Letters on demonology and witchcraft / [Sir Walter Scott].

  • Scott, Walter, 1771-1832
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters on demonology and witchcraft / [Sir Walter Scott]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    attached to it, their actions and answers, by the re- port of one Kelly, who acted as his viewer. The unfortunate Dee was ruined by his associates both in fortune and reputation. His show-stone, or mir- ror, is still preserved, among other curiosities, in the British Museum. Some superstition of the same kind was introduced by the celebrated Count Cagli- ostro, during the course of the intrigue respecting the diamond necklace, in which the late Marie An- toinette was so unfortunately implicated. Dismissing this general class of impostors, who are now seldom heard of, we come now briefly to mention some leading superstitions, once, perhaps, common to all the countries of Europe, but now re- stricted to those which continue to be inhabited by an undisturbed and native race. Of these, one of the most beautiful is the Irish fiction, which assigns to certain families of ancient descent and distin- guished rank the privilege of a banshie, as she is called, or household fairy, whose office it is to appear, seemingly mourning while she announces the ap- proaching death of some one of the destined race. The subject has befen so lately and beautifully inves- tigated and illustrated by Mr. Crofton Croker and others, that I may dispense with being very particu- lar regarding it. If I am rightly informed, the dis- tinction of a banshie is only allowed to families of the pure Milesian stock, and is never ascribed to any descendant of the proudest Norman or boldest Saxon who followed the banner of Earl Strongbow, much less to adventurers of later date who have obtained settlements in the Green Isle. Several families of the Highlands of Scotland an- ciently laid claim to the distinction of an attendant spirit, who performed the office of the Irish banshie. Among them, however, the functions of this attend- ant genius, whose form and appearance differed in different cases, were not limited to announcing the dissolution of those whose days were numbered.