Edward Tylor

The progress of culture is marked by the increase in rational thought over superstition.

Language is the fossil record of human thought.

Magic is the attempt to control nature through imitation and association.

The family is the unit from which society evolves.

Art in primitive cultures serves both utility and symbolic purpose.

To understand man, we must study him in all his stages of development.

The belief in ghosts is the origin of much religious practice.

Civilization advances by the gradual replacement of old customs with better ones.

Anthropology bridges the gap between past and present human experience.

The savage philosopher is as logical as the civilized one, within his knowledge.

In a letter to his colleague, Tylor remarked: 'The study of folklore unlocks the door to ancient minds.'

During a lecture, he said: 'Culture is not inherited biologically but learned socially.'

On the meaning of life: 'Life's value lies in the contributions to human knowledge.'

A witty remark: 'Anthropologists are grave robbers of the living past.'

In correspondence: 'The diversity of customs shows the unity of human nature.'

Key passage: 'From fetishism to monotheism, religion evolves with culture.'

Observation: 'Tools reflect the ingenuity of early man.'

Reflection: 'Age brings wisdom, but youth brings the fire of discovery.'

On politics: 'Laws are the crystallized customs of society.'

Aphorism: 'The past is the key to the present in human affairs.'