Chapter 1

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life Author: Émile Durkheim Translator: Joseph Ward Swain Release date: November 13, 2012 [eBook #41360] Most recently updated: October 23, 2024 Language: English Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41360 Credits: Produced by Ruth Morrison, Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE *** THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE EMILE DURKHEIM _The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life_ TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY JOSEPH WARD SWAIN M.A. _LONDON_ GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD RUSKIN HOUSE MUSEUM STREET FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1915 SECOND IMPRESSION 1926 THIRD IMPRESSION 1954 FOURTH IMPRESSION 1957 FIFTH IMPRESSION 1964 _This book is copyright under the Berne Convention. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, 1956, no portion may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiry should be made to the publisher._ _© George Allen & Unwin Ltd. 1915_ PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY HOLLEN STREET PRESS LTD LONDON W.1 CONTENTS