Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/243

International Congress of the History of Religions.—In connection with the Exposition Universelle of 1900 is to be held this Congress; the committee appeal to theologians, sociologists, ethnographists, folk-lorists, and others interested. The Congress will be divided into eight sections, the first including the religions of uncivilized peoples; those of American aborigines are especially indicated. Other sections relate to Oriental, Egyptian, Semitic, Hindu, and Iranian, Greek and Roman, Germanic, Celtic and Slavic, and Christian religions. Beside French, the Latin, German, English, and Italian languages may be used in the discussions. The President of the Commission is Albert Réville; as vice-presidents appear the names of Bertrand, Bréal, Maspero, Oppert, and Senat; as secretaries, Marillier and Jean Réville. As especial subjects for discussion in the section of non-civilized religion are mentioned totemism, sacrifice, condition of souls after death, festivals in pre-Columbian Central America, especially among Mayas. At the present time, and in view of the attention excited by recent troubles in France, it is well to notice with respect the ability of the preparations for what should be a brilliant Congress. The date of the meeting will be from September 3 to 9.

The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition. (Archives of the International Folk-Lore Association. Vol. i.) Chicago: Charles H. Sergei Company. 1898. Pp.512.

This volume, devoted to the papers offered at the International Folk-Lore Congress of 1893, contains an extensive mass of information from all quarters of the globe. To notice the material in detail would be quite beyond the capacity of this Journal; we shall therefore content ourselves with reference to certain articles which have appeared to us to present especial interest.

Mr. MacRitchie gives additional arguments in support of the thesis that the dwarfs of folk-lore represent primitive races of short stature. Dealing with "The Northern Trolls," he points out that early northern visitors to Greenland identified the Eskimos or Skroelings with the trolls. Such was also the case with Lapps. He considers, however, that ancient underground folk of still smaller stature gave originally the foundation for stories of mythical dwarfs.

Rev. Walter Gregor gives some account of the ceremonies used in Scotland for purposes of divination and popular medicine. When these rites were performed with water, this had to be drawn from a ford, or from below a bridge, where the dead and living were supposed to pass. The water, drawn in silence, at stated times, usually after sunset in the twilight "atween the sin (sun) and the sky," was designated "unspoken water." When a cow or other animal fell in, and the evil eye was suspected as a