MAGIC (Lat. niagicc, from Gk. AcrytK4, magi kC, magic, se. zlxv7i, ice110, art, from p.aytK6s, magi kos, magic, from Mci-yos, Magas, Magian, from OPers. Maga, Magian). The art, or pre tended art, of controlling occult forces and of producing effects contrary to the known order of nature. This definition. however, is in direct opposition to the original understanding of the art: for primitive peoples conceive nature not as governed by undeviating laws, but as animated by mood and whim, similar to man's, and in its activities normally subject to powers like to his. To the primitive mind the whole natural world is personified and all magic is natural magic. Not that primitive peoples are without the conception of a definite organization of nature; on the con trary. there is hardly a tribe which has not its elaborate cosmology. Indeed (such is the paradox of progress), it may even be said that the theory of the equality of cause and effect, upon which is founded our modern conception of a fixed order in nature, is but a refinement of the principle, fundamental to the great body of magic, that like affects like—that, for example, the red juice of a berry. because it is of the hue of blood. will cure a fever, believed to be a disease of the blood.
Magic with savages is thus the art of the knowledge of nature. It represents to them sci ence and wisdom; and the whole organization of primitive society is ruled by rites and beliefs of magical character. Notably this is the case among the Polynesians, with their elaborate system of tabu. which is really proscription for magical reasons. Tabu determines the age of marriage. the time of planting and harvesting, the open and closed season for fish or game, as well as ceremonial conduct. The organization of savage tribes into cults or societies, practically uni versal. invariably derives its power from some magical reason, usually associated with totemism (q.v.) and inculcated by barbarous initiations. Everywhere social prerogative and prohibition is governed by magic rule and rite.
A typical philosophy of magical beliefs is set forth by Hewitt. a cultivated Iroquois. The Iroquois believe that the motive underlying all effort is desire for welfare, to secure which men often struggle against adverse environment. All things and phenomena—the sun and the stars, the rocks, the tides. the trees. as well as plants, animals. and men—have life and personal ity. All think, feel. will. do good and harm each striving for its own welfare. All these personalities ope rate through a primitive power which the Iro quois call o•encla. This power is not wholly under the control of its possessor: it may even act adversely to his welfare: but it is under the control or influence of seers and men of wisdom.
Thus a shaman is a man of mighty orenda; when a hunter slays, his orenda baffles that of the game. Orenda may be stored in charms, amulets, medicines; and in the forms and colors of all things there are magic properties (orenda) which the observant person notices, and gaining knowledge thereof becomes a seer.
It is manifest that here we have a theory in which religious elements (philosophy of life) and natural magic are intimately commingled; and. indeed, such is usually the case with tive peoples. At the same time. the relation of early magic to religion is a matter of sonic dis agreement. On the one hand, it is held that magic and magical practices precede the develop ment of religious conceptions, or mythologies, which arise later as allegorical inter pretations; on the other hand. magic is taken to be a degenerate and perverted form of religious practice. Both theories have justification. The great body of primitive magic is the so-called sympathetic magic based upon the idea that like affects like, and is not to be discriminated from fetishism and other elemental forms of worship. A supersti tion as widespread as the human race and as ancient as its records leads to the fashioning of images of enemies for the sake of mutilating them in the belief that these enemies will suffer like mutilation. in Europe in the Middle Ages waxen images were melted before a fire and it was supposed that the person represented would similarly waste away. Savage fetishism carries this principle to the extreme, any trifle which has once been possessed by a man being esteemed ever after to retain a potent influence over him; thus it is related of a South Sea island king that he offered the greater part of his property for the return of a lock of his hair stolen by his enemies. Such is the theory of early magic, and it is evi dent that the same theory persists when the Chinese sticks nails into an idol recalcitrant to his prayers, although with hint it is conceived to be a superhuman spirit that suffers, not an other man. Indeed, the use of images in all religious worship must have acquired its first meaning from the idea of a magical sympathy or rapport. Nevertheless, among the most primi tive peoples mythology seems to be preserved in distinction from magic, and even if the conception of worship (lid arise from the latter it is not clear how the idea of divinities could have done so. Moreover, we have ninny evidences of religions degenerating into demonological superstition, with belief in magical control, and this might give a fair account of the whole evolution.