Ethnology in Folk - Lore. By G. L. Gomme. "Modern Science." (Kogan
Paul and Co.)—Certainly enthusiasts in folk-lore, though there is nothing they like better than comparing " variants " of folk-tales, often neglect to grasp the real significance of survivals of folk-lore and ancient customs. Nothing is more astonishing than the vitality of old customs, customs that point to a vanished race, and the meaning of which may be discovered at any time by the contemporary practice of similar customs in other lands. Mr. Gomme points to the tendency, even among Aryan races, to endow the aboriginal inhabitants of the countries they have conquered with magical powers ; this is a very general tendency, and one that shows the importance of ethnology in folk-lore. Mr. Gomme's book is interesting, and really forms a capital intro- duction to the combined study of these two sciences; it should act as a spur to further effort.
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