlessdistinctawarenessofitselfandofitsownoperation，andtheconsequentdevelopmentandgrowthofIndividualism，andoftheSelf-centredattitudeinhumanthoughtandaction。
Inthethirdplace3Ithinkwemaysee——andthisisthespecialsubjectofthepresentchapter——thatataveryearlyperiod，whenhumanitywashardlycapableofsystematicexpressioninwhatwecallPhilosophyorScience，itcouldnotwellrisetoanorderedandliteraryexpressionofitsbeliefs，suchaswefindinthelaterreligionsandthe'Churches'Babylonian，Jewish，EastIndian，Christian，orwhat-not，andyetthatitFELTthesebeliefsveryintenselyandwasurged，almostcompelled，totheirutteranceinsomeformorother。Andsoitcameaboutthatpeopleexpressedthemselvesinavastmassofritualandmyth——
customs，ceremonies，legends，stories——whichonaccountoftheirpopularandconcreteformwerehandeddownforgenerations，andsomeofwhichlingeronstillinthemidstofourmoderncivilization。Theseritualsandlegendswere，manyofthem，absurdenough，ramblingandchildishincharacter，andpreposterousinconception，yettheygavetheexpressionneeded；andsomeofthemofcourse，aswehaveseen，werefullofmeaningandsuggestion。
AcriticalandcommercialCivilization，suchasours，inwhichnotwithstandingmuchTALKaboutArttheartisticsenseisgreatlylacking，oratanyratebutlittlediffused，doesnotasaruleunderstandthatpoeticRITES，intheevolutionofpeoples，camenaturallybeforeanythinglikeorderedpoemsorphilosophyorsystematizedVIEWS
aboutlifeandreligion——suchasWElovetowallowin！
ThingswereFELTbeforetheywerespoken。Theloadingofdiseasesintodisease-boats，ofsinsontoscape-goats，thepropitiationoftheforcesofnaturebyvictims，humanoranimal，sacrifices，ceremoniesofre-birth，eucharisticfeasts，sexualcommunions，orgiasticcelebrationsofthecommonlife，andahostofotherthings——allSAIDplainlyenoughwhatwasmeant，butnotinWORDS。Partlynodoubtitwasthatatsomeearlytimewordsweremoredifficultofcommandandlessflexibleinusethanactionsandatalltimesaretheynotlessexpressive?。Partlyitwasthatmankindwasinthechild-stage。TheChilddelightsinritual，insymbol，inexpressionthroughmaterialobjectsandactions:
See，athisfeetsomelittleplanorchart，Somefragmentfromhisdreamofhumanlife，Shapedbyhimselfwithnewlylearnedart；
Aweddingorafestival，Amourningorafuneral；
Andthishathnowhisheart。
Andprimitivemaninthechild-stagefeltapositivejoyinritualcelebrations，andindulgedinexpressionswhichwebutlittleunderstand；forthesehadthenhisheart。
OneofthemostpregnantoftheseexpressionswasDANCING。
Childrendanceinstinctively。Theydancewithrage；
theydancewithjoy，withsheervitality；theydancewithpain，orsometimeswithsavagegleeatthesufferingofothers；theydelightinmimiccombats，orinanimalplaysanddisguises。TherearesuchthingsasCourting-dances，whenthematuremaleandfemalegothrougharitualtogether——notonlyincivilizedball-roomsandtheback-parlorsofinns，butinthefarmyardswheretheroosterpayshisaddressestothehen，ortheyearlingbulltothecow——withquiterecognizedformalities；thereareelaborateceremonialsperformedbytheAustralianbower-birdsandmanyotheranimals。Allthesethings——
atanyrateinchildrenandanimals——comebeforespeech；
andanyhowwemaysaythatLOVE-RITES，eveninmatureandcivilizedman，hardlyADMITofspeech。Wordsonlyvulgarizeloveandbluntitsedge。
SoDancetothesavageandtheearlymanwasnotmerelyanamusementoragymnasticexerciseasthebooksoftentrytomakeout，butitwasalsoaseriousandintimatepartoflife，anexpressionofreligionandtherelationofmantonon-humanPowers。Imagineayoungdancer——andtheadmittedageforritualdancingwascommonlyfromabouteighteentothirty——comingforwardonthedancing-groundorplatformfortheINVOCATIONOFRAIN。Wehaveunfortunatelynokinematicrecords，butitisnotimpossibleorverydifficulttoimaginethevariousgesturesandmovementswhichmightbeconsideredappropriatetosuchariteindifferentlocalitiesoramongdifferentpeoples。AmodernstudentofDalcrozeEurhythmicswouldfindtheproblemeasy。Afteratimeacertainritualdanceforrainwouldbecomestereotypedandgenerallyadopted。OrimagineayoungGreekleadinganinvocationtoApollotoSTAYSOMEPLAGUEwhichwasravagingthecountry。Hemightaswellbeaccompaniedbyasmallbodyofco-dancers；buthewouldbetheleaderandchiefrepresentative。OritmightbeaWAR-DANCE——
asamoreorlessmagicalpreparationfortheraidorforay。
Wearefamiliarenoughwithaccountsofwar-dancesamongAmericanIndians。C。O。MullerinhisHistoryandAntiquitiesoftheDoricRace[1]givesthefollowingaccountofthePyrrhicdanceamongtheGreeks，whichwasdancedinfullarmor:——“Platosaysthatitimitatedalltheattitudesofdefence，byavoidingathrustoracast，retreating，springingup，andcrouching-asalsotheoppositemovementsofattackwitharrowsandlances，andalsoofeverykindofthrust。SostrongwastheattachmenttothisdanceatSpartathat，longafterithadintheotherGreekstatesdegeneratedintoaBacchanalianrevel，itwasstilldancedbytheSpartansasawarlikeexercise，andboysoffifteenwereinstructedinit。”OftheHunting-
danceIhavealreadygiveninstances。[2]ItalwayshadthecharacterofMagicaboutit，bywhichthegameorquarrymightpresumablybeinfluenced；anditcaneasilybeunderstoodthatiftheHuntwasnotsuccessfultheblamemightwellbeattributedtosomeneglectoftheusualritualmimesormovements——nolaughingmatterfortheleaderofthedance。
[1]BookIV，ch。6，Section7。
[2]SeealsoWinwoodReade'sSavageAfrica，ch。xviii，inwhichhespeaksofthe“gorilladance，“beforehuntinggorillas，asa“religiousfestival。”
OrthereweredancesbelongingtotheceremoniesofInitiation——dancesbothbytheinitiatorsandtheinitiated。JaneE。HarrisoninThemisp。24says，“Instructionamongsavagepeoplesisalwaysimpartedinmoreorlessmimeticdances。Atinitiationyoulearncertaindanceswhichconferonyoudefinitesocialstatus。Whenamanistoooldtodance，hehandsoverhisdancetoanotherandayounger，andhethenamongsometribesceasestoexistsocially……ThedancestaughttoboysatinitiationarefrequentlyifnotalwaysARMEDdances。Thesearenotnecessarilywarlike。Theaccoutrementofspearandshieldwasinpartdecorative，inpartaprovisionformakingthenecessaryhubbub。”HereMissHarrisonreproducesaphotographofanInitiationdanceamongtheAkikuyuofBritishEastAfrica。TheInitiation-
dancesblendinsensiblyandnaturallywiththeMysteryandReligiondances，forindeedinitiationwasforthemostpartaninstructioninthemysteriesandsocialritesoftheTribe。Theyweretheexpressionofthingswhichwouldbehardevenforus，andwhichforrudefolkwouldbeimpossible，toputintodefinitewords。Hencearosetheexpression——whosemeaninghasbeenmuchdiscussedbythelearned——“todanceoutamystery。”[1]
Lucian，inamuch-quotedpassage，[2]observes:“Youcannotfindasingleancientmysteryinwhichthereisnotdancing……andthismuchallmenknow，thatmostpeoplesayoftherevealersofthemysteriesthatthey'dancethemout。'“AndrewLang，commentingonthispassage，[3]
continues:“ClementofAlexandriausesthesametermwhenspeakingofhisown'appallingrevelations。'SocloselyconnectedaremysterieswithdancingamongsavagesthatwhenMr。OrpenaskedQing，theBushmanhunter，aboutsomedoctrinesinwhichQingwasnotinitiated，hesaid:
'Onlytheinitiatedmenofthatdanceknowthesethings。'
To'dance'thisorthatmeanstobeacquaintedwiththisorthatmyth，whichisrepresentedinadanceorballetd'action。
SowidelydistributedisthepracticethatAcostainaninterestingpassagementionsitasfamiliartothepeopleofPerubeforeandaftertheSpanishconquest。”[Andwemaysaythatwhenthe'mysteries'areofasexualnatureitcaneasilybeunderstoodthatto'dancethemout'
istheonlywayofexplainingthem！]
[1]Meaningapparentlyeithersimplytorepresent，or，sometimestoDIVULGE，amystery。
[2]