FOLKLORE. The learning of the uncultured; a branch of study that relates to traditional be liefs, old-time customs, usages, or observances preserved generally among the 1'0111111011 and collects legends, myths, tales, folk-songs and superstitions for the purpose of record and com parison. Oral tradition and unwritten practice are important elements in matters of folklore, and a certain amount of obsoleteness or obso lescence is characteristic of the subjects that come under consideration, for the learning of to day becomes the lore of to-morrow, so that a full knowledge of the folklore of every na tion of the world would he synonymous with the history of human thought. The word 'folklore' as a designation is comparatively modern; it was first suggested by \V. .1. Timms, in an article in The iihevrewm, August 22, 1:8411, as a connota tion for what is often called popular antiquities.
With regard to its antiquity, folklore studies date hack as far as antiquarians themselves. The ancient Hindus, in their Itihasa legends of the Vedas, and the Sanskrit myths and sagas of the Paranas (q.v.), recognized the fact, if not the form, of the study; and Flerodotus and Livy were not blind to certain historic and traditional features in stories and observances among the common people which we to-day would chronicle OS elements of folklore. But as a serious branch of investigation the study is comparatively re cent. Yet we can recognize it distinctly, in spirit at least, as early as the opening of the eighteenth century. One of the first books of the kind to whieb we may point in England is Aubrey's Miscellanies, published iu MM. This contained =eh folklore material, as the work had chapters on day-fatality. omens, dreams, corpse candles. second sight, and kindred sub jects; but the author himself was much given to superstition. and Ile attached especial promi nence to that phase of thought in the book. The first real work on the general subject of folklore was an octavo by the Rev. Henry Bourne, A;t1iqvi1ates Valgares; or, The intiquilie.q of
fh'e Common People (Newcastle. 1725). lt eon sists largely of an account of popular enstouts connected with the feasts of the Church. Addi son, the essayist, also gave some attention inci dentally to subjects in the line of folklore; but a marked step in advance was made when Brand's l'opulur .Inloptilies of Gr, itrilain wa 1.,11(11 al New•astle in 1777, and bream- a standard work that lots fifii•II 111,11 and In 11erniany, Herder and the brothels were ill the way nl ItsIore' SI Udie., and were followed by .11(11 men as \ 1/4.1 bort, . Schwartz, and 11eire hold ; for scientilie method Vlas I/1'01101i the study by the sehool of worker .1mong the Latin races, the Crenell ladtil to the name, of Ballard and Aloncrif, Spain to Ferman ',Mat logo and \laeha(10 v Alvarez. Italu lo nabs and others, as in so that to-day every country in 1•.iirope, iuelud ing flrecep, has some laborers in this depart meld, or supports a regular journal and series of publications connected with folklore topics In America especially there has been increasing interest in researches into the popular and tradi tional knowledge of the folk, bevanse of the ex ceptional opportunities for studying the moo or less savage and crude muss of idea' and notions existing among the Indian tribes or preserved by the negro population. So wide spread throughout the world is the interest in folklore that there is hardly a civilized ur un civilized raee that has not received (fired or indirect attention from some worker in the Associations for the study of folklore, like the English _Folklore Society, founded in IS7S, the French society for the study of popular tradi tions, with its niT1/0 des infiltlious poptactir,s (Paris, 188(3 ), the American Folklore Society, founded in 1 88)S. and many others. These have helped largely to lift folklore studies out of the inere amiioluarian stage, and to make them a val uable auxiliary in anthropological and ethnologi cal investigations.