Abram Smythe Palmer
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Abram Smythe Palmer (born 1844) was a doctor of divinity
, lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin
, and enthusiastic lexicographer and mythographer.
Palmer re-issued Max Müller
's Comparative Mythology
(1856) in 1908, with an extensive introduction and annotations, stating that he noted "a reaction taking place in favour of the views advanced by Max Müller". Müller had introduced the "solar myth" school of thought which interpreted the world's mythology in terms of a supposed prehistoric solar myth. Palmer included in his edition the "Oxford Solar Myth", a 1870 parody by R, F. Littledale which "proved" that Max Müller was himself a solar divinity
.
Palmer's publications include
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, lecturer at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and enthusiastic lexicographer and mythographer.
Palmer re-issued Max Müller
Max Müller
Friedrich Max Müller , more regularly known as Max Müller, was a German philologist and Orientalist, one of the founders of the western academic field of Indian studies and the discipline of comparative religion...
's Comparative Mythology
Comparative mythology
Comparative mythology is the comparison of myths from different cultures in an attempt to identify shared themes and characteristics. Comparative mythology has served a variety of academic purposes...
(1856) in 1908, with an extensive introduction and annotations, stating that he noted "a reaction taking place in favour of the views advanced by Max Müller". Müller had introduced the "solar myth" school of thought which interpreted the world's mythology in terms of a supposed prehistoric solar myth. Palmer included in his edition the "Oxford Solar Myth", a 1870 parody by R, F. Littledale which "proved" that Max Müller was himself a solar divinity
Solar deity
A solar deity is a sky deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms...
.
Palmer's publications include
- Leaves from a word-hunter's note-book, being some contributions to English etymology (1876)
- Folk-Etymology: a Dictionary of Verbal Corruptions or Words Perverted in Form or Meaning by False Derivation or Mistaken Analogy (1882)
- Babylonian influence on the Bible and popular beliefs: "Tĕhôm and Tiâmat", "Hades and Satan" : a comparative study of Genesis I. 2 (1897)
- Jacob at Bethel: The Vision-the Stone-the Anointing : an Essay in Comparative Religion (1899)
- The Folk and Their Word-Lore (1904)
- The Ideal of a Gentleman; Or, a Mirror for Gentlefolks, a Portrayal in Literature From the Earliest Times
- The Samson-Saga and Its Place in Comparative Religion (1913)