Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/12

4 And though this conclusion is to some extent met by Canon Taylor's Ingenious summary of the evidence In favour of neolithic Aryans and of an unbroken development from neolithic to historic times, it appears to me that the evidence of folk-lore supports the evidence of institutions and introduces us to an agricultural system which, In the savage nature of its ceremonial festivals, in the primitive characteristics of the institutions it fostered and supported, indicates a considerable amount of prehistoric culture which Is represented by nothing that is at present known in Aryan history. But we cannot go further into such questions here. I only draw attention to them and their profound significance, to drive home my contention that folk-lore is one of the factors which inquirers into the prehistoric races must no longer pass by with pedantic contempt or with wilful neglect.

After all, however, I am inclined to think this halting recognition of folk-lore as an element, and an Important one, in prehistoric research Is very much the fault of folk-lorists themselves. We have been eclectic rather than syncretic. We have not often enough insisted upon the absolute necessity of precision in the arrangement of our material when collected, and we have not insisted upon correct and complete collection. We are, for Instance, content with the general remark of a collector that this or that custom or superstition is prevalent all over England, or even all over Europe. There are few, if any, examples of this general prevalence, and the topographical as well as the geographical distribution of custom and belief, and also of folk-tale and legend, is an important necessity in the study of folk-lore. The result of these faults in method is, that careful studies like that which Mr. Hartland has given us during the last year on the legend of Lady Godiva are almost ignored in the general evidence they afford on the whole question of legend and tradition. It is only one small fragment, and I am willing to admit, nay, to advocate, the doctrine that this explanation of the Godiva