Abstract
MR. TEOTTER'S remarks, however, on the practice of commemorating the eminent dead, seem to us somewhat to obscure the main point of such commemorations by the curious psychological data which he suggests. There is a Freudian touch about it which, true as it may be genetically, is ontologically now invalid. Because primitive man did sacrifices to appease the ‘manes’ of the departed and was in actual fear of his ghost, it does not follow that there is any such dread of the reappearance of Hunter. His ghost would, we are sure, have been most cordially welcomed at Mr. Trotter's discourse on Feb. 15. Admiration as well as perfect love casteth out fear. Nor does the ancient practice of partaking of the bodily remains of the dead hero now prompt us to any really analogous act. We commemorate to instruct ourselves, to inspire others to act in a way similar to that of the men we revere; perhaps, most of all, to impress the fact of the debt of the living to the past. The continuity of primitive savage instincts in the civilised is a plausible but misleading fallacy in psycho-analysis, and at the best a grave exaggeration. However, in Mr. Trotter's address these allusions only add a quaint flavour of romance. We sympathise with him in his hope that the truly great may be recognised in their lifetime, but we would not have this at the cost of diminishing the respect and remembrance of them after their death. The growth of the latter practice is one of the best features of the age, and offers hope that we may be able to combine our vertiginous progress with the continuity of order.
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Purpose of Commemorations. Nature 129, 427–428 (1932). https://doi.org/10.1038/129427c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/129427c0