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work for any customer save such as compelled him to it with force of arms. He may be, per-
haps, identified with the recusant smith who fled before Fingal from Ireland to the Orkneys,
and being there overtaken, was compelled to forge the sword which Fingal afterwards wore in
all his battles, and which was called the Son of the dark brown Luno, from the name of the
armourer who forged it.
From this it will appear that there were originals enough in the mythology of the Goths, as
well as Celts, to furnish the modern attributes ascribed to Satan in later times, when the
object of painter or poet was to display him in his true form and with all his terrors. Even the
genius of Guido and of Tasso have been unable to surmount this prejudice, the more rooted,
perhaps, that the wicked are described as goats in Scripture, and that the devil is called the
old dragon. In Raffael s famous painting of the archangel Michael binding Satan, the dignity,
power, and angelic character expressed by the seraph form an extraordinary contrast to the
poor conception of a being who ought not, even in that lowest degradation, to have seemed
so unworthy an antagonist. Neither has Tasso been more happy, where he represents the
divan of darkness in the enchanted forest as presided over by a monarch having a huge tail,
hoofs, and all the usual accompaniments of popular diablerie. The genius of Milton alone
could discard all these vulgar puerilities, and assign to the author of evil the terrible dignity of
one who should seem not less than archangel ruined. This species of degradation is yet
grosser when we take into consideration the changes which popular opinions have wrought
respecting the taste, habits, powers, modes of tempting, and habits of tormenting, which are
such as might rather be ascribed to some stupid superannuated and doting ogre of a fairy
tale, than to the powerful-minded demon who fell through pride and rebellion, not through folly
or incapacity.
Page 49
A Collection of Sacred Magick | The Esoteric Library | www.sacred-magick.com
Having, however, adopted our present ideas of the devil as they are expressed by his nearest
acquaintances, the witches, from the accounts of satyrs, which seem to have been articles of
faith both among the Celtic and Gothic tribes, we must next notice another fruitful fountain of
demonological fancies. But as this source of the mythology of the Middle Ages must neces-
sarily comprehend some account of the fairy folk, to whom much of it must be referred, it is
necessary to make a pause before we enter upon the mystic and marvellous connexion sup-
posed to exist between the impenitent kingdom of Satan and those merry dancers by moon-
light.
Page 50
LETTER IV.
The Fairy Superstition is derived from different sources The Classical Worship of the
Silvans, or Rural Deities, proved by Roman Altars discovered The Gothic Duergar, or
Dwarfs Supposed to be derived from the Northern Laps, or Fins The Niebelungen-
Lied King Laurin s Adventure Celtic Fairies of a gayer character, yet their pleasures
empty and illusory Addicted to carry off Human Beings, both Infants and Adults
Adventures of a Butler in Ireland The Elves supposed to pay a Tax to Hell The Irish,
Welsh, Highlanders, and Manxmen held the same belief It was rather rendered more
gloomy by the Northern Traditions Merlin and Arthur carried off by the Fairies Also
.
Thomas of Erceldoune His Amour with the Queen of Elfland His re-appearance in latter
times Another account from Reginald Scot Conjectures on the derivation of the word
Fairy.
WE may premise by observing, that the classics had not forgotten to enroll in their mythology
a certain species of subordinate deities, resembling the modern elves in their habits. Good
old Mr. Gibb, of the Advocates Library (whom all lawyers whose youth he assisted in their
studies, by his knowledge of that noble collection, are bound to name with gratitude), used to
point out, amongst the ancient altars under his charge, one which is consecrated, Diis
campestribus, and usually added, with a wink, The fairies, ye ken. This relic of antiquity was
discovered near Roxburgh Castle, and a vicinity more delightfully appropriate to the abode of
the silvan deities can hardly be found.
Two rivers of considerable size, made yet more remarkable by the fame which has rendered
them in some sort classical, unite their streams beneath the vestiges of an extensive castle,
renowned in the wars with England, and for the valiant, noble, and even royal blood, which
has been shed around and before it a landscape ornamented with the distant village and
huge abbey tower of Kelso, arising out of groves of aged trees the modern mansion of
Fleurs, with its terrace, its woods, and its extensive lawn form altogether a kingdom for
Oberon and Titania to reign in, or any spirit who, before their time, might love scenery, of
which the majesty, and even the beauty, impress the mind with a sense of awe mingled with
pleasure. These silvans, satyrs, and fauns with whom superstition peopled the lofty banks
and tangled copses of this romantic country, were obliged to give place to deities very nearly
resembling themselves in character, who probably derive some of their attributes from their
classic predecessors, although more immediately allied to the barbarian conquerors. We
allude to the fairies, which, as received into the popular creed, and as described by the poets
who have made use of them as machinery, are certainly among the most pleasing legacies of
fancy.
Dr. Leyden, who exhausted on this subject, as upon most others, a profusion of learning,
found the first idea of the elfin people in the Northern opinions concerning the duergar, or
dwarfs. These were, however, it must be owned, spirits of a coarser sort, more laborious
vocation, and more malignant temper, and in all respects less propitious to humanity, than the
fairies (properly so called), which were the invention of the Celtic people, and displayed that
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