SIR JAMES FRAZER

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 142, 12 March 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

SIR JAMES FRAZER

Sir James Fraser, the eminent anthropologist, is surely establishing a record of literary activity in old age. Although close upon bis eighty-second birthday, he published three new books last year, and these, needless to say, not light productions but important scientific works based upon elaborate research. In an editorial entitled “The Untiring Scholar,” the “Manchester Guardian” called attention to Sir James’s amazing industry, which is the more notable inasmuch as not long ago his eyesight was seriously impaired. A close friend, who has worked with him for forty years, testifies that it he possesses any quality more remarkable than his industry it is his retentive memory. He seems to carry m his mind a complete index to everything he has written. If be wants a particular reference to anything, he knows immediately where to find it. This, together with the fact that he has evolved peculiarly specialised methods, enables him to work smoothly and rapid--3 Sir James’s MS notebooks, which he onee described as constituting perhaps the greatest part of his works, have been lodged in the British Museum for safe keeping. There are seventy of them each about 6(10 pages, and dry constitute .'in iroom parable mine of Information for the student of primitive habits and beliefs.