Page:Myth, Ritual, and Religion (Volume 1).djvu/14

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PREFACE

Mr. Evelyn Abbott of Baliol for the Greek chapters; and of Mr. Reginald Stuart Poole for the chapter on Egyptian Religion and Myths. Professor Robertson Smith has also assisted me in various points; and Mr. H. H. Risley, of the Bengal Civil Service; Mr. J. J. Atkinson, late of Noumea; and Mr. Brander Matthews have sent me interesting information. The gentlemen who have so kindly and carefully read the proofs must not be considered in any degree responsible for errors that may have escaped their notice, nor for ideas which, I dare say, they often do not share.

In the notes I have occasionally used references from books not within my reach, but quoted by authorities, and likely to prove useful to students who can lay their hands on the volumes. In most cases, I think, these references are printed within brackets.

The difficulty of correcting the numerals in references is considerable, and I can hardly hope that none of the 6's have become 0's, the 3's 5's, and so forth. Like the witty lady who had just seen a book through the press, about these references I may say horresco referens!

It was my original intention to have added studies of Deluge Myths, Fire Myths, Myths of the Origin of Death, and Myths of the Homes of the Dead. Three of these studies were even written, in whole or in part, but it appears better to reserve them for "a more convenient season." The Deluge alone, a very peculiar tradition, which possibly (in my opinion) rests on