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t these things； with their set and angular outlines； have served in the past and will serve in the future as stepping…stones towards another kind of knowledge of which at present we only dream； and will lead us on to a renewed power of perception which again will not be the laborious product of thought but a direct and instantaneous intuition like that of the animals and the angels。
To return to our Tree。 Though primitive man did not speculate in modern style on these things； I yet have no reasonable doubt that he felt （and FEELS； in those cases where we can still trace the workings of his mind） his essential relationship to the creatures of the forest more intimately； if less analytically； than we do to…day。 If the animals with all their wonderful gifts are （as we readily admit） a veritable part of Natureso that they live and move and have their being more or less submerged in the spirit of the great world around themthen Man； when he first began to differentiate himself from them； must for a long time have remained in this SUBconscious unity； becoming only distinctly CONSCIOUS of it when he was already beginning to lose it。 That early dawn of distinct consciousness corresponded to the period of belief in Magic。 In that first mystic illumination almost every object was invested with a halo of mystery or terror or adoration。 Things were either tabu； in which case they were dangerous； and often not to be touched or even looked uponor they were overflowing with magic grace and influence； in which case they were holy； and any rite which released their influence was also holy。 William Blake； that modern prophetic child； beheld a Tree full of angels； the Central Australian native believes bushes to be the abode of spirits which leap into the bodies of passing women and are the cause of the conception of children； Moses saw in the desert a bush （perhaps the mimosa） like a flame of fire； with Jehovah dwelling in the midst of it； and he put off his shoes for he felt that the place was holy； Osiris was at times regarded as a Tree…spirit＇1＇； and in inscriptions is referred to as 〃the solitary one in the acacia〃 which reminds us curiously of the 〃burning bush。〃 The same is true of others of the gods； in the old Norse mythology Ygdrasil was the great branching World…Ash； abode of the soul of the universe； the Peepul or Bo…tree in India is very sacred and must on no account be cut down； seeing that gods and spirits dwell among its branches。 It is of the nature of an Aspen； and of little or no practical use；＇2＇ but so holy that the poorest peasant will not disturb it。 The Burmese believe the things of nature； but especially the trees； to be the abode of spirits。 〃To the Burman of to…day； not less than to the Greek of long ago； all nature is alive。 The forest and the river and the mountains are full of spirits； whom the Burmans call Nats。 There are all kinds of Nats； good and bad； great and little； male and female； now living round about us。 Some of them live in the trees； especially in the huge figtree that shades half… an…acre without the village； or among the fern…like fronds of the tamarind。〃＇3＇
＇1＇ The Golden Bough； iv； 339。
＇2＇ Though the sap is said to contain caoutchouc。
＇3＇ The Soul of a People； by H。 Fielding （1902）； p。 250。
There are also in India and elsewhere popular rites of MARRIAGE of women （and men） to Trees； which suggest that trees were regarded as very near akin to human beings！ The Golden Bough＇1＇ mentions many of these； including the idea that some trees are male and others female。 The well…known Assyrian emblem of a Pine cone being presented by a priest to a Palm…tree is supposed by E。 B。 Tylor to symbolize fertilizationthe Pine cone being masculine and the Palm feminine。 The ceremony of the god Krishna's marriage to a Basil plant is still celebrated in India down to the present day； and certain trees are clasped and hugged by pregnant womenthe idea no doubt being that they bestow fertility on those who embrace them。 In other cases apparently it is the trees which are benefited； since it is said that men sometimes go naked into the Clove plantations at night in order by a sort of sexual intercourse to fertilize them。＇2＇
＇1＇ Vol。 i； p。 40； Vol。 iii； pp。 24 sq。
＇2＇ Ibid。； vol。 ii； p。 98。
One might go on multiplying examples in this direction quite indefinitely。 There is no end to them。 They all indicatewhat was instinctively felt by early man； and is perfectly obvious to all to…day who are not blinded by 〃civilization〃 （and Herbert Spencer！） that the world outside us is really most deeply akin to ourselves； that it is not dead and senseless but intensely alive and instinct with feeling and intelligence resembling our own。 It is this perception； this conviction of our essential unity with the whole of creation； which lay from the first at the base of all Religion； yet at first； as I have said； was hardly a conscious perception。 Only later； when it gradually became more conscious； did it evolve itself into the definite forms of the gods and the creedsbut of that process I will speak more in detail presently。
The Tree therefore was a most intimate presence to the Man。 It grew in the very midst of his Garden of Eden。 It had a magical virtue； which his tentative science could only explain by chance analogies and assimilations。 Attractive and beloved and worshipped by reason of its many gifts to mankindits grateful shelter； its abounding fruits； its timber； and other invaluable productswhy should it not become the natural emblem of the female； to whom through sex man's worship is ever drawn？ If the Snake has an unmistakable resemblance to the male organ in its active state； the foliage of the tree or bush is equally remindful of the female。 What more clear than that the conjunction of Tree and Serpent is the fulfilment in nature of that sex…mystery which is so potent in the life of man and the animals？ and that the magic ritual most obviously fitted to induce fertility in the tribe or the herds （or even the crops） is to set up an image of the Tree and the Serpent combined； and for all the tribe…folk in common to worship and pay it reverence。 In the Bible with more or less veiled sexual significance we have this combination in the Eden…garden； and again in the brazen Serpent and Pole which Moses set up in the wilderness （as a cure for the fiery serpents of lust）； illustrations of the same are said to be found in the temples of Egypt and of South India； and even in the ancient temples of Central America。＇1＇ In the myth of Hercules the golden apples of the Hesperides garden are guarded by a dragon。 The Etruscans； the Persians and the Babylonians had also legends of the Fall of man through a serpent tempting him to taste of the fruit of a holy Tree。 And De Gubernatis；＇2＇ pointing out the phallic meaning of these stories； says 〃the legends concerning the tree of golden apples or figs which yields honey or ambrosia； guarded by dragons； in which the life； the fortune； the glory； the strength and the riches of the hero have their beginning； are numerous among every people of Aryan origin： in India； Persia； Russia； Poland； Sweden； Germany； Greece and Italy。〃
＇1＇ See Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism； by Thomas Inman （Trubner； 1874）； p。 55。
＇2＇ Zoological Mythology； vol。 ii； pp。 410 sq。
Thus we see the natural…magic tendency of the human mind asserting itself。 To some of us indeed this tendency is even greater in the case of the Snake than in that of the Tree。 W。 H。 Hudson； in Far Away and Long Ago； speaks of 〃that sense of something supernatural in the serpent； which appears to have been universal among peoples in a primitive state of culture； and still survives in some barbarous or semi…barbarous countries。〃 The fascination of the Snakethe fascination of its mysteriously gliding movement； of its vivid energy； its glittering eye； its intensity of life； combined with its fatal dart of Deathis a thing felt even more by women than by menand for a reason （from what we have already said） not far to seek。 It was the Woman who in the story of the Fall was the first to listen to its suggestions。 No wonder that； as Professor Murray says；＇1＇ the Greeks worshiped a gigantic snake （Meilichios） the lord of Death and Life； with ceremonies of appeasement； and sacrifices； long before they arrived at the worship of Zeus and the Olympian gods。
＇1＇ Four Stages of Greek Religion； p。 29。
Or let us take the example of an Ear of Corn。 Some people wonderhearing nowadays that the folk of old used to worship a Corn…spirit or Corn…godwonder that any human beings could have been so foolish。 But probably the good people who wonder thus have never REALLY LOOKED （with their town…dazed eyes） at a growing spike of wheat。＇1＇ Of all the wonderful things in Nature I hardly know any that thrills one more with a sense of wizardry than just this very thingto observe； each year； this disclosure of the Ear within the Bladefirst a swelling of the sheath； then a transparency and a whitey…green face within a hooded shroud； and then the perfect spike of grain disengaging itself and spiring upward towards the sky〃the resurrection of the wheat with pale visage appearing out of the ground。〃
＇1＇ Even the thrice…learned Dr。 Famel