Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 2, 1891.djvu/429

 THE INTERNATIONAL FOLK-LORE CONGRESS, 1891.

HE arrangements for the Congress are now practically complete, and promise well for its success. The functions of such a meeting are twofold, social and scientific, and both sides of the Congress have been efficiently cared for. Some ridicule has of late years been cast upon the social side of Congresses. Yet the idea of bringing into friendly contact the common adherents of a doctrine, or the fellow-students of a particular branch of knowledge, is obviously a sound one. It only ceases to be sound when carried on for too long a period, when the habitués of a Congress have become well known to one another. This is obviously not the case with the International Folk-lore Congress of 1891, which is only the second that has been held, and is the first gathering of British folk-lorists yet held. For the first time since the science has taken a position among the organised methods of studying the past, its adherents meet for the purpose of becoming known to one another and putting their heads together to discover the best methods of promoting their favourite study.

Not alone will British folk-lorists meet their fellow-students in Congress assembled, but they will have an opportunity of meeting several of the most eminent students of the science from abroad. Among the distinguished visitors from the continent may be mentioned M. Cosquin, the learned editor of Contes de Lorraine, and the greatest "storyologist" living, unless we have to except Professor Reinhard Köhler, who is unfortunately prevented from attending the Congress by ill-health. From France,