Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/348

340 down on a bed of tender grass, and then he (Indra) departed to his own celestial abode. Moreover these four wise creatures continued to live together in perfect harmony; they fulfilled the precepts and kept the uposatha-service. At their death they passed away to be rewarded according to their deeds. 2em

(To be continued.)

[See ante, pp. 285, 311.]

HE thanks of all members of the Society, and of all students of folk-lore, are due to Mr. Gomme for raising this question. It has probably occupied the thoughts of many of us at different times; and an opportunity of public discussion, with a view to defining the scope of our investigations and settling our terms, is one that should be eagerly welcomed.

The definition proposed by Mr. Nutt in the October number of this Journal for the science of folk-lore is, with some slight qualification, excellent. Anthropology undoubtedly deals with the physical as well as the mental characteristics of mankind. We have, therefore, no right, in using the term Anthropology, to limit its meaning to psychological phenomena; and if we do so we shall run the risk of being misunderstood. Accordingly, it is better, even at the sacrifice of neatness, to express what we really mean, and say “Folk-lore is Anthropology dealing with the psychological phenomena of uncivilised man.” Mr. Nutt uses the term “primitive man” in his definition. The objections to “primitive” have perhaps no great weight, but I prefer the word “uncivilised”: it conveys no notion of time-relation; and its reach is a little more extensive than “primitive.” Uncivilized man is ruled by his imagination and emotions rather than by his very limited stock of knowledge, “at once empirical and traditional”; and it is man so dominated, whether South Sea Islander, Negro, or Primitive Aryan, whether Hindu ascetic, mediæval monk, or even the English rustic of to-day, who forms the subject of our study. In