Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/405

Rh what motive could possibly account for such wholesale reconstruction of ex hypothesi genuine history as is required by Prof Zimmer's theory?

A priori objections such as this cannot, however, stand against facts. Unfortunately, however, for Prof Zimmer, his facts, in so far as they belong to the domain of philology, are contested by philologists of at least equal standing with himself Disclaiming all competence in the question, I can merely note that the balance of authority is decidedly against Prof Zimmer. In so far as the facts belong to the domain of history, I can appreciate the force of the arguments against him. Thus it is a requisite of his theory that the words "fiann", "feni", and their allied forms date from after 850 But M. D'Arbois de Jubainville cites several examples of the word "feni" (in the sense of Irishmen or men in general) from what are apparently the most archaic portions of the Irish customals, thus cutting the ground entirely from under Prof Zimmer's feet.

Pending fresh evidence, one can only state that Prof Zimmer's attack upon the traditional account of the Finn heroic cycle has failed. That this is so is partly that scholar's own fault, or rather has its explanation in certain peculiarities of his temperament. Prof Zimmer has a wonderful capacity for detail investigation, a passion for elaborating equally every portion of the hypotheses he is fond of constructing. He is thus led to lay as much stress upon what may be secondary as upon what are vital elements of his theory. He fortifies an unimportant out- post in such wise that its capture seems equivalent to that of the central donjon. This tendency of his makes his studies most instructive reading. Nowhere else does one find such an enormous mass of detail brought together. But in addition to laying him open unnecessarily to damaging onslaught, this tendency has the further disadvantage of leading astray persons who are unable to discriminate, and are inclined to accept or reject theories en bloc. Prof Zimmer is right in many things, say these