CHAPTER III—Sympathetic Magic

[189] The expression Homoeopathic Magic was first used, so far as I am aware, by Mr. Y. Hirn (_Origins of Art_ (London, 1900), p. 282). The expression Mimetic Magic was suggested by a writer in _Folk-lore_ (viii. 1897, p. 65), whom I believe to be Mr. E. S. Hartland. The expression Imitative Magic was used incidentally by me in the first edition of _The Golden Bough_ (vol. ii. p. 268).

[190] That magic is based on a mistaken association of ideas was pointed out long ago by Professor E. B. Tylor (_Primitive Culture_,² i. 116), but he did not analyse the different kinds of association.

[191] It has been ingeniously suggested by Mr. Y. Hirn that magic by similarity may be reduced to a case of magic by contact. The connecting link, on his hypothesis, is the old doctrine of emanations, according to which everything is continually sending out in all directions copies of itself in the shape of thin membranes, which appear to the senses not only as shadows, reflections, and so forth, but also as sounds and names. See Y. Hirn, _Origins of Art_ (London, 1900), pp. 293 _sqq._ This hypothesis certainly furnishes a point of union for the two apparently distinct sides of sympathetic magic, but whether it is one that would occur to the savage mind may be doubted.

[192] For the Greek and Roman practice, see Theocritus, _Id._ ii.; Virgil, _Ecl._ viii. 75–82; Ovid, _Heroides_, vi. 91 _sq._; _id._ _Amores_, iii. 7. 29 _sq._; R. Wünsch, “Eine antike Rachepuppe,” _Philologus_, lxi. (1902) pp. 26–31.

[193] Henry’s _Travels among the Northern and Western Indians_, quoted by the Rev. Jedediah Morse, _Report to the Secretary of War of the United States on Indian Affairs_ (Newhaven, 1822), Appendix, p. 102. I have not seen Henry’s book.

[194] Peter Jones, _History of the Ojebway Indians_, p. 146; W. H. Keating, _Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter’s River_ (London, 1825), ii. 159; J. G. Kohl, _Kitschi-Gami_, ii. 80. Similar practices are reported among the Illinois, the Mandans, and the Hidatsas of North America (Charlevoix, _Histoire de la Nouvelle France_, vi. 88; Maximilian, Prinz zu Wied, _Reise in das Innere Nord-America_, ii. 188; Washington Matthews, _Ethnography and Philology of the Hidatsa Indians_, p. 50), and the Aymaras of Bolivia and Peru (D. Forbes, “On the Aymara Indians of Bolivia and Peru,” _Journal of the Ethnological Society of London_, ii. (1870) p. 236).

[195] C. Lumholtz, _Unknown Mexico_ (London, 1903), i. 485 _sq._

[196] Above, p. 7.

[197] W. H. R. Rivers, _The Todas_ (London, 1906), p. 458. Among the Kusavans or potters of Southern India “if a male or female recovers from cholera, small-pox, or other severe illness, a figure of the corresponding sex is offered. A childless woman makes a vow to offer up the figure of a baby, if she brings forth offspring. Figures of animals—cattle, sheep, horses, etc.—are offered at the temple when they recover from sickness, or are recovered after they have been stolen” (E. Thurston, _Castes and Tribes of Southern India_, iv. 192; _id._, _Ethnographic Notes in Southern India_, p. 349). The analogy of these offerings to the various votive figures found in the sanctuary of Diana at Nemi is obvious.

[198] P. J. de Arriaga, _Extirpacion de la Idolatria del Piru_ (Lima, 1621), pp. 25 _sq._ The meaning and origin of the name Viracocha, as applied by the Peruvians to the Spaniards, is explained with great frankness by the Italian historian G. Benzoni, who had himself travelled in America at the time of the conquest. He says (_History of the New World_, pp. 252 _sq._, Hakluyt Society): “When the Indians saw the very great cruelties which the Spaniards committed everywhere on entering Peru, not only would they never believe us to be Christians and children of God, as boasted, but not even that we were born on this earth, or generated by a man and born of a woman; so fierce an animal they concluded must be the offspring of the sea, and therefore called us _Viracocchie_, for in their language they call the sea _cocchie_ and the froth _vira_; thus they think that we are a congelation of the sea, and have been nourished by the froth; and that we are come to destroy the world, with other things in which the Omnipotence of God would not suffice to undeceive them. They say that the winds ruin houses and break down trees, and the fire burns them; but the _Viracocchie_ devour everything, they consume the very earth, they force the rivers, they are never quiet, they never rest, they are always rushing about, sometimes in one direction and sometimes in the other, seeking for gold and silver; yet never contented, they game it away, they make war, they kill each other, they rob, they swear, they are renegades, they never speak the truth, and they deprive us of our support. Finally, the Indians curse the sea for having cast such very wicked and harsh beings on the land. Going about through various parts of this kingdom I often met some natives, and for the amusement of hearing what they would say, I used to ask them where such and such a _Christian_ was, when not only would they refuse to answer me, but would not even look me in the face: though if I asked them where such and such a _Viracocchie_ was, they would reply directly.” An explanation of the name much more flattering to Spanish vanity is given by Garcilasso de la Vega, himself half a Spaniard (_Royal Commentaries of the Yncas_, vol. ii. pp. 65 _sqq._, Hakluyt Society, Markham’s translation).

[199] W. W. Skeat, _Malay Magic_ (London, 1900), pp. 570–572.

[200] J. Kreemer, “Regenmaken, Oedjoeng, Tooverij onder de Javanen,” _Mededeelingen van wege het Nederlandsche Zendelinggenootschap_, xxx. (1886) pp. 117 _sq._

[201] J. L. van der Toorn, “Het animisme bij den Minangkabauer der Padangsche Bovenlanden,” _Bijdragen tot de Taal- Land-en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch Indië_, xxxix. (1890) p. 56.

[202] A. C. Haddon, “The Ethnography of the Western Tribe of Torres Straits,” _Journal of the Anthropological Institute_, xix. (1890) pp. 399 _sq._

[203] _Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits_, v. (Cambridge, 1904) pp. 324 _sq._

[204] W. H. Furness, _The Home-life of Borneo Head-hunters_ (Philadelphia, 1902), pp. 93.

[205] C. Hose and W. McDougall, in _Journal of the Anthropological Institute_, xxxi. (1901) p. 178.

[206] J. Batchelor, _The Ainu and their Folklore_ (London, 1901), pp. 329–331.

[207] W. G. Aston, _Shinto (the Way of the Gods)_ (London, 1905), pp. 331 _sq._

[208] J. J. M. de Groot, _The Religious System of China_, v. (Leyden, 1907) pp. 920 _sq._

[209] _Le Livre des Récompenses et des Peines, traduit du Chinois_, par Stanislas Julien (Paris, 1835), p. 345.

[210] E. M. Curr, _The Australian Race_, iii. 547.

[211] W. E. Roth, _North Queensland Ethnography: Bulletin_ No. 5 (Brisbane, 1903), p. 31.

[212] Baldwin Spencer and F. J. Gillen, _The Native Tribes of Central Australia_ (London, 1899), pp. 549 _sq._

[213] C. J. F. S. Forbes, _British Burma_ (London, 1878), p. 232.

[214] L. Decle, _Three Years in Savage Africa_ (London, 1898), p. 153.

[215] H. Schinz, _Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika_, p. 314.

[216] A. Hillebrandt, _Vedische Opfer und Zauber_ (Strasburg, 1897), p. 177; W. Caland, _Altindisches Zauberritual_ (Amsterdam, 1900), pp. 121, 166, 173, 184. Compare H. Oldenberg, _Die Religion des Veda_ (Berlin, 1894), p. 508.

[217] W. Caland, _op. cit._ p. 164.

[218] H. W. Magoun, “The Asuri-Kalpa; a Witchcraft Practice of the Atharva-Veda,” _American Journal of Philology_, x. (1889) pp. 165–197.

[219] _Asiatick Researches_, v. (Fourth Edition, London, 1807) p. 389.

[220] J. A. Dubois, _Mœurs, institutions, et cérémonies des peuples de l’Inde_ (Paris, 1825), ii. 63.

[221] Fr. Fawcett, in _Madras Government Museum, Bulletin_, iii. No. 1 (Madras, 1900), p. 85.

[222] W. Crooke, _Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India_ (Westminster, 1896), ii. 278 _sq._

[223] _Id._, _The Tribes and Castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh_ (Calcutta, 1896), i. 137.

[224] A. A. Perera, “Glimpses of Singhalese Social Life,” _Indian Antiquary_, xxxiii. (1904) p. 57. For more evidence of such practices in India, see E. Thurston, _Ethnographic Notes in Southern India_, pp. 328 _sqq._; _id._, _Castes and Tribes of Southern India_, iv. 489 _sq._, vi. 124; W. Crooke, _Natives of Northern India_, pp. 248 _sq._

[225] E. Doutté, _Magie et Religion dans l’Afrique du Nord_ (Algiers, 1908), pp. 61 _sq._

[226] E. Doutté, _op. cit._ p. 299.

[227] G. Maspero, _Histoire ancienne des peuples de l’Orient classique: les origines_ (Paris, 1895), pp. 213 _sq._

[228] F. Chabas, _Le Papyrus magique Harris_ (Chalon-sur-Saône, 1860), pp. 169 _sqq._; E. A. Wallis Budge, in _Archaeologia_, Second Series, vol. ii. (1890) pp. 428 _sq._; _id._, _Egyptian Magic_ (London, 1899), pp. 73 _sqq._ The case happened in the reign of Rameses III., about 1200 B.C. Compare A. Erman, _Aegypten und aegyptisches Leben im Altertum_, p. 475. As to Egyptian magic in general see A. Erman, _Die ägyptische Religion_ (Berlin, 1905), pp. 148 _sqq._

[229] M. Jastrow, _The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria_ (Boston, U.S.A., 1898), pp. 268, 286, compare pp. 270, 272, 276, 278; R. F. Harper, _Assyrian and Babylonian Literature_ (New York, 1901), pp. 375, 376, 377 _sqq._; C. Fossey, _La Magie assyrienne_ (Paris, 1902), pp. 77–81.

[230] M. Jastrow, _op. cit._ pp. 286 _sq._; C. Fossey, _op. cit._ p. 78.

[231] E. A. Wallis Budge, “On the Hieratic Papyrus of Nesi-Amsu, a scribe in the temple of Amen-Rā at Thebes, about B.C. 305,” _Archaeologia_, Second Series, ii. (1890) pp. 393–601; _id._, _Egyptian Magic_, pp. 77 _sqq._; _id._, _The Gods of the Egyptians_ (London, 1904), i. 270–272.

[232] See an article by R. M. O. K. entitled “A Horrible Rite in the Highlands,” in the _Weekly Scotsman_, Saturday, August 24, 1889; Professor J. Rhys in _Folklore_, iii. (1892) p. 385; R. C. Maclagan, “Notes on Folklore Objects collected in Argyleshire,” _Folklore_, vi. (1895) pp. 144–148; J. Macdonald, _Religion and Myth_ (London, 1893), pp. 3 _sq._; J. G. Campbell, _Witchcraft and Second Sight in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland_ (Glasgow, 1902), pp. 46–48. Many older examples of the practice of this form of enchantment in Scotland are collected by J. G. Dalyell in his _Darker Superstitions of Scotland_ (Edinburgh, 1834), pp. 328 _sqq._

[233] J. G. Campbell, _op. cit._ pp. 47, 48.

[234] Bryan J. Jones, in _Folklore_, vi. (1895) p. 302. For evidence of the custom in the Isle of Man see J. Train, _Historical and Statistical Account of the Isle of Man_, ii. 168; in England, see Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, iii. 10 _sqq._; in Germany, see J. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_,⁴ ii. 913 _sq._; F. Panzer, _Beitrag zur deutschen Mythologie_, ii. 272 _sq._ As to the custom in general, see E. B. Tylor, _Researches into the Early History of Mankind_,³ pp. 106 _sqq._; R. Andree, “Sympathie-Zauber,” _Ethnographische Parallelen und Vergleiche_, Neue Folge, pp. 8 _sqq._

[235] Ch. Rogers, _Social Life in Scotland_, iii. 220.

[236] E. W. Nelson, “The Eskimo about Bering Strait,” _Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology_, Part I. (Washington, 1899) p. 435.

[237] J. Teit, “The Thompson Indians of British Columbia,” _Memoir of the American Museum of Natural History, The Jesup North Pacific Expedition_, vol. i. No. 4 (April 1900), p. 314.

[238] J. R. Swanton, “Contributions to the Ethnology of the Haida” (Leyden and New York, 1905), pp. 47 _sq._ (_The Jesup North Pacific Expedition_, vol. v.).

[239] S. Powers, _Tribes of California_ (Washington, 1877), p. 318.

[240] C. Lumholtz, “Symbolism of the Huichol Indians,” _Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History_, vol. iii. (May 1900) p. 52.

[241] P. J. de Arriaga, _Extirpacion de la Idolatria del Piru_ (Lima, 1621), p. 37.

[242] A. Delegorgue, _Voyage dans l’Afrique Australe_ (Paris, 1847), ii. 325 _sq._

[243] E. Casalis, _The Basutos_, p. 251.

[244] Binger, _Du Niger au Golfe de Guinée_ (Paris, 1892), ii. 230.

[245] W. G. Aston, _Shinto_ (_the Way of the Gods_) (London, 1905), p. 331.

[246] R. Taylor, _Te Ika A Maui, or New Zealand and its Inhabitants_² (London, 1870), p. 213.

[247] J. B. Neumann, “Het Pane- en Bila-Stroomgebied op het eiland Sumatra,” _Tijdschrift van het Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap_, Tweede Serie, deel iii. (1886) Afdeeling, meer uitgebreide artikelen, No. 3, p. 515.

[248] J. G. F. Riedel, _De sluik- en kroesharige rassen tusschen Selebes en Papua_ (The Hague, 1886), p. 343.

[249] Dr. MacFarlane, quoted by A. C. Haddon, in _Journal of the Anthropological Institute_, xix. (1890) pp. 389 _sq._

[250] C. Poensen, “Iets over de kleeding der Javanen,” _Mededeelingen van wege het Nederlandsche Zendelinggenootschap_, xx. (1876) pp. 274 _sq._; C. M. Pleyte, “Plechtigheden en gebruiken uit den cyclus van het familienleven der volken van den Indischen Archipel,” _Bijdragen tot de Taal- Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch Indië_, xli. (1892) p. 578. A slightly different account of the ceremony is given by J. Kreemer (“Hoe de Javaan zijne zieken verzorgt,” _Mededeelingen van wege het Nederlandsche Zendelinggenootschap_, xxxvi. (1892) p. 116).

[251] S. A. Buddingh, “Gebruiken bij Javaansche Grooten,” _Tijdschrift voor Neêrlands Indië_, 1840, deel ii. pp. 239–243.

[252] J. Knebel, “Varia Javanica,” _Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal- Land- en Volkenkunde_, xliv. (1901) pp. 34–37.

[253] F. W. Leggat, quoted by H. Ling Roth, _The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo_ (London, 1896), i. 98 _sq._

[254] Diodorus Siculus, iv. 39.

[255] Stanislaus Ciszewski, _Künstliche Verwandtschaft bei den Südslaven_ (Leipsic, 1897), pp. 103 _sqq._ In the Middle Ages a similar form of adoption appears to have prevailed, with the curious variation that the adopting parent who simulated the act of birth was the father, not the mother. See J. Grimm, _Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer_, pp. 160, 464 _sq._; J. J. Bachofen, _Das Mutterrecht_, pp. 254 _sq._ F. Liebrecht, however, quotes a mediaeval case in which the ceremony was performed by the adopting mother (_Zur Volkskunde_, p. 432).

[256] For this information I have to thank Dr. C. Hose, formerly Resident Magistrate of the Baram district, Sarawak.

[257] Rev. J. Roscoe, “The Bahima,” _Journal of the R. Anthropological Institute_, xxxvii. (1907) p. 104.

[258] Plutarch, _Quaestiones Romanae_, 5; Hesychius, _s.v._ Δευτερόποτμος.

[259] W. Caland, _Die altindischen Todten- und Bestattungsgebräuche_ (Amsterdam, 1896), p. 89. Among the Hindoos of Kumaon the same custom is reported to be still observed. See Major Reade in _Panjab Notes and Queries_, ii. p. 74, § 452.

[260] W. S. Routledge and K. Routledge, _With a Prehistoric People, the Akikuyu of British East Africa_ (London, 1910), pp. 151 _sq._ The ceremony was briefly described by me on Dr. Crawford’s authority in _Totemism and Exogamy_, iv. 228.

[261] As to these rites among the Akikuyu see W. S. Routledge and K. Routledge, _op. cit._ pp. 154 _sqq._

[262] _The Golden Bough_, Second Edition, iii. 422 _sqq._; _Totemism and Exogamy_, i. 44, iii. 463 _sqq._, 485, 487 _sq._, 489 _sq._, 505, 532, 542, 545, 546, 549.

[263] W. Caland, _Altindisches Zauberritual_ (Amsterdam, 1900), p. 119; M. Bloomfield, _Hymns of the Atharva-Veda_ (Oxford, 1897), pp. 358 _sq._ (_Sacred Books of the East_, vol. xlii.).

[264] W. H. Keating, _Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter’s River_ (London, 1825), ii. 159.

[265] Theocritus, _Id._ ii. 28 _sq._; Virgil, _Ecl._ viii. 81 sq. In neither of these passages is the wax said to have been fashioned in the likeness of the beloved one, but it may have been so.

[266] As to the waxen models of the human body, or parts of it, which are still dedicated to the Virgin Mary at Kevelaer, see R. Andree, _Votive und Weihegaben des Katholischen Volks in Süddeutschland_ (Brunswick, 1904) p. 85; and as to votive images of hearts in general, see _id._ pp. 127 _sq._

[267] Father Lambert, in _Missions Catholiques_, xii. (1880) p. 41; _id._, _Mœurs et Superstitions des Néo-Calédoniens_ (Nouméa, 1900), pp. 97 _sq._

[268] Plutarch, _De sera numinis vindicta_, 14.

[269] Th. Shaw, “The Inhabitants of the Hills near Rajamahall,” _Asiatic Researches_, iv. 69 (8vo edition, London, 1807).

[270] M. Bloomfield, _Hymns of the Atharva-Veda_ (Oxford, 1897), pp. 7 _sq._, 263 _sq._; W. Caland, _Altindisches Zauberritual_ (Amsterdam, 1900), pp. 75 _sq._

[271] Plutarch, _Quaest. conviv._ v. 7. 2, 8 _sq._; Aelian, _Nat. animalium_, xvii. 13.

[272] Schol. on Aristophanes, _Birds_, 266; Schol. on Plato, _Gorgias_, p. 494 B.

[273] Alfred Newton, _Dictionary of Birds_ (London, 1893–1896), p. 129.

[274] Pliny, _Nat. Hist._ xxx. 94. The Greek name for jaundice, and for this singular bird, was _ikteros_. The Romans called jaundice “the king’s malady” (_morbus regius_). See below, p. 371, note⁴.

[275] _Nat. Hist._ xxxvii. 170.

[276] This precious remedy was communicated to me by my colleague and friend Professor R. C. Bosanquet of Liverpool. The popular Greek name for jaundice is χρυσῆ.

[277] W. von Schulenburg, _Wendische Volkssagen und Gebräuche_ (Leipsic, 1880), p. 223.

[278] J. Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_,⁴ ii. 981; G. Lammert, _Volksmedizin und medizinischer Aberglaube in Bayern_ (Würzburg, 1869), p. 248.

[279] Dr. S. Weissenberg, “Krankheit und Tod bei den südrussischen Juden,” _Globus_, xci. (1907) p. 358.

[280] K. Freiherr von Leoprechting, _Aus dem Lechrain_ (Munich, 1855), p. 92; A. Wuttke, _Der deutsche Volksaberglaube_,² p. 302, § 477.

[281] Alfred Newton, _Dictionary of Birds_, p. 115.

[282] Dr. J. Gengler, “Der Kreuzschnabel als Hausarzt,” _Globus_, xci. (1907) pp. 193 _sq._; A. Wuttke, _Der deutsche Volksaberglaube_,² p. 117, § 164; Alois John, _Sitte, Brauch und Volksglaube im deutschen Westböhmen_ (Prague, 1905), p. 218; P. Drechsler, _Sitte, Brauch und Volksglaube in Schlesien_, ii. (Leipsic, 1906) p. 231.

[283] A. Wuttke, _Der deutsche Volksaberglaube_,² p. 302, § 477.

[284] Gilbert White, _The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne_,