[Hardy-l] Re: Hardy-l Digest, Vol 22, Issue 11

[ANN WHITLOCK]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <hardy-l-request at coyote.csusm.edu>
To: <hardy-l at coyote.csusm.edu>
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 8:00 PM
Subject: Hardy-l Digest, Vol 22, Issue 11
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:47:19 -0500
> From: Rosemarie Morgan <Rosemarie.morgan at yale.edu>
> Subject: RE: [Hardy-l] Folk traditions

> Subject: RE: [Hardy-l] Folk traditions
>
> Another place to look then is his Notebooks.  Hardy took copious notes 
> from
> the Dorset papers -- past and present -- and I can't recall how many folk
> traditions he jotted down but he certainly gathered a good deal of
> interesting material including superstitions and unusual practices such as
> wife sales (on that issue see my update in the last Hardy Review, Vol
> VIII). Greenslade has published a selection of "Notes" from Hardy's
> newspaper collection of snippets and other items in his "Facts" book but
> best (for an impartial account) if you can study the original "Notebook"
> which is I think at the DCM
>
> Best
> Rosemarie
>
>
>>Thanks for that info, Rosemarie. I have searched through that and have
> found
>>nothing, and for Roy and Paul -
>>Jacky
This is an interesting and complex subject. I suspect that there is more to 
Hardy's insight into folk traditions and their meaning than can be found in 
books.
I suspect that much was generated from informal conversations between Hardy 
and his fellow members in the natural history and antiquarian field club. As 
a member of DNHAS I have been searching through records as part of a 
specific interest in pagan lore and the status or otherwise of non Christian 
practices and beliefs in Hardy's novels. There seems to be a considerable 
local interest in these topics now in Dorchester.
With regard to Ruth Firor's book, I eagerly anticipated that this would be a 
useful source and provide answers to some vexed questions. I felt rather 
disappointed with it and would be interested to compare views with Jacky 
when she has read it.
Ann W.