Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

the important "Journal of the School of Irish Learning," is not even mentioned.

"1

In his preface, Canon Macculloch refers to the present study as "supplementary to" his earlier work "The Religion of the Ancient Celts.' It is a little difficult to understand what he means by "supplementary." Comparing the contents of the two books, we find that the earlier work contains practically everything that is in the present one, and a good deal more. The earlier presentation is far more detailed, and includes additional chapters on "The Cult of the Dead," "Primitive Nature Worship," "River and Well Worship," "Tree and Plant Worship," "Sacrifice," "Prayer and Divination," "Tabu," "Festivals," "Accessories of Cult," "Druids," "Magic," "State of the Dead." In short, "The Religion of the Ancient Celts" recognizes the intimate relation of fable and cult, primitive religion and primitive culture, and takes these relations into account. It is not a remarkable book. It does not show any striking critical acumen; but it displays a wide acquaintance with Celtic sources, is provided with the necessary textual references in convenient form, and is written in a clear style.

The "Celtic Mythology" has neither the virtues of its predecessor nor any distinguishing virtues of its own. One would not object to accepting the term "mythology" in its narrowest sense, even in relation to the scanty remnants that are left to us in the case of the Celts, if these remnants were presented systematically and critically, but they are not. One might forgive the book for being but a series of informal essays, if the chapters were really essays; but they are mere collections of résumés. One might even forgive it for being a mere collection of résumés, if the style preserved the original Celtic flavor; but the author has no more talent for narrative than for exposition. Whether the tale be tragic or humorous, his résumé never fails to lose the point. What can one make of these meandering phrases? "In this tale the general Christian attitude to the gods obtrudes itself although the conception of their immortality and invisibility is accepted, they are demons or attended by these; Ethne had a demon guardian who left her when the angel arrived and as a result of her chastity."2 Or again, "His rule over all because of certain dire events which befell many revellers in one night, a parallel to this being found in The Children of Ler, where, through their sorrows, these children are led to believe in God and in the solace which would come from Him; so that in the sequel they received baptism after they had resumed human form."3

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]
[ocr errors]

THE

'HE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLK-LORE (Quarterly Editor, Frans Boas), issued by the American Folk-Lore Society, is designed for the collection and publication of the folk-lore and mythology of the American Continent. The subscription price is three dollars per annum.

The American Folk-Lore Society was organized January 4, 1888. The Society holds annual meetings, at which reports are received and papers read. The yearly membership fee is three do.lars. Members are entitled to receive The Journal of American Folk-Lore. Subscribers to the Journal, or other persons interested in the objects of the Society, are eligible to membership, and are requested to address the Permanent Secretary to that end.

Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their papers.

Officers of the American Folk-Lore Society (1920).

President.-Elsie Clews Parsons, 7 East 76th St., New York,

First Vice-President.-E. C. Hills, 156th St. and Broadway, New York.

Second Vice-President.-J. Walter Fewkes, Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, D.C.

Councillors. For three years: R. B. Dixon, Peabody Museum, Cambridge, Mass.; E. Sapir, Geological Survey, Ottawa, Can.; A. L. Kroeber, Affiliated Colleges, San Francisco, Cal. For two years: Phillips Barry, 83 Brattle St., Cambridge, Mass.; A. M. Espinosa, Leland Stanford, Jr., University, Palo Alto, Cal.; C.-M. Barbeau, Geological Survey, Ottawa, Can. For one year: J. R. Swanton, 5526 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C.; E. K. Putnam, Davenport, Io.; Stith Thompson, 930 North Weber St., Colorado Springs, Col. Past Presidents: Pliny Earle Goddard, American Museum of Natural History, New York; Robert H. Lowie, American Museum of Natural History, New York; C.-M. Barbeau (as above). Presidents of Local Branches: Charles Peabody, Mrs. R. F. A. Hoernlé, D. L. Thomas, Miss Mary A. Owen, Haywood Parker, Reed Smith, Clyde G. Glasscock, John M. Stone, John Harrington Cox, Alexander Fraser, E.-Z, Massicotte. (See below for addresses.)

Editor of Journal,-Franz Boas, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Associate Editors.-George Lyman Kittredge, Aurelio M. Espinosa, C.-Marius Barbeau, Elsie Clews Parsons.

Permanent Secretary.-Charles Peabody, Cambridge, Mass.

Treasurer.-Alfred M. Tozzer, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Officers of Local and State Branches and Societies.

BOSTON.-President, Charles Peabody; First Vice-President, A. V. Kidder, Andover, Mass.; Second Vice-President, Helen Leah Reed, Riverbank Court, Cambridge; Secretary, Mrs. J. W. Courtney, 94 Bay State Road, Boston; Treasurer, Samuel B. Dean, a B Newbury St., Boston.

CAMBRIDGE.-President, Mrs. R. F. A. Hoernlé, Cambridge; Vice-President, Mrs. E. F. Williams, 8 Lowell St., Cambridge; Treasurer, Carleton E. Noyes, 30 Francis Ave., Cambridge; Secretary, Miss Lucy Drew, Cambridge.

KENTUCKY.-President, D. L. Thomas, Central University, Danville, Ky.; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Fannie C. Duncan, Miss Josephine McGill; Secretary, Miss Myra Sanders; Treasurer, John F. Śmith, Berea College, Berea, Ky.

MISSOURI.-President, Miss Mary A. Owen, 9th and Jules Sts., St. Joseph, Mo.; Vice-Presidents, Miss Lucy R. Laws (Christian College, Columbia, Mo.), Mrs. Eva W. Case (2822 Troost St., Kansas City, Mo.), Miss Jennie M. A. Jones (Central High School, St. Louis, Mo.), Mrs. Edward Schaaf (2602 South Grand Ave., St. Louis, Mo.); Secretary, H. M. Belden, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.; Treasurer, C. H. Williams, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.; Directors, A, E. Bostwick (Public Library, St. Louis, Mo.), Leah R. C. Yoffie (Soldan High School, St. Louis, Mo.). NORTH CAROLINA.-President, Haywood Parker, Asheville, N.C.; Secretary and Treasurer, Frank C. Brown, 301 Faculty Ave., Durham, N.C.

NORTH DAKOTA.-Secretary, George F. Will, Bismarck, N.D.

SOUTH CAROLINA.- President, Reed Smith, 1628 Pendleton St., Columbia, S.C.; Vice-President, Henry C. Davis, 2532 Divine St., Columbia, SC Seda W Cappelmann,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]
« PředchozíPokračovat »