FRANCIS JAMES CHILD. 337 



exhibited by them, the wide diffusion among the nations of Europe of 

 the legends which many of them embodied, opened a field of investiga- 

 tion of enormous extent, requiring acquaintance alike with many lan- 

 guages and many literatures. The task was one with which only a 

 scholar possessed of exceptional acquisitions could hope to accomplish 

 satisfactorily, and from which even the most industrious might have 

 shrunk. It had hardly a parallel in the variety of learning which it 

 exacted for its due performance, but this was not all ; it demanded in no 

 less measure fine critical acumen and poetic appreciation, — the gifts of 

 taste and culture as well as of scholarship. Mr. Child possessed them all. 



" It was my wish," he said, in the Advertisement prefixed to the first 

 part, " not to begin to print The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, 

 until this unrestricted title should be justified by my having at command 

 every valuable copy of every known ballad. . . . What is still lacking is 

 believed to bear no great proportion to what is in band. . . . Meanwhile 

 the uncertainties of the world forbid a longer delay to publish so much as 

 has been got together." 



From year to year the parts followed in rapid succession, — rapid in 

 view of the character of the work, — and in the Advertisement to 

 Part IX., which appeared in the spring of 1894, Mr. Child had the 

 satisfaction of saying that, to the extent of his knowledge of sources 

 the collection was complete, with the exception of a single ballad, " which 

 is probably a variety of one or another here given in several forms." 

 Such had been the extraordinary success of his research, in which he had 

 been aided by many English and foreign scholars glad to assist in the 

 perfecting of a work which was of interest to them in itself, and which 

 roused their admiration by the manner in which it was executed. 



The body of the work was complete ; but one more part was needed, 

 to contain a general Introduction, a Glossary, and Indexes. In spite of 

 failing health Mr. Child set himself resolutely to the drudgery involved 

 in this task. To the last month of his life he labored steadily, but with 

 a sense of weariness to which he had been unused. With the exception 

 of the Introduction the task was mainly accomplished, and the work was 

 left in such condition that it could be taken up and carried through by 

 the most competent hands next to Mr. Child's own, those of his discijile, 

 assistant, and friend, Professor Kittredge. 



The year 1895-96 completed the fiftieth year of Mr, Child's service in 



the University. It was a matter of satisfaction to him that during its 



course he had been able, in spite of physical infirmity, to meet his classes 



without the omission of a single lecture. The College year ended in 



VOL. XXXII. — 22 



