book that suggest that a great deal might be done to capture the spirit of the primitive by adhering, so far as possible, to its letter—in other words, by transcribing, either literally or in simple paraphrase, personal experiences and other texts that have been written down or dictated by natives. In any event, the accent of authentic documents always reveals a significant, if intangible, something about native mentality that is over and above their content.
I should like to quote a couple of unpretentious passages to illustrate what I mean. How Meskwaki Children Should be Brought Up is Mr Michelson's rendition of a Fox text. There is little in its morality that is other than the white man's commonplace, but various turns of phrase and odd kinks of motivation keep it fresh throughout. Take its opening sentences:
"When a boy becomes old enough to be intelligent, his parents begin to teach him how to take care of himself and act righteously. They usually tell him not to do a good many things. Children are taught not to be naughty. They are told that if they are naughty, people will have nothing to do with them. They are told that if they are naughty, people will talk about them. And children are told not to steal anything from their neighbors. Moreover, children are taught not to talk to people. If they see any one going by their place, they should hold their tongues, nor should they laugh. And they also tell children not to visit other people too often. 'Every time they see you going anywhere they would say that you are looking for something good to eat, if you go visiting too often,' is what children are told."
The illustrations are a disappointment. They seem to be a cross of divers purposes. They illustrate the narratives, they are decked out with strangely meaningless borders, and they aim to do with ethnological specimens what museums are more successfully in the habit of doing. In other words, they lack unity. Worst of all, they seldom capture more than the barest hint of the native style of the decorative material that they vainly refashion. The pleasing colour work does not reconcile us to their insensitive construction.
