Matheson Collection > Popular tales of the west Highlands > Volume 1

xxiv INTRODUCTION.
of the west give place to stories about ghosts and
fairies, apparitions, and dreams, — stories which would
be told in a few words, if at all, in the islands. Fairy-
belief is becoming a fairy tale. In another generation
it will groAv into a romance, as it has in the hands of
poets elseAvhere, and then the whole will either be
forgotten or carried from people who must work to
"gentles" who can afford to be idle and read books.
Eailways, roads, newspapers, and tourists, are slowly
but surely doing their accustomed work. They are
driving out romance ; but they are not driving out the
popular creed as to supernaturals. That creed will
survive Avhen the last remnant of romance has been
banished, for superstition seems to belong to no one
period in the history of civilization, but to all. It is as
rife in towns as it is amongst the hills, and is not
confined to the ignorant.
I have wandered amongst the peasantry of many
countries, and this trip but confirmcfl my old impres-
sion. There are few peasants that I think so highly of,
none that I like so well. Scotch Highlanders have
faults in plenty, but they have the bearing of Nature's
own gentlemen — the delicate, natural tact which dis-
covers, and the good taste which avoids, all that would
hurt or oflfend a guest. The poorest is ever the readiest
to share the best he has with the stranger. A kind
word kindly meant is never thrown away, and whatever
may be the faults of this people, I have never found a
boor or a churl in a Highland bothy.
Celts have played their part in history, and they have
a part to play still in Canada and Australia, where their
language and character will leave a trace if they do not
influence the destiny of these new Avorlds. There are
hundreds in those distant lands, whose language is still