ANCESTOR-WORSHIP

held by Herbert Spencer to have been the foundation of all religions; springs from the conception of a soul animating a body curing life, and, after death, continuing in the unseen the life begun here. Thus with the Romans the word manes stood for the friendly spirits of the household, and it was the duty of male descendants to offer food and sacrifices to them. On festival occasions small images, called Lares, crowned with garlands, were placed around the hearthstone, of which they were considered to be the unseen, but not le powerful, guardians. Similarly the Amer. Indians, and other primitive races, look to the spirits of their dead ancestors to further their succe in battle. It is the dominant religion in China at the present day, and the ‘spirit-tablets’ found in the living-rooms of Chin. houses, inscribed with the names of dead ancestors, are supposed to be tenanted by their spirits. hero; s. of Capys and Them is. Aphrodite became enamoured of his Lona and bore him Avneas. Aineas carried him on his shoulders, fleeing from burning Troy.