Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/288

280 costumes, types, sports, and festivals of various districts, and by the exchange of such for those of other nations, thus fostering industry and art, and affording to all folk-lorists the materials for the study of the science they cultivate.

Such are the propositions I make bold to submit to the Society of which you, my friend, are the worthy Secretary. I leave it to your delicacy to provide that, not my humble name, but that of the country I belong to, should have its rightful place assigned to it, in case of the acceptance of those schemes—schemes which, I feel persuaded, are a sure source of benefit to the science of folk-lore itself, as well as to your great nation, which, by fostering this new science, will gain for itself universal sympathy.

Henceforward I request you to consider those schemes as your own, and to do all in your power to secure their acceptance. For my part I claim but one favour—and that is, that in this museum of photographs the place of honour be given to one large one representing Spanish and English children playing all together, as an emblem of the brotherly relations which English and Spanish Folk-lorists desire to see established betiveen their two nations.

I have written in the same terms to Mr. Crombie, who, I hope, will do what he can to further the acceptance of those proposals in the coming meeting, the result of which I await with impatience.

The Weight in Gold of the Maharajah given to the Poor.— "A curious ceremony was performed at Travancore the other day. The Maharajah was weighed against a mass of pure gold, which was then dispensed in charity. The custom, called 'Tulabhara,' is one of great antiquity and is said to be traceable in Travancore to the fourth century. It is not unknown in other parts of India, though, of course, gold is only used in the case of wealthy persons, the humbler sort being content to weigh themselves against spices or grain. On the present occasion the Maharajah weighed a little over nine stone. The Brahmins, it is said, wished to defer the ceremony, in the hope that the Maharajah might more nearly approach the weight of his father, who did not undergo the rite until