Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

200 Fictions of the Irish Celts.
Of the beautiful work in metals, and of the delicate
illuminations of gospels and missals, we have abundance
of specimens rescued from time's ravages. Of the
labours of the fair Celtic wives and daughters we have,
alas ! no relics ; the
frail materials on which their care
was expended have long since been the prey of the
moth, and of neglect— still more destructive.
Thus the Celtic ladies of former days, having no con-
veniences or comfortable opportunities for indulging in
the luxury of fictional woe and terror, were obliged to
have recourse to .the occupations we have mentioned to
employ their hours. They listened to the recitations that
succeeded the evening meal, and, having no criterion at
hand to determine their quality, were thoroughly satisfied
with them. If our readers are not equally pleased, we
regret the circumstance, but can offer no comfort.
Sir William Temple relates an instance of an Irish
north country gentleman of his day, employing a profes-
sional story-teller, night after ni ght, to put him to sleep.
This he always managed to do by reciting one of the
wild magical tales in which Fion and his knights had to
contend with gruagachs and hags, who by their potent
spells could reduce robust and active warriors to the
condition of weaklings of a year old. The Rev. Matthew
H organ , the intimate friend and zealous fellow-labourer
of the late John Windele in the fields of Celtic archaeo-
log}', was during his later years obliged to have recourse