points, it is certain that divisions similar to those which it mentions are found throughout the length and breadth of the Australian continent, as well as in many other parts of the world, and that from these divisions, with their inter-sexual arrangements, flows the entire system of kinship called the Turanian[1] by Mr. Lewis H. Morgan, in his work on "Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family," and in his more recent work entitled "Ancient Society."
Mr. J. F. M'Lennan refuses to accept the terms of kinship common to the numerous tribes whose system is the Turanian, as expressing either consanguinity or affinity. He looks upon them as forming a mere "system of addresses," and disposes of Mr. Morgan's theory as to the origin of the classificatory system of kinship in the following words:—
"The space I have devoted to the consideration of the solution may seem disproportioned to its importance; but, issuing from the press of the Smithsonian Institution, and its preparation having been aided by the United States Government, Mr. Morgan's work has been very generally quoted as a work of authority, and it seemed worth while to take the trouble necessary to show its utterly unscientific character."[2]
This is certainly a somewhat high-handed manner of setting aside as worthless a most painstaking and accurate
- ↑ "Turanian." This term of Mr. Morgan's has been objected to by some of his English critics as inappropriate; but we may as well use it until a better be provided. Mr. Morgan is doubtless more concerned to establish his facts than to insist upon his nomenclature. It should be noted that, strictly speaking, the "Kamilaroi system" is what he calls the Ganowanian, as distinguished from the Turanian, The distinction between the two is in the line of descent, which is through females in the former, and through males in the latter. But, as the line of descent does not affect personal relationship, it did not seem worth while to trouble the reader with more than one term in this memoir. I have, therefore, used Turanian as applying to both lines.
- ↑ "Studies in Ancient History," quoted by Morgan, "Ancient Society," p. 509.
