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But my object in making the quotation was not to insist on the truth of its application to the individual Child； but rather to point out the remarkable way in which it illustrates what I have said about the Childhood of the Race。 In fact； if the quotation be read over again with this interpretation （which I do not say Wordsworth intended） that the 'birth' spoken of is the birth or evolution of the distinctively self… conscious Man from the Animals and the animal…natured； unself…conscious human beings of a preceding age； then the parable unfolds itself perfectly naturally and convincingly。 THAT birth certainly was sleep and a forgetting； the grace and intuition and instinctive perfection of the animals was lost。 But the forgetfulness was not entire； the memory lingered long of an age of harmony； of an Eden… garden left behind。 And trailing clouds of this remembrance the first tribal men； on the edge of but not yet WITHIN the civilization…period； appear in the dawn of History。
As I have said before； the period of the dawn of Self… consciousness was also the period of the dawn of the practical and inquiring Intellect； it was the period of the babyhood of both； and so we perceive among these early people （as we also do among children） that while in the main the heart and the intuitions were right； the intellect was for a long period futile and rambling to a degree。 As soon as the mind left the ancient bases of instinct and sub…conscious racial experience it fell into a hopeless bog； out of which it only slowly climbed by means of the painfully…gathered stepping…stones of logic and what we call Science。 〃Heaven lies about us in our infancy。〃 Wordsworth perceived that wonderful world of inner experience and glory out of which the child emerges； and some even of us may perceive that similar world in which the untampered animals STILL dwell； and OUT of which self…regarding Man in the history of the race was long ago driven。 But a curse went with the exile。 As the Brain grew； the Heart withered。 The inherited instincts and racially accumulated wisdom； on which the first men thrived and by means of which they achieved a kind of temporary Paradise； were broken up； delusions and disease and dissension set in。 Cain turned upon his brother and slew him； and the shades of the prison… house began to close。 The growing Boy； however； （by whom we may understand the early tribes of Mankind） had yet a radiance of Light and joy in his life； and the Youththough travelling daily farther from the Eaststill remained Nature's priest； and by the vision splendid was on his way attended： but
At length the Man perceived it die away。 And fade into the light of common day。
What a strangely apt picture in a few words （if we like to take it so） of the long pilgrimage of the Human Race； its early and pathetic clinging to the tradition of the Eden… garden； its careless and vigorous boyhood； its meditative youth； with consciousness of sin and endless expiatory ritual in Nature's bosom； its fleeting visions of salvation； and finally its complete disillusionment and despair in the world… slaughter and unbelief of the twentieth century！
Leaving Wordsworth； however； and coming back to our main line of thought； we may point out that while early peoples were intellectually mere babieswith their endless yarns about heroes on horseback leaping over wide rivers or clouds of monks flying for hundreds of miles through the air； and their utter failure to understand the general concatenations of cause and effectyet practically and in their instinct of life and destiny they were； as I have already said； by no means fools； certainly not such fools as many of the arm…chair students of these things delight to represent them。 For just as； a few years ago； we modern civilizees studying outlying nations； the Chinese for instance； rejoiced （in our vanity） to pick out every quaint peculiarity and absurdity and monstrosity of a supposed topsyturvydom； and failed entirely to see the real picture of a great and eminently sensible people； so in the case of primitive men we have been； and even still are； far too prone to catalogue their cruelties and obscenities and idiotic superstitions； and to miss the sane and balanced setting of their actual lives。
Mr。 R。 R。 Marett； who has a good practical acquaintance with his subject； had in the Hibbert Journal for October 1918 an article on 〃The Primitive Medicine Man〃 in which he shows that the latter is as a rule anything but a fool and a knavealthough like 'medicals' in all ages he hocuspocuses his patients occasionally！ He instances the medicine… man's excellent management； in most cases； of childbirth； or of wounds and fractures； or his primeval skill in trepanning or trephiningall of which operations； he admits； may be accompanied with grotesque and superstitious ceremonies； yet show real perception and ability。 We all knowthough I think the article does not mention the matter what a considerable list there is of drugs and herbs which the modern art of healing owes to the ancient medicine…man； and it may be again mentioned that one of the most up…to… date treatmentsthe use of a prolonged and exclusive diet of MILK as a means of giving the organism a new start in severe caseshas really come down to us through the ages from this early source。＇1＇ The real medicine…man； Mr。 Marett says； is largely a 'faith…healer' and 'soul…doctor'； he believes in his vocation； and undergoes much for the sake of it： 〃The main point is to grasp that by his special initiation and the rigid taboos which he practisesnot to speak of occasional remarkable gifts； say of trance and ecstasy； which he may inherit by nature and have improved by arthe HAS access to a wonder…working power。 。 。 。 And the great need of primitive folk is for this healer of souls。〃 Our author further insists on the enormous play and influence of Fear in the savage minda point we have touched on alreadyand gives instances of Thanatomania； or cases where； after a quite slight and superficial wound； the patient becomes so depressed that he； quite needlessly； persists in dying！ Such cases； obviously； can only be countered by Faith； or something （whatever it may be） which restores courage； hope and energy to the mind。 Nor need I point out that the situation is exactly the same among a vast number of 'patients' to…day。 As to the value； in his degree； of the medicine…man many modern observers and students quite agree with the above。＇2＇ Also as the present chapter is on Ritual Dancing it may not be out of place to call attention to the supposed healing of sick people in Ceylon and other places by Devil…dancingthe enormous output of energy and noise in the ritual possibly having the effect of reanimating the patient （if it does not kill him）； or of expelling the disease from his organism。
＇1＇ Milk （〃fast…milk〃 or vrata） was； says Mr。 Hewitt； the only diet in the Soma…sacrifice。 See Ruling Races of Prehistoric Times （preface）。 The Soma itself was a fermented drink prepared with ceremony from the milky and semen…like sap of certain plants； and much used in sacrificial offerings。 （See Monier…Williams。 Sanskrit Dictionary。）
＇2＇ See Winwood Reade （Savage Africa）； Salamon Reinach （Cult