PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
At the present time, both from the point of view of politics and of our social relations, we are living in a transitional period, and as the armistice is a transitional stage between war and peace, so the great conference which is at this moment sitting in Paris may be regarded as a rite de passage. Like most similar institutions, our Society has suffered during the great upheaval, and it will take time before we can regain our normal course.
The greatest dislocation of our work, however, has been due to the serious illness of Miss C. S. Burne, whom we all delight to honour. This very real misfortune has particularly affected the Brand Committee; but, with the requisite reorganisation and the goodwill and enthusiasm of the members of the committee, we hope that the work will progress steadily towards its completion.
Various other matters concerning the advantage of folklore in general, and our Society in particular, are under the consideration of the Council.
The most outstanding feature of the year has been the publication of Sir James Frazer's Folk-Lore in the Old Testament. I remember, many years ago, several distinguished folklorists indulged in a hope that a folklore edition of the Bible would one day be written, but it was felt that it would require a syndicate of students to do justice to so great a theme. Sir James, who may fairly be described as a syndicate in himself, alone has had the
