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303
The Book of Dreams and Ghosts
·
Andrew Lang
6
There
is
another
class
of
difficulties.
As
anthropology
becomes
popular,
every
inquirer
knows
what
customs
he
ought
to
find
among
savages,
so,
of
course,
he
finds
them.
In
the
same
way,
people
may
now
know
what
customs
it
is
orthodox
to
find
among
ghosts,
and
may
pretend
to
find
them,
or
may
simulate
them
by
imposture.
The
white
sheet
and
clanking
chains
are
forsaken
for
a
more
realistic
rendering
of
the
ghostly
part.
The
desire
of
social
notoriety
may
beget
wanton
fabrications.
In
short,
all
studies
have
their
perils,
and
these
are
among
the
dangers
which
beset
the
path
of
the
inquirer
into
things
ghostly.
He
must
adopt
the
stoical
maxim:
"Be
sober
and
do
not
believe"--in
a
hurry.
If
there
be
truth
in
even
one
case
of
"telepathy,"
it
will
follow
that
the
human
soul
is
a
thing
endowed
with
attributes
not
yet
recognised
by
science.
It
cannot
be
denied
that
this
is
a
serious
consideration,
and
that
very
startling
consequences
might
be
deduced
from
it;
such
beliefs,
indeed,
as
were
generally
entertained
in
the
ages
of
Christian
darkness
which
preceded
the
present
era
of
enlightenment.
But
our
business
in
studies
of
any
kind
is,
of
course,
with
truth,
as
we
are
often
told,
not
with
the
consequences,
however
ruinous
to
our
most
settled
convictions,
or
however
pernicious
to
society.
The
very
opposite
objection
comes
from
the
side
of
religion.
These
things
we
learn,
are
spiritual
mysteries
into
which
men
must
not
inquire.
This
is
only
a
relic
of
the
ancient
opinion
that
he
was
an
impious
character
who
first
launched
a
boat,
God
having
made
man
a
terrestrial
animal.
Assuredly
God
put
us
into
a
world
of
phenomena,
and
gave
us
inquiring
minds.
We
have
as
much
right
to
explore
the
phenomena
of
these
minds
as
to
explore
the
ocean.
Again,
if
it
be
said
that
our
inquiries
may
lead
to
an
undignified
theory
of
the
future
life
(so
far
they
have
not
led
to
any
theory
at
all),
that,
also,
is
the
position
of
the
Dreadful
Consequences
Argufier.
Lastly,
"the
stories
may
frighten
children".
For
children
the
book
is
not
written,
any
more
than
if
it
were
a
treatise
on
comparative
anatomy.
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