Mr. Max Muller defends, with perfect justice, the existence of abstract
ideas among contemporary savages. It appears that somebody or other has
said--'we have been told' (i. 291)--'that all this' (the Mangaian theory
of the universe) 'must have come from missionaries.' The ideas are as
likely to have come from Hegel as from a missionary! Therefore, 'instead
of looking for idols, or for totems and fetishes, we must learn and
accept what the savages themselves are able to tell us. . . . ' Yes, we
_must_ learn and accept it; so I have always urged. But if the savages
tell us about totems, are they not then 'casual native informants'? If a
Maori tells you, as he does, of traditional hymns containing ideas worthy
of Heraclitus, is _that_ quite trustworthy; whereas, if he tells you
about his idols and taboos, _that_ cannot possibly be worthy of
attention?