the results of other scholars, he stands quite independent in
his own treatment of Comparative Mythology. Of this Professor Blackie
seems to have no suspicion whatever. The plan which Mr. Cox follows is to
collect the coincidences in the legends themselves, and to show how in
different myths the same story with slight variations is told again and
again of different gods and heroes. In this respect his work is entirely
original and very useful; for although these coincidences may be explained
in different ways, and do not afford a proof of a common historical origin
of the mythologies of India, Greece, Italy, and Germany, they are all the
more interesting from a purely psychological point of view, and supply
important material for further researches. Mr. Tylor has lately worked
with great success in the same rich mine; extending the limits of
mythological research far beyond the precincts of the Aryan world, and
showing that there are solar myths wherever the sun shines. I differ from
Mr. Cox on many points, as he differs from me. I shall certainly keep to
my own method of never attempting an interpretation or a comparison,
except where the ground has first been cleared of all uncertainty by
etymological research, and where the names of different gods and heroes
have been traced back to a common source. I call this the _nominalistic_
as opposed to the _realistic_ method of Comparative Mythology, and it is
the former only that concerns the student of the Science of Language. I
gratefully acknowledge, however, the help which I have received from Mr.
Cox's work, particularly as suggesting new clusters of myths that might be
disentangled by etymological analysis.

But not only has Professor Blackie failed to perceive the real character
of Mr. Cox's researches, but he has actually charged him with holding
opinions which both Mr. Cox and myself have repeatedly disavowed, and most
strenuously opposed. Again and again have we warned the students of
Comparative Mythology that they must not expect to be able to explain
everything. Again and again have we pointed out that there are irrational
elements in mythology, and that we must be prepared to find grains of
local history on which, as I said,(45) the sharpest tools of Comparative
Mythology must bend or break. Again and again have we shown that
historical persons(46)--not only Cyrus and Charlemagne, but Frederick
Barbarossa and even Frederick the Great--have been drawn into the vo