On the Origin, Idea, Scope, and History of Ancient and Modern Magic

one sees from Krantz’s and Egede’s history of the missions. The highest God, the Pirksama—He who is up there, for that is what this word means in their language—they do not worship, because, as they say, He is so benevolent anyway that He could neither be angered nor bribed. But all the more do their Angekoken, a word which means both their priests and their privileged sorcerers, have to do with the evil and good spirits of lower order, whose assistance they require for their oracles, remedies, and magic arts. Krantz cites very interesting anecdotes about this in particular. *)

Approximately the same spirit- and magic-belief prevails among the Lapps, as is evident from Hegström’s excellent Description of Lapland. **)

Almost entirely the same spirit- and magic-assumptions of the Lapps are found in Kamchatka, as one sees, among others, from Krasheninnikov.

Just as well, with national, non-essential nuances, among the East and West Ostyaks, Samoyeds, and other tribes of Siberia. Highly interesting is what Pallas reports about this in his excellent Travel Description (Vol. III., according to the excerpt). ***)

*) The Greenland spirit-doctrine is very developed. Besides the highest God, the Pirksama, they also have another good god subordinate to Him, as well as an evil god equal in power to this one, to whom the lower evil spirits are subject. This one lives under the sea, where his house is guarded by enormously large, terrible seals.

**) Hegström has dedicated a special, very attractive chapter—the 12th—to the spirit- and magic-belief of the Lapps.

***) Also the Siberian Shaman, a comedy (by Catherine II.)—printed together with two others by the Empress