[465] Crawley, _The Tree of Life_, in a remarkable chapter on the function of religion (ch. ix.), especially p. 287 foll. "Morality," says Mr. Crawley, "is one of the results of the religious impulse." What he means here by morality is not "that elaborated by abstract thinkers," but the "morality of elemental human nature." "Elemental morality" may be a somewhat obscure term; but I think it is highly probable that Mr. Crawley is, in part at least, right in ascribing the origin of morality to the religious impulse. [466] Crawley, _op. cit._, p. 265. [467] Above, pp. 107-8. [468] See the author's article in _Hibbert Journal_ for July 1907, p. 894. [469] Wissowa, _R.K._ p. 15 foll. [470] _Ib._ p. 421: Aust, _Religion der Roemer_, p. 47. [471] I am, of course, well aware that quite recently attempts have been made to explain the _plebs_ as the original inhabitants of Latium, and the Romans as conquering invaders; _e.g._ by Prof. Ridgeway in his paper, "Who were the Romans," read to the British Academy, and by Binder in his recently published volume _Die Plebs_. The theory is a natural one, and not out of harmony with the facts as known; but it has yet to be further developed and tested, and as those who hold it are not as yet in agreement with each other, and as the evidence which alone can prove it is of a very special character, archaeological and linguistic, I have expressed myself in terms of the older view. [472] _The Religion of Numa_, p. 30. [473] _Aen._ viii. 184 foll.; the description of the festival is in 280 foll.; where the interesting points are the priests of the gentes appointed to look after the cult (the Potitii only are here mentioned) "pellibus in morem cincti," and the Salii "populeis evincti tempora ramis."