lation of our colleague Mr. Andrew Lang's Myth, Ritual, and Religion (which was honoured with a place in the Index Expurgatortus), he displayed wealth of knowledge, width of view, and sanity of judgment. For a detail of his labours in other fields reference may be made to M. Réville's article. His activity in favour of moral and social movements, for liberty of conscience, the protection of the rights of aborigines, peace, temperance, and popular education, is there referred to in terms of warm appreciation. The calamity of his early death put an end to many schemes he had formed for future work. He was buried at Tréquier by the side of his wife, who is described as a good and noble-minded woman.
My first act as President last year was to endeavour to interpret the sentiments of the members of the Folk-Lore Society on the occasion of the death of Queen Victoria, of which to-day is the anniversary. It is a curious example of the warp and woof of mixed emotions that form the web of human life, that the anniversary of the Queen's death is necessarily also the anniversary of the King's accession.
I must say a few words in conclusion as to some of the colleagues and friends who have been lost to us during the year. You have heard in the Report of the Council how valuable to the Society were the services which the late Miss Florence Grove rendered to it, though it was part of the unassuming modesty that marked her character that they attracted little notice. It was not alone in this respect that she devoted her life to good works. She was a true friend of the struggling and hard-working poor, and expended a very considerable portion of her income in the support of measures for elevating them and bettering their condition. Sir Walter Besant in many of his admirable works of fiction displayed an earnest purpose, and with regard to some of them was rewarded by seeing the realisation of his brilliant fancies; he was a devoted archæologist, and had the faculty of making topography
