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when they have arrived at a very early age, should their mothers attempt to chastise them, such is the law that these lads are at the moment allowed to kill their mothers."" Ethnologists often make mention of the fact that the natural races do not generally punish children, and while this is due in part to a less definite sense of responsibility, as well as of less nervousness in parents, non-interference is a part of their system of training: "Instead of teaching the boy civil manners, the father desires him to beat and pelt the strangers who come to the tent ; to steal or secret in joke some trifling article belonging to them ; and the more saucy and impudent they are, the more troublesome to strangers and all the men of the encampment, the more they are praised as giving indication of a future enterprising and warlike disposi- tion."' Theft is also encouraged among boys as a developer of their wits. The Spartan boy and the fox is a classical example ; and Diodorus relates that in Egypt the boy who wished to become a thief was required to enroll his name with the captain of the thieves, and to turn over to him all stolen articles. The citizens who were robbed went to the captain of thieves and recovered their property upon payment of one-fourth of its value. 3 Admiration of a lawless deed often foreruns cen- sure of the deed in consciousness today : there are few men who do not admire a particularly daring and successful bank or diamond robbery, though they deprecate the social injury done.
Formally becoming a man is made so much of in early society, because it is on this occasion that fitness for activity is put to the test. Initiatory ceremonies fall at the time of puberty in the candidate, and consist of instruction and trials of forti- tude. A certain show of the proceeds of activity is also exacted of young men, especially in connection with marriage, and the youth is not permitted to marry until he has killed certain ani- mals or acquired certain trophies. The attention given to manly practices in connection with marriage is seen in this example
■ G. Thompson, Travels and Adventures in Southern Africa, Appendix, p. 286. 'J. L. BURCKHARDT, Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, Vol. I, p. 98. 3 Post, Bausteine einer allgemeinen Rechtswissenschaft, Vol. I, p, 287.
