John Lubbock could gather into the compass of a few concluding pages of a really great work suck a tissue of misguiding information. His character testifies that he could not do so intentionally, and it is not likely that his religious views are of such a nature as to lead him to rule outside of the pale of religious belief all who do not use a systematic form of worship, or do not acknowledge in creedlike fashion the person of the Divine Being. The only feasible explanation seems to be found in that peculiar blindness which all students know is apt to fall on the eyes of those who are striving to gather material to support a pet theory. In such cases, as the eye runs down page after page of close print, seeking for a scrap of information here or there, it naturally selects the sentence favorable to the theory, and passes over or does not see unfavorable sentences that may contain much more valuable information. Where such a method of investigation is pursued as a basis for quotation, a singularly strong case can commonly be presented on behalf of the theory; above all, where the works relied on have, on account of their age, passed out of general circulation. But such a method is palpably unscientific, being calculated to give a partial view of the point at issue, whatever that may be. If Sir John Lubbock, in the hurry of a busy life, has not fallen under this common temptation, then one knows not how to explain the extraordinary fact that one of the keenest minds in the English scientific world has so persistently left undone what he ought to have done, and done what he ought not to have done, as he gave to the public quotations from other writers.
Another strange fact is apparent. Prehistoric Times has gone through five editions, the first being published in 1859, the second in 1869, and the fifth in 1890. During this period of time investigations into the habits, customs, and religions of isolated and barbarous tribes have been very widespread, and the harvest of information reaped has been very large. But greater light has made no change in Sir John's authorities. Jukes, Collins, Burchell, Caillie, Dobritzhoff er, and Catlin maintain their time-honored position, and the harvest of modern investigation might never have been reaped, as far as Sir John is concerned. It is not the object of this article to enter into this harvest field, though the subject is in every way interesting and the facts close to hand. But a noble work lies before Sir John Lubbock, namely, that of reviewing his original statements in the light of modern investigation, and proceeding to prove the position that there is not a well-authenticated case of a single tribe on the face of the earth wholly destitute of the religious idea.
