Civilisation; his fundamental theory of the Origin of Gods from Ghosts, of Ghosts from Souls, and of Souls from Savage reflections on Shadows, etc.; and his fundamental self-contradiction in both accepting Comte's Fetishism, and treating it as "a subordinate department of the theory of Spirits"—these all, therefore, remain unchanged in Dr. Tylor's theory of Animism. And it is these positions and their implications that I have ventured to query.
Note.—When reading the above Paper, I said that conclusions as to West-European folk-conceptions should be corrected by comparison with conclusions as to East-Asiatic folk-conceptions; and I regretted that I had been unable to attempt such correction through such an authoritative work as Dr. De Groot's Religious System of China, which, if then published, was not yet obtainable in London. I have now, however—though not till after correcting the proofs of this Paper—had the advantage of perusing the first volume of that work; and I may here add these general results. First, in corroboration more especially of my Second and Sixth Queries, we find that among the Chinese the objects of Nature, including Mankind, are all conceived as Powers not only occasionally harmful or beneficial, but continually emitting on each other harmful or beneficial influences. Secondly, with reference more especially to my Third, Fourth, and Fifth Queries, we find that the notion of what is most unfortunately translated "Souls" is not at all identical with, or even strictly speaking similar to, the notion commonly associated with that term in English. On the contrary, it seems to be far more similar—to use a comparison I have already used—to the chemist's "essential principle"; it is material, but of the kind of matter called Yang, of which the correlate is Yin; and it continues after, as before death to be attached to the body, though in an enfeebled condition, which, however, the influences emanating from other portions of Yang matter may so revive that there may be a resurrection of the body. And, thirdly, in corroboration of my first and last Queries, though we find among the Chinese a very developed doctrine of so-called "souls", "ghosts", or "spirits", yet these do not give "animation" to matter, as in the theories of Dr. Tylor and Mr. Spencer, but arise from a conception of Nature as already "animated", or rather as, in its own proper and original constitution, consisting of two different kinds of matter, the interaction of which produces a universal life.
