glimpses of the mental habits and inherent characteristics of the men
and women of past generations. When we re-tell the old tales of our
ancestors, we sit beside them over the peat-fire; and, as we glory with
them in their strong heroes, and share their elemental joys and fears,
we breathe the palpitating air of that old mysterious world of theirs,
peopled by spirits beautiful, and strange, and awe-inspiring.

The attitude of the Gael towards the supernatural, and his general
outlook upon life in times gone by, was not associated with unbroken
gloom; nor was he always an ineffectual dreamer and melancholy fatalist.
These attributes belong chiefly to the Literary Celt of latter-day
conception--the Celt of Arnold and Renan, and other writers following in
their wake, who have woven misty impressions of a people whom they have
met as strangers, and never really understood. Celtic literature is not
a morbid literature. In Highland poetry there is more light than shadow,
much symbolism, but no vagueness; pictures are presented in minute
detail; stanzas are cunningly wrought in a spirit of keen artistry; and
the literary style is direct and clear and comprehensible. In Highland
folklore we find associated with the haunting "fear of things
invisible," common to all peoples in early stages of development, a
confident feeling of security inspired by the minute observances of
ceremonial practices. We also note a distinct tendency to discriminate
between spirits, some of which are invariably friendly, some merely
picturesque, and perhaps fearsome, and others constantly harbouring a
desire to work evil upon mankind. Associated with belief in the efficacy
of propitiatory offerings and "ceremonies of riddance," is the ethical
suggestion that good wishes and good deeds influence spirits to perform
acts of kindly intent.

Of fairies the Highlanders spoke, as they are still prone to do in these