Folk-Lore/Volume 1/Report of the Annual Meeting of the Folk-Lore Society
PROCEEDINGS
AT THE
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FOLK-LORE SOCIETY,
Held at 22, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, on Tuesday Evening, June 24th, 1890.
G. L. Gomme, Esq., Director, in the Chair.
THE Report of the Council was read by the Secretary, Mr. Foster:—
The Council have deemed it desirable to revert to an earlier date for the Annual Meeting of the Society than has been the practice of the past two years.
There is only six months’ work to report, therefore, and though a great deal of attention has been given by the Council and their Committees to the recommendations adopted by the Society in November last, it is too early to report definite results.
The Council’s first attention was directed to the publications of the Society. They appointed an Editorial Committee, consisting of the Hon. J. Abercromby, Mr. Gomme, and Mr. Nutt, to whom were deputed the duties attendant upon the publication of the Journal of the Society. The title of this Journal was the first important question to be decided, and the Council congratulate the Society upon the one adopted—Folk-Lore. The Committee has the valuable aid of Mr. Joseph Jacobs as Editor of Folk-Lore, and the result of the new arrangement will, the Council believe, be satisfactory to the Members of the Society, and a distinct advantage to the scientific study of Folk-lore. The Council hope that Members will use every effort to make the new Journal known in all parts of the country, and will forward to the Editor all contributions that may prove of service.
The second volume of the year is the Exempla of Jacques de Vitry, to be edited by Professor Crane. This is now nearly through the press, and will he ready for issue in a short time.
The Tabulation of Folk-tales, to which the Council have given so much attention, has been the subject of some criticism, both at the Folk-lore Congress at Paris in 1889, and by scholars at home. The Council, while admitting that some improvement in detail might be adopted, consider that their plan on the whole will supply students with the most satisfactory collection of material for the proper study of folk-tales. They have, however, somewhat varied their plan of action. To arrive at quicker results, they consider that the tales should be taken up group by group, and as the tabulation of all the tales belonging to each group is completed, they have resolved to publish these separately for the use of Members. The first group selected for this purpose is “Cinderella”. Miss Roalfe Cox kindly consented to edit the tabulation of this group, and accordingly all Members engaged in tabulation are now at work upon the several variants. As soon as this group has been completed, another will be taken up, and by this means a survey of the variants of each tale will be supplied, and, it is hoped, at no great distance of time.
The Handbook of Folk-Lore is not yet finished, but will be ready before the autumn session of the Society opens, and the Council hope that Members will do their utmost to make it widely known and used, both at home and by travellers abroad. As soon as this is out of the way, the Council hope to be able to press forward Mr. Gomme’s English Bibliography of Folk-Lore.
At the Folk-lore Congress held at Paris in July 1889 it was resolved unanimously to hold the second meeting in London, in 1891, and Mr. C. G. Leland, President of the Gipsy-lore Society, was nominated by the meeting “pour s’occuper de son organisation”. The Council, feeling the importance of the subject, have entered into hearty co-operation with Mr. Leland, and have decided to use every effort to promote the success of such a gathering. Many important detailed arrangements are necessary, and the Council look forward to the help of all Members, both to give our foreign visitors and fellow-workers a hearty welcome, and to advance by these international exchanges of thought the progress of our study. The Council will issue further particulars as soon as definite arrangements are made, and so that no expense shall fall upon the funds of the Society, they propose the formation of a small guarantee fund to cover any expenditure in excess of the Congress fee.
During the last session the following evening meetings have been held, and have been very well attended.
| 1889. | ||
| Nov. | 25.— | Annual Address by the President.
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| Dec. | 17.— | Legends from Torres Straits. By Professor A. C. Haddon.
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| 1890. | ||
| Jan. | 28.— | The Development of the Ossianic Saga. By Alfred Nutt.
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| Feb. | 25.— | Legends of the Island-Frisians. By William George Black. Lady Godiva. By E. Sidney Hartland.
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| March | 25.— | Notes on the Folk-lore of Beetles. By W. F. Kirby.
The Grail and other Palestinian Legends. By the Rev. Dr. Gaster.
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| April | 29.— | A Highland Folk-tale and its Origin in Custom. By G. L. Gomme.
Recent Views on the Nibelungenlied. By Alfred Nutt.
An English Folk-tale. By Joseph Jacobs.
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| May | 27.— | Marriage Customs of the Mordvins. By the Hon. J. Abercromby.
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| June | 24.— | The Collection of English Folk-lore. By Miss Burne.
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The roll of members has increased from 346 to 375.
ANDREW LANG, President.
G. L. GOMME, Director.
The Chairman moved the adoption of the Report,
which was seconded and agreed to nem. con.
The Treasurer’s Report was then read by Mr. Foster, and adopted nem. con. (See opposite page)
Mr. Christie moved the election of Mr. Andrew Lang
as President; Lord Beauchamp, Sir John Lubbock, Dr. E. B. Tylor, and General Pitt-Rivers as Vice-Presidents; Folk-Lore Society.
Treasurer’s Account of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year enging December 31st, 1889.
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RECEIPTS.
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PAYMENTS.
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Examined and found correct
Auditor.
Mr. J. J. Foster as Hon. Secretary; and the following as Council for the ensuing year:—
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Hon. John Abercromby. |
E. Sidney Hartland, F.S.A. |
The Rev. A. Loëwy seconded the motion, which was carried nem. con.