MODERN SCIENCE. Edited by SIR JOHN LUBBOCK, Bart., M.P. London: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. LTD. ETHNOLOGY IN FOLKLORE BY GEORGE LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A. PRESIDENT OF THE FOLKLORE SOCIETY KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. LTD. PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD 1892 012-5-38 JA museum lib. 11.25-38 PREFACE I HAVE Sought in this book to ascertain and set forth the principles upon which folklore may be classified, in order to arrive at some of the results which should follow from its study. That it contains ethnological elements might be expected by all who have paid any attention to recent research, but no attempt has hitherto been made to set these elements down categorically and to examine the conclusions which are to be drawn from them. It is due to the large and increasing band of folklore devotees that the uses of folklore should be brought forward. The scoffer at these studies is apt to have it all his own way so long as the bulk of the books published on folklore contain nothing but collected examples of tales, customs, and superstitions, arranged for no purpose but that of putting the facts pleasantly before readers. But, more than this, recent research tends to show the increasing importance of bringing into proper order, within reasonable time, all the evidence that is available from different sources upon any given subject |