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The children of the marriage are of the kindred of the mother, and never of his kindred: they are lost to his family. Thus there can be no extension of the clan through the males, it is the wife’s clan that is extended by marriage. Tylor, “The Matriarchal Family System,” Nineteenth Century, July 1896. McLennan, The Patriarchal Theory, p. 208. Heriot, Travels through the Canadas, p. 323.
The followers of McLennan have long ago been purged out of the land by the edict of Oxford against this sect of mythological heretics. They would doubtless have maintained that the cow was Gladstone's totem, or family crest, and that, like other totemists, he was forbidden to eat beef. It is curious that on some old and worn coins we detect a half-obliterated male figure lurking behind the cow.
Thus, to speak of 'sex-totems, or to call the protecting animal of each individual a 'totem, is, I fear, to bring in confusion, and to justify Mr. Max Muller's hard opinion that 'totemism' is ill-defined. For myself, I use the term in the strict sense which I have given, and in no other. Mr. McLennan did not profess, as we saw, to know the origin of totems.
Drawing his evidence from the actual statements of old writers, but more from legends and the mythologies of antiquity, he came to the conclusion that a system of descent through women had, in all cases, preceded the rise of kinship through males. Almost at the same time Dr. J. F. McLennan, ignorant of the work of Bachofen, came to the same opinion.
So, also, as to portable property. Mr. 'Mr. Curr. Mr. McLennan would be, I think, rather surprised at this remark; but what would he do? Why, he would re-examine the whole question, decide by the balance of evidence, and reject, modify, or retain his theory accordingly. All sciences have to act in this way; therefore almost all scientific theories are fluctuating.
The illustration represents the ancient church which was built in 1658, but was taken down a few years ago on account of its dangerous condition, and rebuilt on the old site near the basilica, in exactly the original form with the same materials. Songs of Old Canada. Translated by W. McLennan.
For more extended reading: MCLENNAN, The Patriarchal Theory. MORGAN, Ancient Society. PARSONS, The Family. WAKE, The Development of Marriage and Kinship.
Das Mutterrecht was published in Stuttgart in 1861. Primitive Marriage, published 1865. Studies in Ancient History, which includes a reprint of Primitive Marriage; 1st ed. 1876, 2nd ed. 1886. The Patriarchal Theory, a criticism of this theory is based on the papers of Mr. McLennan and edited by his brother.
McLennan says of the Feejeeans, "Vegetables and stones, nay, even tools and weapons, pots and canoes, have souls that are immortal, and that, like the souls of men, pass on at last to Mbulu, the abode of departed spirits."
One great source of confusion has arisen through the acceptance by the supporters of the matriarchate of the view that men and women lived originally in a state of promiscuity. This is the opinion of Bachofen, of McLennan, of Morgan, and also of many other authorities, who have believed maternal descent to be dependent on the uncertainty of fatherhood. It will be remembered that Mr.
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