First published in 1921, this vintage book looks at paganism and Christianity, exploring their various connections and analysing where these similarities came from and what they mean. Edward Carpenter (1844 - 1929) was an English philosopher, poet, and pioneering activist for gay rights. He had many notable friends including the Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated American poet Walt Whitman; and also corresponded with many famous figures, including Jack London, Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant, amongst others. Contents include: 'Solar Myths and Christian Festivals', 'The Symbolism of the Zodiac', 'Totem-Sacraments and Eucharists', 'Food and Vegetation Magic', 'Magicians, Kings and Gods', 'Rites of Expiation and Redemption', 'Pagan Initiations and the Second Birth', 'Myth of the Golden Age', 'The Savior-god and the Virgin-mother', 'Ritual Dancing', 'The Sex-Taboo', etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.