Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/339

Rh make us pause before we seek to explain the frequency of the symbol by heredity or by such fantastic motives as remembrance of such a detail of prenatal life as the immersion in the amniotic fluid. Doubtless in many cases childish speculations concerning the act of birth will have combined with knowledge of the baptismal rite to give to the symbolisation of birth by means of water any prominence and importance it may possess.

In this address I have considered whether the view that the symbolisation of rebirth by water forms part of the universal furniture of the human mind is confirmed by a comparative survey of religious ritual. We can now with some confidence answer this question in the negative. I chose this subject as one which is prominent in recent psycho-analytic literature and therefore suitable as a case whereby to test the statement often made that the conclusions reached by the psycho-analytic study of the individual are confirmed by the comparative study of custom and belief. Though this case has had in the main a negative result, it is a good example of the kind of way in which the folk-lorist can take his part in helping to build up a science of psychology.

But though from one point of view, that of psycho-analytic speculation, our quest may have had a negative result, more than one positive result has accrued if the subject be regarded from a wider standpoint.

The brief survey of this address has brought out the striking fact that the symbolic representation of rebirth in Africa, Oceania and America is especially connected with the organisations usually known as secret societies. Moreover, it seems clear that in these societies any symbolic representation of rebirth which may be present is overshadowed by the representation of death of which the rebirth or resurrection is a necessary consequence. This