The Society has sustained a severe loss in the melancholy death of Mr. Alfred Nutt by drowning in the gallant attempt to rescue his invalid son from the same fate. (See Folk-Lore, vol, xxi. pp. 335-7.) His scholarly learning and his technical knowledge were always ungrudgingly placed at the service of the Folk-Lore Society, and it is to his personal prestige among continental scholars and his business connections with continental publishers that we mainly owe our considerable proportion of foreign members. Arrangements are pending for the continuance of the Society's business connection with his firm.
The Council think that it behoves the Society, while not neglecting the study of foreign or savage folklore, to take some further step in the direction of collating and digesting that of the British Isles. They have therefore resolved to undertake (in the first instance) the compilation of a new edition of the Calendar volume of Brand's Antiquities. They have been so fortunate as to secure the services of Mr. H. B. Wheatley as Honorary Editor-in-chief, and they desire to enlist the assistance of as many members of the Society as possible to work under his direction as readers, correspondents, investigators on the spot, and sub-editors. It is proposed that Sir Henry Ellis's edition shall be taken as the basis of the work collated with his Ms. additions, with extracts from Hone, Chambers, Notes and Queries, the publications of the Society, local books and papers, etc., etc. It is intended to omit theories and speculations as to origin, to arrange the matter chronologically under the several days and seasons, and to cite parallels but sparingly. But, however carefully limited, the work must be one of considerable magnitude, and it cannot be worthily carried out without wide and active support among members of the Society, for which the Council confidently and unhesitatingly appeal. The Secretary will be glad to hear from all members who can take even a very small share in the undertaking.
