The essay on ‘[Savage Art]’ is reprinted, by the kind permission of Messrs. Cassell & Co., from two numbers (April and May, 1882) of the Magazine of Art. I have to thank the editors and publishers of the Contemporary Review, the Cornhill Magazine, Fraser’s Magazine, and Mind, for leave to republish ‘[The Early History of the Family],’ ‘[The Divining Rod],’ and ‘[Star Myths],’ ‘[The Kalevala],’ and ‘[Fetichism].’ A few sentences in ‘[The Bull-Roarer],’ and ‘[Hottentot Mythology],’ appeared in essays in the Saturday Review, and some lines of ‘[The Method of Folklore]’ in the Guardian. To the editors of those journals also I owe thanks for their courteous permission to make this use of my old articles.
I must apologise for the controversial matter in the volume. Controversy is always a thing to be avoided, but, in this particular case, when a system opposed to the prevalent method has to be advocated, controversy is unavoidable. My respect for the learning of my distinguished adversaries is none the less great because I am not convinced by their logic, and because my doubts are excited by their differences.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Some of the names in Greek myths are Greek, and intelligible. A few others (such as Zeus) can be interpreted by aid of Sanskrit. But even when the meaning of the name is known, we are little advanced in interpretation of the myth.
[2] Compare De Cara: Essame Critico.
[3] Revue de l’Hist. des Rel., ii. 136.
[4] Sprachvergleichung und Urgeschichte, p. 431.
[5] Prim. Cult., i. 394.