Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/437

 Reviews. 2)^2)

going on in olden times in matters religious, and, if it has, whence did it start? Why has this question not yet been raised, after it has been so prominently to the fore in other branches of folklore? Do the people only borrow legends and tales, or even songs, and stop short at the ritual and at religious practices ? It is a legiti- mate question, and a book like that of Mr. Thompson would have gained in value and suggestiveness if the author had turned his attention to this problem. It is sufficient now to have raised this problem, and to have pointed the way to another line of investigation in the field of comparative studies of beliefs and practices. The historical method and the theory of one or more definite centres of religious practices, — in the widest sense, — promise to lead to more satisfactory results than the empirical haphazard collection of materials from every quarter brought together as means to prove preconceived ideas. For a future systematic investigation, Mr. Thompson's book will prove of great assistance, owing to the painstaking diligence of the author and the excellent index which concludes the volume.

M. Gaster.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Japan Society. Vol. VII. Part I. — Article on Japanese Household Magic. By W. L. Hildburgh, M.A., Ph.D. Kegan Paul, 1908.

Those interested in the minor magical practices should not omit to consult this very interesting and well-illustrated paper by Mr. W. L. Hildburgh. He defines magic as " the attempt to control or to anticipate the natural course of operations or events by means which are recognised, more or less, as being supernatural or as based upon premises whose soundness is felt to be not wholly proven." This definition may apply to culture folk, but it seems probable that, among the least advanced peoples, the practices which we term " magical " have no relation to the "supernatural," — an idea which, most likely, is unknown to them. There is, however, no need to criticise a statement which was merely a prelude to a semi-popular lecture. Mr. Hildburgh gives