Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/573

 Reviews.

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his subject translations of the original texts, with adequate refer- ences. I do not know of any other book which does the same service in so clear a way. The author, a South Indian scholar, of course writes from the Dravidian point of view, and tries to show that the contributions of the Aryans to Indian culture and belief were inconsiderable. He is thus in direct conflict with the school of Max IMiiller and Risley. If it may be argued that he has perhaps overstated the Dravidian case, it is much to the pur- pose that the excessive pretensions of Aryanism should be dis- counted. The writer promises to extend the survey to the later periods of Indian history. If this future work maintains the high standard of the present book, he will have done good service to students of Indian religion and sociology.

Mr. Avalon is greatly daring in attempting an English version of the Tantrik literature describing the beliefs of the Sakta sect, worshippers of the Mother-Goddess. This body of literature is little known to European students, partly because the subject is repulsive, and partly because its followers are reticent in com- municating or interpreting their sacred books. In the present volume, amidst much verbiage and puerility, the reader will find valuable accounts of domestic and temple ritual. A full intro- duction and commentary clear up most of the difficulties. In the Hymns there is some tolerable poetry, and, as the authors say, no translation can reproduce the rhythm of the original. We know so little of the cult of the goddess Devi that this version of the hymns in her honour is welcome.

Mr. Lacey served for twenty-one years in the Baptist Mission to Orissa. In his foreword he promises "a little religious folk- lore " ; but what he does give is not of much interest. Most of his space is occupied in describing mission work and in denouncing the idolatrous worship of Jagannath and other local deities. Orissa is one of the strongholds of orthodox Hinduism, and, as might be expected, mission work is carried on under serious difficulties. It is to be regretted that the writer gives so little from his own stores of information. He knows Puri well, but he is content to quote largely, with due acknowledgment, from Sir W, Hunter's work on Orissa, He notices with regret that the god at Serampore has recently been provided with a new iron car.