Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/411

Rh into Paradise to a man who has married three times. On page 43 are found other curious details concerning the procession of Good Friday. It is to be hoped that Senor Andres A. Silva, who has demonstrated in this little book veritable qualities as a narrator, shall apply them to writing the really popular tales of Venezuela, his natal country; the harvest will be rich and interesting." (Sébillot.)

"Legendas Historicas" and "Estudios Historicos" are the titles of two other works, constituting the first of two volumes, and the second of one volume in grand 8vo, and of more than 300 pages each, published in 1890 and 1891, by Dr. Aristides Rojas, an individual member of various scientific and literary associations of both hemispheres, and one of the most prolific modern writers of Venezuela. In the two small volumes (1st and 2d series) of the legends. Dr. Rojas has abridged some of those published before by him and many others unedited up to that date; all of which he offers to his country as his contingent to its history. A more valuable contribution towards the same history, although larger than that offered by the first named work, is found in the Estudios, and from this point of view we may not add here anything further; but so great materials of value for folk-lore are found in both of these works, and they have a place among those referred to under this head.

A very excellent contribution to national folk lore is a work upon the "Cancionero Populee de Venezuela," published in El Cojo Ilusdrads, a literary periodical of Carácas (No. 27, February 1st, 1893), by Dr. A. Ernst, a distinguished naturalist and lecturer at the Central University. In this Dr. Ernst compiles fifty-nine ballads, which he offers to Dr. Rojas as materials for the work of folk-lore, which he proposes to write. This work is worthy of every encomium, and in it are found twenty ballads pertaining to the "National Song Book," corresponding, the greater part of them, to those of the "Spanish Song Book," as Dr. Rojas observes with such accuracy in the feuilleton (8th page, Caravus, February, 1893) which he wrote upon the occasion of this work, dedicating it to him as its author. "Leyendas de la Conquista—Honanaye a Colon (volume of 300 pages, in royal 8vo., Carácas, 1893) by General Francisco Josta Garcia, a writer of fecundity, is