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s and the renovation of the tribe； and at the same time the evasion and placation of death； were all assured by similar rites and befitting ceremonial magic。＇2＇
＇1＇ Gilbert Murray； Four Stages； p。 46。
＇2＇ It is interesting to find； with regard to the renovation of the tribe； that among the Central Australians the foreskins or male members of those who died were deposited in the above…mentioned nanja spotsthe idea evidently being that like the seeds of the corn the seeds of the human crop must be carefully and ceremonially preserved for their re…incarnation。
In all these cases； and many others that I have not mentioned of the magical worship of Bulls and Bears and Rams and Cats and Emus and Kangaroos； of Trees and Snakes； of Sun and Moon and Stars； and the spirit of the Corn in its yearly and miraculous resurrection out of the groundthere is still the same idea or moving inspiration； the sense mentioned in the foregoing chapter； the feeling （hardly yet conscious of its own meaning） of intimate relationship and unity with all this outer world； the instinctive conviction that the world can be swayed by the spirit of Man； if the man can only find the right ritual； the right word； the right spell； wherewith to move it。 An aura of emotion surrounded everythingof terror； of tabu； of fascination； of desire。 The world； to these people； was transparent with presences related to themselves； and though hunger and sex may have been the dominant and overwhelmingly practical needs of their life； yet their outlook on the world was essentially poetic and imaginative。
Moreover it will be seen that in this age of magic and the belief in spirits； though there was an intense sense of every thing being alive； the gods； in the more modern sense of the world； hardly existed＇1＇that is； there was no very clear vision； to these people； of supra…mundane beings； sitting apart and ordaining the affairs of earth； as it were from a distance。 Doubtless this conception was slowly evolving； but it was only incipient。 For the time beingthough there might be orders and degrees of spirits （and of gods）every such being was only conceived of； and could only be conceived of； as actually a part of Nature； dwelling in and interlaced with some phenomenon of Earth and Sky； and having no separate existence。
＇1＇ For a discussion of the evolution of RELIGION out of MAGIC； see Westermarck's Origin of Moral Ideas； ch。 47。
How was it then； it will be asked； that the belief in separate and separable gods and goddesseseach with his or her well…marked outline and character and function； like the divinities of Greece； or of India； or of the Egyptian or Christian religions； ultimately arose？ To this question Jane Harrison （in her Themis and other books） gives an ingenious answer； which as it chimes in with my own speculations （in the Art of Creation and elsewhere） I am inclined to adopt。 It is that the figures of the supranatural gods arose from a process in the human mind similar to that which the photographer adopts when by photographing a number of faces on the same plate； and so superposing their images on one another； he produces a so…called 〃composite〃 photograph or image。 Thus； in the photographic sphere； the portraits of a lot of members of the same family superposed upon one another may produce a composite image or ideal of that family type； or the portraits of a number of Aztecs or of a number of Apache Indians the ideals respectively of the Aztec or of the Apache types。 And so in the mental sphere of each member of a tribe the many images of the well…known Warriors or Priests or wise and gracious Women of that tribe did inevitably combine at last to composite figures of gods and goddesseson whom the enthusiasm and adoration of the tribe was concentrated。＇1＇ Miss Harrison has ingeniously suggested how the leading figures in the magic rituals of the pastbeing the figures on which all eyes would be concentrated； and whose importance would be imprinted on every mindlent themselves to this process。 The suffering Victim； bound and scourged and crucified； recurring year after year as the centre…figure of a thousand ritual processions； would at last be dramatized and idealized in the great race…consciousness into the form of a Suffering Goda Jesus Christ or a Dionysus or Osirisdismembered or crucified for the salvation of mankind。 The Priest or Medicine…Manor rather the succession of Priests or Medicine…Menwhose figures would recur again and again as leaders and ordainers of the ceremonies； would be glorified at last into the composite… image of a God in whom were concentrated all magic powers。 〃Recent researches；〃 says Gilbert Murray； 〃have shown us in abundance the early Greek medicine…chiefs making thunder and lightning and rain。〃 Here is the germ of a Zeus or a Jupiter。 The particular medicine…man may fail； that does not so much matter； he is only the individual representative of the glorified and composite being who exists in the mind of the tribe （just as a present…day King may be unworthy； but is surrounded all the same by the agelong glamour of Royalty）。 〃The real ； tremendous； infallible； is somewhere far away； hidden in clouds perhaps； on the summit of some inaccessible mountain。 If the mountain is once climbed the god will move to the upper sky。 The medicine…chief meanwhile stays on earth； still influential。 He has some connection with the great god more intimate than that of other men 。 。 。 he knows the rules for approaching him and making prayers to him。〃＇2＇ Thus did the Medicine…man； or Priest； or Magician （for these are but three names for one figure） represent one step in the evolution of the god。
＇1＇ See The Art of Creation； ch。 viii； 〃The Gods as Apparitions of the Race…Life。〃
＇2＇ The Four Stages； p。 140。
And farther back still in the evolutionary process we may trace （as in chapter iv above） the divinization or deification of four…footed animals and birds and snakes and trees and the like； from the personification of the collective emotion of the tribe towards these creatures。 For people whose chief food was bear…meat； for instance； whose totem was a bear； and who believed themselves descended from an ursine ancestor； there would grow up in the tribal mind an image surrounded by a halo of emotions emotions of hungry desire； of reverence； fear； gratitude and so forthan image of a divine Bear in whom they lived and moved and had their being。 For another tribe or group in whose yearly ritual a Bull or a Lamb or a Kangaroo played a leading part there would in the same way spring tip the image of a holy bull； a divine lamb； or a sacred kangaroo。 Another group again might come to worship a Serpent as its presiding genius； or a particular kind of Tree； simply because these objects were and had been for centuries prominent factors in its yearly and seasonal Magic。 As Reinach and others suggest； it was the Taboo （bred by Fear） which by first forbidding contact with the totem…animal or priest or magician…chief gradually invested him with Awe and Divinity。
According to this theory the godthe full…grown god in human shape； dwelling apart and beyond the earthdid not come first； but was a late and more finished product of evolution。