The other point about the flag is that, although it
may now seem a purely arbitrary symbol, it was at first
chosen as the most natural and convenient expression
of tribal unity. It was as natural for a chieftain in war
to wave some particular colour to rally his particular
men as it is for a rabbit to display the white lining of
her tail when she runs before her little ones to guide
them into safety. Further, as no cumbrous object could
be carried into battle, it was necessary to use cloth that
could be unfurled and furled. In so far as our symbol
of nationality needs to be carried about and waved aloft



vii THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOUL 243

to-day, a flag is for the same reason necessary ; nothing
else would practically do as well.
If we want to understand further the true nature of
a symbol we may examine some symbols which seem
to us still more natural than the flag. Take a mother
caressing her child. She kisses the little one : the kiss
is not her affection, it is only a symbol. If the mother
knew herself to be the prey of some infectious disease,
she would love the child just as much, but she would
not kiss it. If a cold-hearted nurse found it to her
interest to pretend to love the child, she would caress
it although she did not love it. Caresses are not love ;
they are its natural symbol, and, like all symbols, when
honestly used they make manifest a great reality.
