FOLKLORE, the science which em braces all that relates to ancient obser vances and customs, to the notions, be liefs, traditions, superstitions, and preju dices of the common people. Gomme's divisions are: (1) Traditional Narra tives: (a) Folk-tales, (b) Hero Tales, (c) Ballads and Songs, (d) Place Leg ends; (2) Traditional Customs: (a) Lo cal Customs, (b) Festival Customs, (c) Ceremonial Customs, (d) Games; (3) Superstitions and Beliefs: (a) Witch craft, (b) Astrology, (c) Superstitious Practices and Fancies; (4) Folk-speech: (a) Popular Sayings, (b) Popular No menclature, (c) Proverbs, (d) Jingle Rhymes, Riddles, etc.
Folklore had indeed been observed and noted by countless writers from the Father of History downward, but it was not till after the beginning of the 19th century that its value for the elucidation of the social history of mankind had become apparent to thinkers, and its systematic study been seriously begun. Meantime the reawakening to natural poetry and to the beauty of free emotion al expression in literature, which lay at the foundation of what it is usual to call Romanticism, had already commenced even in the 18th century, and the publi cation of Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry" (1765) had given a powerful impulse to Scott and others in England, to Herder, and to Arnim and Brentano in Germany, who found lying to hand a rich wealth of traditional poetry, the poetic value of which they fortunately had the eyes to see. But
the study of folksongs really began with Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Bor der" (1802-1803). Popular traditions began to be valued duly just as they began to decline and disappear; but for tunately a plentiful crop had been gath ered and put into writing beyond the risk of oblivion.
Such works as E. B. Tylor's "Primi tive Culture" (1871), and G. L. Goni me's "Folklore Relics of Early Village Life" (1883), have shown us what sig nificant constructive results may already be attained with the evidence we possess.