The pages of "N. & Q." have given the most varied and valuable
contributions to the "folk lore" of Britain; your contributors have
unquestionably saved many a scrap from oblivion, illustrated many an
obscure allusion, recorded many an old custom, and generally, by the
interesting nature of their notes (throwing, as they do, the newest and
strongest light on the darkest and most out-of-the-way nooks and corners
of the house and field life, and general turn of thought of the great
mass of the people), paved the way for a higher estimate being formed by
literary men, and the general reading public, of the real worth and
present available use of this hitherto despised branch of inquiry; and
stimulating to some extended and systematic garnering-up of those
precious fragments that still exist in unguessed abundance (sown
broad-cast, as they are, from Land's End to John o'Groat's), though fast
perishing. I am confident that there is no county or district in Great
Britain that would not yield, to a careful, diligent, and qualified
seeker, a rich and valuable harvest; and where quaint memorials of the
people might not be unearthed, to be gathered together and stored up,
ready to the moulding hand of some coming Macaulay, who may there find
illustrations to make clear, and clues to guide the searcher in the
darkest and most entangled mazes of history.
Pardon, sir, for this most prosy and long-winded preface. I have been
induced to address you by observing what is being done in other
countries, by a desire to point out an example, and stimulate to its
emulation that able and tried body of inquirers in this country, who,
for love of the subject, have _already_ collected such valuable stores.
In the _Morning Chronicle_ of Monday, the 23rd of February, 1852 (No.
26,571. p. 6.), under the heading _Denmark_, is the following:--
"Two young Finnish students are wandering through the districts
round Tammerfors, for the purpose of collecting and preserving old
Finnish folk-tales, legends, songs, runes, riddles, and proverbs,
&c. Their names are B. Paldani and O. Palander. They are not
assisted by the Finnish Literary Society, whose funds at this
moment are not in a condition to bear any extra expenses, but by
two divisions of the students at Helsingfors, namely, the West
Finnish and the Wiborg students, each of which has subscribed
_fifty_ silver rubles for this purpose. The two literary pilgrims
have already collected rich treasures of Finnish folk-lore. _Why
do we not follow their example? When will some of our accomplished
young scholars wander over the hills and dales of merry England,
rescuing from oblivion our rich traditions, before they pass for
ever from among us? Surely the Society of Antiquaries might
arrange similar visits for a similar purpose. There is no want of
men able and willing to undertake the task, only the ARRANGING
HAND is wanting. In the meantime let every man do what he can in
his own neighbourhood._"
In hopes that the "_arranging hand_" may, through the medium of "N. &
Q.," start out of chaos ready for its work, and the "_men able and
willing_" not be wanting, I beg to state that (being unable to aid the
cause otherwise) I will gladly contribute in the way of money, as far as
my abilities go, should any systematic plan be arranged.