286 REPORTS. 



It occiuTed to Mr. T. A. Luscombe and his brother, 

 together with other friends at St. Martin's, to arrange the 

 musical and literary part of these proceedings, in the form of 

 a public entertainment, which they have given with great 

 success in some of tlie country parishes, and also in town. 

 Through the kind assistance of Miss Edith Carey, and other 

 friends, several of the old local dance tunes were rescued from 

 the oblivion into which they were undeservedly falling ; Mr. 

 Habgood's facile pencil reconstituted an artistic; j^resentment 

 of the interior of an old Guernsey kitchen ; and the entire 

 scene of the former festivity, with its music and song, was 

 once more brought up with pleasant realism, and some very 

 enjoyable evenings have been the result. It is to be hojDed 

 that this first very successful achievement of Mr. Luscombe 

 and his friends will be followed by other similar resuscitations, 

 which may be made not only enjoyable in themselves, but 

 also valuable from a folklorist's point of view. 



The recovery and jotting down in musical notation of 

 some of these old Guernsey tunes and songs is a matter for 

 sincere congratulation among local folklorists, and I hope it 

 will be continued. 



It occurred to me the other day that some very interest- 

 ing local work could probably be done by some of the older 

 members, by gathering up reminiscences and anecdotes of 

 some of the Old Parish Clerks of the island who, as a class, 

 are rapidly dying out. These old worthies Avere many of 

 them decided "characters" in their Avay — at least they were 

 in England — and many an interesting anecdote has there been 

 recorded about them. No doubt there were some equally 

 curious and eccentric individuals here, of whom local parochial 

 experiences are told which should not be forgotten. May I 

 suggest that any members who are able should gather up 

 anecdotic matter of this kind. 



In fact a great deal of most interesting folklore circles 

 round the parish chiu'ch and its services, as well as round the 

 parish clerk, and also, sometimes, round the sexton. 



The church, for instance, is intimately connected in 

 popular imagination Avith folklore in such matters as the 

 exorcism of demons ; the banning of witches ; the laying of 

 ghosts ; various forms of divination such as the " Bible and 

 Key " Avhere the sacred volume is used for the eradication of 

 error or the detection of crime. Formerly, too, much surrep- 

 titious use Avas made of holy Avater ; of consecrated earth from 

 the churchyard ; of Sacramental wine ; the key of the church 

 door was also in frequent request for stirring up certain potent 



