136 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [mAK. 24, 



lesson of simplicity, and will always be of value to bring litera- 

 ture back to that character of naturalness and simplicity in 

 which true art must consist. 



Proceeding to treat of the scientific side of the study, an ex- 

 ample of a surviving American superstition was cited in the 

 practice still in use in certain parts of the country to charm 

 rats away fi-om houses by writing letters to them, A specimen 

 of such a letter was read, for the accuracy of which the lecturer 

 could vouch, the district being the sea-coast of Maine. It was 

 shown that this method of ridding a house of rats was also occa- 

 sionally used in Maryland. Comparisons from Scottish folk-lore 

 showed that the superstition was spread throughout theEnglish- 

 speaking world. The custom was also shown to prevail widely 

 in France, and its origin traced to the mediseval practice of ad- 

 dressing legal citations and ecclesiastical admonitions to animals. 



Following out the subject into the belief of savage tribes, the 

 underlying principle was shown to be a doctrine respecting the 

 identity of animal and human existence. In uncivilized races, 

 animals are supposed to be actuated by the same motives as men, 

 and their communities to be organized according to the rules of 

 ethics that prevail in human society. Examples of the relation 

 of animals and mankind were taken from the religious medicine 

 of the Cherokees. Finally, an account was given of the univer- 

 sal belief that animals can assume the human form, and appear 

 at pleasure in that manner. In this manner it was made to ap- 

 pear that no account could be given of the American superstition 

 without examining the character of primitive belief. 



Finally, the great psychological importance of the collection 

 of folk-lore, and the necessity of immediate effort to preserve a 

 record of it in this country, were dwelt upon. As the secretary 

 of the American Folk-Lore Society, the lecturer presented the 

 claims of that body, and expressed a hope that steps would be 

 taken to increase interest in the study in New York, and to ob- 

 tain more general co-operation in the important task lying be- 

 fore collectors and special students. 



President Newbeery remarked that the subject was one of 

 great interest, and related some of his experiences with the 

 Western tribes, now nearly or quite extinct ; he also called at- 

 tention to the loss sustained by the extinction of these tribes, 

 their origin and migrations being depicted by tradition in the 

 absence of written history. This, then, is one of the only means 

 we have of gaining a knowledge of the aboriginal inhabitants. 



Prof. Martin made some additional remarks on this subject, 



