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d； a ring is put on his ankle as a badge of office； and the door…posts of his house are sprinkled with the blood of a sacrificed goat。 He has charge of the public talismans and idols； which he feeds with rice and oil every new moon； and he sacrifices on behalf of the town to the dead and to demons。 Nominally his power is very great； but in practice it is very limited； for he dare not defy public opinion； and he is held responsible； even with his life； for any adversity that befalls the country。 It is expected of him that he should cause the earth to bring forth abundantly； the people to be healthy； war to be driven far away； and witchcraft to be kept in abeyance。 His life is trammelled by the observance of certain restrictions or taboos。 Thus he may not sleep in any house but his own official residence； which is called the anointed house with reference to the ceremony of anointing him at inauguration。 He may not drink water on the highway。 He may not eat while a corpse is in the town； and he may not mourn for the dead。 If he dies while in office； he must be buried at dead of night； few may hear of his burial； and none may mourn for him when his death is made public。 Should he have fallen a victim to the poison ordeal by drinking a decoction of sassywood； as it is called； he must be buried under a running stream of water。
Among the Todas of Southern India the holy milkman； who acts as priest of the sacred dairy； is subject to a variety of irksome and burdensome restrictions during the whole time of his incumbency； which may last many years。 Thus he must live at the sacred dairy and may never visit his home or any ordinary village。 He must be celibate； if he is married he must leave his wife。 On no account may any ordinary person touch the holy milkman or the holy dairy； such a touch would so defile his holiness that he would forfeit his office。 It is only on two days a week； namely Mondays and Thursdays； that a mere layman may even approach the milkman； on other days if he has any business with him； he must stand at a distance （some say a quarter of a mile） and shout his message across the intervening space。 Further； the holy milkman never cuts his hair or pares his nails so long as he holds office； he never crosses a river by a bridge； but wades through a ford and only certain fords； if a death occurs in his clan； he may not attend any of the funeral ceremonies； unless he first resigns his office and descends from the exalted rank of milkman to that of a mere common mortal。 Indeed it appears that in old days he had to resign the seals； or rather the pails； of office whenever any member of his clan departed this life。 However； these heavy restraints are laid in their entirety only on milkmen of the very highest class。
2。 Divorce of the Spiritual from the Temporal Power
THE BURDENSOME observances attached to the royal or priestly office produced their natural effect。 Either men refused to accept the office； which hence tended to fall into abeyance； or accepting it； they sank under its weight into spiritless creatures； cloistered recluses； from whose nerveless fingers the reins of government slipped into the firmer grasp of men who were often content to wield the reality of sovereignty without its name。 In some countries this rift in the supreme power deepened into a total and permanent separation of the spiritual and temporal powers； the old royal house retaining their purely religious functions； while the civil government passed into the hands of a younger and more vigorous race。
To take examples。 In a previous part of this work we saw that in Cambodia it is often necessary to force the kingships of Fire and Water upon the reluctant successors； and that in Savage Island the monarchy actually came to an end because at last no one could be induced to accept the dangerous distinction。 In some parts of West Africa； when the king dies； a family council is secretly held to determine his successor。 He on whom the choice falls is suddenly seized； bound； and thrown into the fetish…house； where he is kept in durance till he consents to accept the crown。 Sometimes the heir finds means of evading the honour which it is sought to thrust upon him； a ferocious chief has been known to go about constantly armed； resolute to resist by force any attempt to set him on the throne。 The savage Timmes of Sierra Leone； who elect their king； reserve to themselves the right of beating him on the eve of his coronation； and they avail themselves of this constitutional privilege with such hearty goodwill that sometimes the unhappy monarch does not long survive his elevation to the throne。 Hence when the leading chiefs have a spite at a man and wish to rid themselves of him； they elect him king。 Formerly； before a man was proclaimed king of Sierra Leone； it used to be the custom to load him with chains and thrash him。 Then the fetters were knocked off； the kingly robe was placed on him； and he received in his hands the symbol of royal dignity； which was nothing but the axe of the executioner。 It is not therefore surprising to read that in Sierra Leone； where such customs have prevailed； 〃except among the Mandingoes and Suzees； few kings are natives of the countries they govern。 So different are their ideas from ours； that very few are solicitous of the honour； and competition is very seldom heard of。〃
The Mikados of Japan seem early to have resorted to the expedient of transferring the honours and burdens of supreme power to their infant children； and the rise of the Tycoons； long the temporal sovereigns of the country； is traced to the abdication of a certain Mikado in favour of his three…year…old son。 The sovereignty having been wrested by a usurper from the infant prince； the cause of the Mikado was championed by Yoritomo； a man of spirit and conduct； who overthrew the usurper and restored to the Mikado the shadow； while he retained for himself the substance； of power。 He bequeathed to his descendants the dignity he had won； and thus became the founder of the line of Tycoons。 Down to the latter half of the sixteenth century the Tycoons were active and efficient rulers； but the same fate overtook them which had befallen the Mikados。 Immeshed in the same inextricable web of custom and law； they degenerated into mere puppets； hardly stirring from their palaces and occupied in a perpetual round of empty ceremonies； while the real business of government was managed by the council of state。 In Tonquin the monarchy ran a similar course。 Living like his predecessors in effeminacy and sloth； the king was driven from the throne by an ambitious adventurer named Mack； who from a fisherman had risen to be Grand Mandarin。 But the king's brother Tring put down the usurper and restored the king； retaining； however； for himself and his descendants the dignity of general of all the forces。 Thenceforward the kings； though invested with the title and pomp of sovereignty； ceased to govern。 While they lived secluded in their palaces； all real political power was wielded by the hereditary generals。
In Mangaia； a Polynesian island； religious and civil authority were lodged in separate hands； spiritual functions being discharged by a line of hereditary kings； while